Building a Zettelkasten System in Obsidian: A Step-by-Step Guide

Follow these steps to build a comprehensive Zettelkasten system in Obsidian.

1. Set up your Obsidian vault

Download and install Obsidian from https://obsidian.md/.

Create a new vault or choose an existing one.

Choose a folder location for your vault, where all your notes will be stored.

2. Familiarize yourself with Obsidian's interface

Learn the basics of Obsidian's interface, such as the file explorer, search, backlinks, and graph view.

Get comfortable with creating and editing notes in markdown format.

- Creating and editing notes in markdown format

o Markdown is a simple syntax for formatting text that uses special characters to indicate
headings, lists, bold, italic, etc.
 Heading:
 1 or more # symbols, followed by a space and the heading text
 e.g., # My First Heading
 List:
 a (-) (*) symbols, followed by a space and the list item text
 e.g., - First item
 Text:
 Bold
o enclose it in double asterisks
o e.g., **text**
 Italic:
o enclose it in single asterisks
o e.g., *text*
 Link:
 enclose the link text in square brackets and the link URL in parentheses
 e.g., [link text](https://example.com)).
 Image:
 use syntax for a link + add an exclamation mark before the square brackets
 e.g., .
o Use the preview pane to see how your note will look when rendered in markdown.

- Using Obsidian's features to organize and connect notes

o Use the file explorer to organize your notes into folders and subfolders.
o Use the search bar to find notes by title, content, or tags. Obsidian supports fuzzy search.
o Use backlinks to see which notes link to the current note.
  Click on the backlinks icon in the editor toolbar to open the backlinks pane.
o Use the graph view to visualize the connections between your notes.
 Click on the graph icon in the left sidebar to open the graph view.
 The graph view shows nodes (notes) and edges (links between notes) and allows
you to explore your Zettelkasten system in a visual way.
- Examples of how different features of Obsidian's interface can be used to organize and connect
notes:
o Use folders to group notes on specific topics or projects. For example, you could create a
folder called "Work" and subfolders for each project you're working on.
o Use tags to categorize notes by topic, type, or status. For example, you could tag notes with
#ideas, #research, or #to-do.
o Use backlinks to establish connections between related notes. For example, if you have a
note on "Machine Learning" and another note on "Neural Networks," you could link the two
notes together using double brackets ([[Neural Networks]]) in the "Machine Learning" note
and vice versa.
o Use the graph view to visualize the connections between your notes and identify clusters of
related notes. For example, you might notice that you have several notes on "Deep
Learning" and "Natural Language Processing" that are closely connected, indicating a
potential research interest or project focus.
3. Establish a note-naming convention

Use the "UID-title" format

- UID: a timestamp (e.g., 202303231200-MyNote).

- Title: creating informative and descriptive titles for your atomic notes:
o Identify the single idea or concept the note will cover: This will help you create a title that
accurately reflects the contents of the note.
o Use specific language: Use specific and descriptive language in your title to clearly convey
the main idea of the note. Avoid using vague or general terms.
o Keep it concise: Your title should be concise and to the point. Avoid using lengthy titles that
may be difficult to read or remember.
o Use keywords: Consider including relevant keywords in your title to help you quickly find
related notes. For example, if you're writing an atomic note about the benefits of
meditation, you might include keywords like "meditation," "mindfulness," and "mental
health" in the note title.
o Make it unique: Use a title that is unique to the specific note you are creating. Avoid using
generic titles that may apply to many different notes.
o Be consistent: Once you have established a consistent convention for creating descriptive
titles, use it consistently for all atomic notes in your Zettelkasten system. This will help you
easily find and connect related notes.

Examples:

- "202303231301 The Benefits of Meditation for Mental Health": A note with this title may not be an
atomic note in a Zettelkasten system if it includes multiple ideas or concepts. In that case, it may be
 more helpful to break down the note into smaller, more specific atomic notes that each cover a
single idea or concept related to the benefits of meditation for mental health. Like:
o "202303231302 How Meditation Reduces Stress and Anxiety"
o "202303231331 The Relationship Between Mindfulness and Emotional Regulation"
o "202303231405 The Effects of Meditation on Brain Function"
o "202303241712 How Meditation Can Improve Sleep Quality"

4. Create your first notes

- Follow the principle of atomicity: Each note should cover a single idea or concept. This helps ensure
that your notes are focused and remain easy to reference and connect to other notes
- Start with a template note: A template note is a basic note that you can use to create new notes. It
should include the basic information that you need for all of your notes:
o Title:
o Reference: Any sources or references used in the note
o Tags: Relevant tags to help connect the note to related ideas or concepts
 The tag in the Tags section of the note (if you're using a template)
 Or, by adding a hashtag before the tag name in the body of the note (#Tag Name)
o Content: The main content of the note, written in your own words and focused on a single
idea or concept
o Links: Any links to related notes or concepts in your Zettelkasten system.
 Use double-bracket syntax [[NoteTitle]]
 Or, by using the Ctrl/Cmd + K keyboard shortcut
- Structure your notes effectively: Use headings and subheadings to organize your notes. This will help
you to find information quickly and easily.
- Write in your own words: Don't just copy and paste information from other sources. Instead, take
the time to understand the information and then write about it in your own words. This will help
you to better understand the information and to remember it later.
- Incorporate references and source links: If you are referencing a specific source, such as a book or
article, be sure to include a reference to it in your note. This can help you quickly find the source
later on if necessary. Additionally, if you are referencing a specific idea or concept from another
note, be sure to include a link to that note so you can easily connect the two later on.
- Here's an example of a template note in Obsidian:
# Title

[Reference]

## Tags
- [Tag 1]
- [Tag 2]

## Content
[Your notes in your own words]

## Links
 - [[Related note 1]]
- [[Related note 2]]

5. Creating a network-based workflow

- Create a note.
- Tags:
o Create a hierarchy of tags that includes both broad categories and more specific topics.
o This can help you organize your notes in a way that is both intuitive and flexible, and can
make it easier to find related notes and ideas.
o For example:
 You might have a broad category tag like "Philosophy" that includes all your notes
on different philosophers and philosophical concepts.
 Within this broad category, you might have more specific topic tags like "Kant",
"Nietzsche", "ethics", "metaphysics", etc. This allows you to quickly find all your
notes on a particular philosopher or philosophical topic, while still keeping them
organized within the larger category of philosophy.
- Use internal links: to connect related notes.
o As you create new notes, look for opportunities to link them to existing notes that share
similar themes or ideas.
o For example, you might link your note about Kant to other notes about German philosophy,
Enlightenment thought, or ethics.
- Use the backlink view: to identify notes that link to the current note. This can help you discover new
connections and patterns that you might not have noticed otherwise.
- Use the graph view: to explore the network of links between your notes. This can help you identify
new connections and patterns and visualize the relationships between your notes.
- Regularly review and update your notes to ensure that they remain relevant and connected to the
larger themes and topics in your Zettelkasten system.

Create index notes that act as entry points to specific topics or collections of notes.

6. Develop a daily routine

Schedule time for daily note-taking and review.

Regularly add new notes, review existing ones, and connect related ideas.

7. Search and navigate your Zettelkasten

Use Obsidian's search functionality to find notes by keywords, tags, or connections.

Utilize the graph view to visualize the connections between your notes.

8. Continuously refine your Zettelkasten

Regularly review and update your notes to ensure they remain accurate and relevant.

Consolidate, split, or reorganize notes as your understanding of topics evolves.

Example: Capturing and organizing ideas on climate change

Create a note with a UID-title format, like 202303231201-ClimateChange.

Write a summary of what you know about climate change, including its causes, effects, and current
research.

Link to related notes, such as [[GreenhouseEffect]], [[RenewableEnergy]], and

[[ClimateChangeMitigation]].

Add tags and keywords like #climatechange #globalwarming #environment.

Organize related notes in a folder named "Environment" and create an index note called "Environment
Index."

Remember, the key to a successful Zettelkasten system is consistent engagement, regular note-taking,
and continuous refinement. Happy note-taking!