My Deep Dive into the Perfect Note-Taking Setup with Obsidian and Zettelkasten

So, I've been on this journey, right? I've also tried it all—Evernote, Notion, Quiver, free text—you name it. But let me tell you, nothing really clicked until I stumbled upon Obsidian. It's like that moment when you first saw an iPhone; it just works beautifully in its simplicity. Plus, it’s got a neat trick up its sleeve—a plugin for Neovim fans. How cool is that?

So why Obsidian?

Here’s the scoop: Obsidian keeps things simple and straightforward. It's all about markdown, so it's super fast and doesn’t mess around with unnecessary formatting. It's like having your notes right in your pocket, without the fuss. And if you're like me, tweaking things to perfection 😎, you'll appreciate how customizable it is with its plugins.

BTW, the Neovim plugin from the Astro Community.

"Zettelkasten" Method wtf???

Imagine a note-taking system that’s less about hoarding information and more about weaving a tapestry of ideas—where each thread is a thought, insight, or a piece of knowledge. This method was the brainchild of Niklas Luhmann, a genius at making connections between seemingly unrelated ideas.

Example of knowledge graph in Obsidian

Here’s how it rolls: You start with fleeting notes—these are the raw, unfiltered thoughts and observations you jot down on the fly. Think of them as quick sketches of ideas that hit you while reading, working, or when inspiration strikes out of the blue.

Next up are reference notes. These are the meatier notes, where you begin to expand on those initial sketches by adding sources, quotes, or data. They're your groundwork for more elaborate ideas.

Then you have literature notes. These are detailed notes about specific readings or research that resonate with you. They’re more comprehensive and often include your personal interpretations or critical reflections.

The real magic happens with the permanent notes. This is where you refine your fleeting and literature notes into more polished, standalone pieces of knowledge that connect to other permanent notes in meaningful ways.

And to tie it all together, you use index notes. These are your guides, your map to the treasure trove of connections and insights you’ve built up. They help you navigate through your notes, linking and layering the concepts.

In Zettelkasten, the flow from capturing fleeting moments of inspiration to indexing a complex network of ideas mirrors the natural flow of understanding and insight. It’s not just about collecting information; it’s about connecting it, seeing how one idea flows into another, building a web of knowledge that's as intuitive and interconnected as your own thought processes. For someone who thrives on networks and connections (yes, like those in graph databases like Neo4j) - sorry for the HU 🙂), it’s downright exciting to see your thoughts come alive and interact in this dynamic setup.

The marriage of Obsidian and Zettelkasten: A Match Made in Heaven

Now, how does Obsidian take this to the next level? It lets you link your notes to form a knowledge graph—imagine a visual web of your thoughts, evolving as you add more. It’s not just organizing; it’s about visually navigating your thoughts. As someone who loves seeing things connect and grow, this just clicks with me.

Screenshot of my current Obsidian content

Wrapping It Up

I’m just scratching the surface here. There's a whole lot more to explore and share about making your note-taking game a powerhouse. Stick around for more of my thoughts on this. And hey, if you’re curious about getting smarter with your notes, grab a copy of "Building a Second Brain" by Tiago Forte. It’s a fantastic read that complements everything we’re talking about.

Stay tuned, and let’s keep making magic with our notes!

---

While the core thoughts and opinions in this writing are my own, this text has been refined and enhanced with the assistance of ChatGPT.