Most of the times folders feel artificial. I prefer tags nowadays as the single source.
The times I separate to a folder is for very-specific Dataview data-only pages, and for storing assets such as images.
Everything in my brain is highly categorized and those categories are hierarchical.
Computer / Kubernetes / Helm / Something.md
Computer / Java / JVM / Garbage Collection Tuning.md
Construction / Foundation / Shallow Strip Foundation.md
Hobby / 3D Printing / On Shape.md
And so on.
I don't even think that I need links. May be some. What I need is the ability to show multiple files at once. For example show all files in Computer / Kubernetes / Helm directory, separated with horizontal lines with the ability to edit this in one editor window. I hate when I need to constantly switch around in traditional editors.
I use a plugin called Tag Wrangler to show my tags as a tree like folders (it interprets the "/" as a parent directory).
This allows me to keep a note below multiple tags which I think is useful, at least for my own usecase.
I would add it to either quotes.md or the daily note with #kubernetes tag.
Tags I barely use, except for things I can't put into "atomic notes". Like when someone mentions a book and 1-3 sentence review, I add it to today's diary entry and use #book tag on it.
Memory, on a biological level, is tied very strongly to place or paths. Not just in humans, not just in mammals.
My folder hierarchy gives me a path that lets me find things. I remember where I put them, I remember where to find them.
If I need to search, fd and rg at a high level of the folder tree is a godsend.
Tags mean it is just floating in some cloud somewhere, locationless.
There can be friction if something could go into multiple categories, and one will always need a wildcard category, but these can be managed.
The Johnny Decimal system https://johnnydecimal.com/ can be a nice structured approach. Creator is here on HN somewhere; that's where I learned about it.
So for people not leveraging folders, do you just create all the notes in the same folder ? (resulting on a folder with thousands of notes ? and then what's your process to add a new note ? do a search, see if there currently is a relevant note to ammend, if not create a new one ?
I guess I learned how my own learning and memorizing works, and managed to match it better with how Obsidian works, and now I don't have to think about silly file / folder structure anymore. Your experience maybe different.
Pros :
- A note can fall under as many tags as you want
- The map view is pleasing to watch because tags can be shown but folders cannot, it also helps to categorize orhpan notes visually
Cons :
- You have to maintain the habit to tag each notes you write
Finally, Tag Wrangler allows you to rename / edit tags in bulk so that it is close to be as fluid as moving notes between folders.