PKM Techniques for Stable Links, Flexible Tags, and Evolving Metadata

Personal knowledge management practices for permalinks, tag-based file organization, and metadata schemas that can evolve with your needs

In this article, we will cover a few practices and methodologies for personal knowledge management, specifically oriented around Obsidian. These practices are a work in progress, and have been evolving over time, according to changing technical constraints and user priorities.

In my case, I have a multi-purpose personal knowledge management (PKM) system, or second brain, which functions as a journal, rolodex, bookmark library, website, and more. Personally, I’m of the notion that one’s practices should gradually be tailored to one’s need, a process which takes time and often involves tension between practical usability and ontological elegance. It’s tempting to prematurely fixate on the schemas and frameworks, but just remember that as you start using your second brain, its formal needs can become more evident.