Backlinks & Outline

15 min readUpdated 2026-10-10

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Tools for scanning a long, long document at a glance, and for tracking, in reverse, how other notes think of you. 🕵️‍♂️

← Home: ObsiKO 101 · For the basics of connections, look here! → Wiki Links & Tags

🧭 Four tabs in the Outline panel: Structure · To-dos · Episodes · Timeline — each one is explained below.

The skeleton of your writing: the outline (structure explorer) 📖

It gathers not only the headings (# through ######) of the document you're currently viewing, but also structure tags like <thinking>, <constraints>, <examples> into a single tree. (Heading TOC + tag explorer = structure explorer!)
A <tag> that comes at the very start of a line is treated as a container, so headings and tags inside it are neatly indented one level in. Tag entries are marked with a ◇ diamond, so they're easy to tell apart from headings at a glance.
(Text-decoration tags like <b>, <i>, <span>, and tags inside code blocks are excluded from the outline — we only show you the real "structure"!)
Click any entry in the list and it smoothly scrolls you right to that spot.
Too many entries? Filter headings and tags in the search box to find things fast.
This really shines on writing that uses tags for structure, like AI prompts or LLM Wiki documents. → Building an LLM Wiki
With no note open, all four tabs (Structure, To-dos, Episodes, Timeline) show a “No note is open” card along with what the tab does. Hit [Create a new note] and a new note opens in the current folder — you stay on the same tab and can carry on right away.
You can drag headings to reorder them. Grab one and the whole section underneath comes along. On phones and tablets, press and hold briefly (about a third of a second) before you drag — otherwise the list just scrolls.

Just the to-dos ✅

Tap the To-dos tab at the top of the outline panel and you'll see only the checkbox items from the note you're looking at.

Just below the search box, your progress shows up as 2 / 5 done.
Tap the little box to mark something done — the body text updates right along with it.
Tap an item and it takes you to that line in the body.
Drag to reorder. Anything nested underneath comes along for the ride. (On phones and tablets, press and hold briefly first!)
Turn on Finished at bottom and finished to-dos slide down below the unfinished ones. After that, they drop down on their own every time you check one off.
- Checking the box in the body works too. Panel or body — it doesn't matter.
- Don't worry — items that still have unfinished sub-items stay put. We'd never let real work get buried under a pile of finished things.
- And while you're typing - [x] something, it holds still. We'd never yank the line out from under you — it tidies up once your cursor moves away.
- Changed your mind? One Undo puts it all back.

💡 Write - [ ] something to make a checkbox. More on that → 03 Markdown Basics
When a note has no to-dos yet, the tab shows “How it fills up” — press [Add a to-do] to turn the line with the cursor into a to-do (undo with ⌘Z).

For serialized writing: the Episodes tab 📚

Writing split into episodes — a web novel, a blog series, lecture notes — is managed in the outline’s Episodes tab. Two kinds of notes count as episodes: notes with the property view: webnovel (or type: episode), and notes in a folder with two or more notes whose names differ only by number, like Episode 1 · Episode 2 or Part 1 · Part 2.

The tab is always visible. On a note that isn’t an episode it shows “How it fills up” — ① one note per episode, named with just a different number in the same folder (Episode 1, Episode 2 — two or more make a list) ② [Make this note an episode] for web novels ③ what you can do in the list, plus an example folder. [Make this note an episode] gives the note the same shape as an episode made with [+ Write Episode 1] — Episode 1 goes in front of the name (My Story → Episode 1 My Story; an Untitled note just becomes Episode 1) and the properties view: webnovel, status and release date are added. Since the name changes, the first click shows the new name and a second click applies it (a name that is already an episode name, like Episode 3, just gets the properties in one click). You can also start with [Create a web novel project].
The episodes in the same folder at a glance, with status (out · buffer · writing), release date and length — the one you're writing is highlighted; click another's name to jump there.
Click a status chip to pick draft · revising · done · scheduled · published right there. The buffer counts episodes that are done/scheduled but not yet out, so switching one to done raises it immediately.
Drag the handle (⋮⋮) on the left of a row to reorder (mouse or touch). When you drop, it shows the new names first (3 → 1 …), and only [Reorder] actually renames the files and updates links in other notes.
At the top: Episodes · Published · Buffer · Next release (the buffer turns a warning color at 0). Below them, Total length adds up your episodes' character counts (author's notes left out).
If notes are named like episodes (Episode 5, Prologue) but aren't marked as episodes, [Make these N episodes too] — it only applies on a second press. Memos and foreshadowing ledgers are never suggested.
Not just for serials — if the folder has two or more notes whose names differ only by number (Lecture 1, Lecture 2), the tab appears on those notes too (list, reordering and renumbering, without serial stats or status). Order and numbers are handled only among notes shaped like the current one, so side stories stay with side stories.
Names with a title after the number (1화_시작하다, Episode 2 - Dawn) count as one series too — only the number changes, the title stays (4_Ending → 3_Ending). Names with “side story / extra / bonus” after them are grouped separately from the main series.
If numbers have gaps (1, 2, 4), [Renumber] pulls later episodes forward. It shows the new names first and updates links in other notes too (side stories and prologues are left alone).
[+ Write Episode N] below the list creates the episode after the last number in the current series from the episode template and opens it right away (if the series runs up to Episode 12 - Black Rain, you get Episode 13; press it on a side story and it continues the side stories). 'Write next episode' in the command palette does the same. If your episodes use two-level numbers like 1_2, Part 1 Chapter 2 or S1E02, you choose between [+ Write 1_3] (the next episode in the same part) and [+ Write 2_1] (the first episode of the next part) — the next-part button only appears in the last part. Dragging to reorder also stays within the same part.
Turn on Summary & last line and each episode unfolds its one-line summary and its last line (author's note left out) — handy for finding an event in a long serial, or skimming how each episode ends.
Episode memos — leave a memo on any episode and it stays visible right under its row (nothing is hidden). Episodes without a memo have a Memo+ button just left of the status chip (always visible, on phones too). Click a memo to edit it in place — click away or press ⌘Enter to save, Esc to cancel. The trash button on the right deletes the memo right away, and [Undo] in its place brings it back for 10 seconds. Long memo? Collapse just that episode with the ▾ on the left (only the first line stays), or all of them with [Collapse memos] at the top (collapsing is remembered on this device only). Memos are saved in the episode note's memo property, so they show up in dashboards and Obsidian too.
[Gather into treatment] — collects the episode memos in episode order into a Treatment note in the work folder and opens it (a link, status and release date for each episode plus its memo — or its summary if there's no memo). Edit memos and press it again: only the 'Episode by episode' section is rewritten — a logline or ending notes you wrote above or below it stay as they are. Text edited inside that section changes on the next gather, so edit the episode memos instead.
Notes with 'notice' or 'hiatus' in the name (like Hiatus notice) aren't episodes, so they gather separately below the list and stay out of the episode count, the buffer and the viewer's Next Episode reading.
For an episode inside a web novel project, Update schedule sits at the very bottom — pick your update-day chips and a Hiatus, and the top tells you something like "A buffer of 3 lasts until Mon, 10/12". For buffer episodes with no date it offers Fill release dates (it shows the dates it would set first, and writes them only when you press).

Events in story-time order: the Timeline tab 🗓️

Lines up the event notes in an Event folder (Lore/Event in a web novel project) in time order. Not just for web novels — it works the same for fiction, history study or your own records. The Episodes tab is “episode order”; the timeline is “time inside the story”.

An event note needs only a few lines: - When: Spring, year 312 · - What happened: … · - Episodes: [[Episode 1]], [[Episode 12]] · - Characters: [[Seo]]. Write “When” freely — “3 years ago” or “1st year after the regression” is fine (the app doesn’t read it as a date).
Drag to set the order (the ⋮⋮ handle, mouse or touch). Only the moved event note gets an order value (the timeline_order property).
Switch between Story time / Episode order at the top — episode order follows the episode where each event first appears. Episode chips that show an event later than the story time (flashbacks, regressions…) get a ↩, and events tied to the episode you’re writing are highlighted. Click a chip to open that episode.
Pick a character to see only the events they appear in (the - Characters: line).
Adding events: [+ Event] at the bottom, or select text in a manuscript, right-click → Add as an event… — the selected text goes into the note’s “What happened” as a quote, and the current episode and the codex characters in the text are filled in. The manuscript doesn’t change at all.
- The Characters field is always there — click chips to add or remove people (characters already in the timeline or codex are offered), or type a name and press Enter (commas for more). Codex characters pop up as you type. They go into the note’s - Characters: line as links and feed the character filter.
While the timeline is empty, the tab shows “How it fills up” — ① an Event folder where event notes collect, [Create event folder] ② one note per event (a few lines: - When:, - What happened:, - Characters:), [Create event note] ③ each note lines up here. An example event note is shown too.
- The folder goes inside the current note’s folder (e.g. History/Event/Battle of Hastings). If it already exists, step ① gets a ✓. The note button works without the folder (it creates it).
- Other way: [Create a one-page timeline note] — creates a Timeline note in this folder with an example. One event per line (when | event | details) draws a timeline chart in the note (see “Timeline” in 04 Advanced Markdown). The lightest option when you’d rather not split notes.
- Other way: [Create a web novel project] — when you also need episode management.
An Event folder counts as a timeline only if a note inside has a - When: or - What happened: line (a work folder that just happens to be called “Event” is left alone). Timelines without episodes hide the “Episode order” view and the “Episodes” line in event notes.
A web novel work with no events yet shows the same guide for its Lore/Event folder. Selecting text and choosing Add as an event… works in any note (with no timeline, it goes to an Event folder next to that note).
Group by era: write - Era: Before the regression in event notes and a header appears wherever the same era runs (it’s only a label — the order is still set by dragging). When you add an event, the era of the event before it is filled in.
Your own markers: add (flashback) or (preview) after an episode — - Episodes: [[Episode 1]], [[Episode 12]](flashback) — and the chip shows it (instead of the app’s ↩).
[Sort by written time]: appears when “When” is written as numbers or dates like 309, 312-3 or 2026-10-01. It sorts only within each era (before/after a regression never mix), shows the new order first, and applies on the second press. Text it can’t read, like “3 years ago” or “D-30”, is left alone.
[Gather into a timeline note]: collects events in story order into the work’s Timeline note — drawn as one chronicle chart (era, when, event and episodes on a vertical timeline); click an event name to open its note (see 'chronicle' in Advanced Markdown). Press it again and only the part between the markers is rewritten; what you wrote above and below stays.
[Open large in the dashboard]: for a web novel work, see it wide in the dashboard’s Timeline view (added to the dashboard if missing — new web novel projects have it from the start). On wide screens, the By character columns show who appears when.
The Character Codex detail gains Events, and Ready to continue in the story toolbar gains Timeline — around this episode.

Every relationship your note has, all in one place: the Connections panel 🔗

Just one Connections panel in the right sidebar shows you every relationship this note has, neatly sorted by direction. Switch between Outgoing ↔ Incoming ↔ Suggestions with the tabs up top. Each tab carries a connection-count badge, so you can gauge the scale before you even open it!

➡️ Outgoing connections (what I point to)

Wiki links: gathers all the [[links]] this note sends out to the world, in one place. Pointing at a note you haven't created yet? Click it and a new note is created on the spot. Don't hesitate! (Markdown [title](path) links are also resolved smartly, relative paths included, and clicking [[Note#Heading]] jumps straight to that heading's line.)
Attachments/embeds: collects attached files like images and PDFs placed in the body, plus ![[embeds]], separately.
Relations: write type relations like is-a or part-of in the frontmatter, and they're neatly grouped by predicate. → Structuring Knowledge

⬅️ Incoming connections (what points to me)

Backlinks: a list of every other note that has linked to me (the current note). Perfect for that "wait, where did I mention this idea before...?" moment — successfully traced back! (Even a file card in a mind map (.canvas) that points to me gets found here.)
Reverse relations: shows which relation points to me (e.g. a broader concept that holds me via part-of), sorted by predicate. Pretty reassuring, right? If you register inverse names in the relation dictionary, they read naturally ("← i.e. this note's works").
＋ Add relation: the ＋ button above the panel adds relations without touching YAML — pick a relation name (suggestions) and a target note (autocomplete); names of not-yet-created notes are fine too.
Relation check: below the Outgoing tab, gentle advisories flag targets that don't exist yet (→ create), predicates missing from the dictionary (→ one-click register), and kind mismatches — guidance, not errors. → More: 16-5 Zettelkasten & Ontology
Instances 🧬: a list of notes that use this note as their type (class). See "how many examples of this concept were there again?" at a glance!
Unlinked mentions: finds spots where this note's title just appears in the text without being linked. A great place to discover candidates worth linking!

💡 Link suggestions (notes worth connecting)

"This note really belongs with that one…" — ObsiKO finds those for you. Open the third tab, Suggestions, and it picks out link-worthy candidates from notes you haven't connected yet.

Only well-grounded candidates appear — notes whose titles actually appear in each other's text, that are genuinely similar in content (semantic search), or that share a rare tag. If the two sit in the same topic group (a cluster tied together by links and tags), that counts as extra evidence too. Each candidate carries reason chips showing why it was suggested. Zero AI calls, zero cost.
Hit [Connect]: if the note's title appears in your text, the first occurrence turns into a [[link]]; if not, it's quietly added to the frontmatter related: list. Change your mind? A single ⌘Z undoes it cleanly.
Candidates you dismiss with [✕] never come back. Nothing is ever linked automatically — only what you approve gets applied.
Filter & sort: once connections pile up, narrow them down with the filter box up top, and toggle the sort button between by name ↔ by count to tidy things up.

💡 The old "Backlinks" panel and "Ontology" panel have been merged into this single Connections panel. Links or relations, outgoing or incoming — see it all on one screen!

Link up — new notes get caught in the web 🕸️

Connection suggestions only appear when you open a note — but Link up comes to you. When a newly arrived note (web clip, RSS collection, transcription, or just a fresh memo) isn't connected to anything yet, ObsiKO quietly finds likely partners in the background and places them on the "Link up" card in the Dashboard.

The card shows new note → candidate note pairs with the evidence ("mentioned in the text", "similar content", …). Hit ✓ Link to connect them on the spot, or ✕ to never see that pair again.
The linking style fits the note: regular notes get their existing in-text mention turned into a link, while clips and sources (notes with a source:) are connected via a related: property without touching the original text. Just-made links can be undone right from the card.
Nothing links without your approval — there is no auto-linking. No candidates? The card stays quietly empty.
Add aliases to a note's properties and nicknames count too — with aliases: [LLM], "LLM" in any text counts as a mention of your "Large Language Model" note (connection suggestions and unlinked mentions benefit as well).

💡 Pairs beautifully with RSS subscriptions (20 Web Clipper) — material flows in automatically, Link up catches it in the web, and with a tap of approval your vault weaves itself tighter.

Some pairing tips worth trying! 🍯

Want to visualize how your notes relate, like a gorgeous spiderweb? → Graph View
Keep reference material open beside you while you write and peek at it (the Reference View feature!) → Search & Navigation

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