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Linking Nodes

Links create non-hierarchical relationships between nodes. Unlike parent-child relationships (which form a strict hierarchy), links allow any node to reference any other node, enabling cross-references and associations.

Aspect Parent-Child Links
Structure Hierarchical tree Flat associations
Direction Parent owns child Bidirectional
Deletion Deleting parent affects children Independent
Navigation Up/down hierarchy Direct jump
Visibility Tree, Cards, Table views Graph view (external links), Detail panel

There are three methods to create links between nodes:

Method 1: Option+Drag in Graph View

  1. Open Graph view
  2. Hold Option (Mac) or Alt (Windows/Linux)
  3. Drag from source node to target node
  4. Release to create the link

The cursor changes to indicate link mode when Option is held.

  1. Select a node (the source)
  2. Open spotlight search (Cmd/Ctrl + K)
  3. Search for the target node
  4. Hold Option and click the result, or use the Link action

This method works from any view.

Method 3: Context Menu

  1. Right-click a node
  2. Select "Link to..."
  3. Search for the target node in the dialog
  4. Select the target to create the link

In Graph View

Enable "Show External Links" in the graph toolbar to display link edges. Links appear as dashed lines (distinct from solid parent-child edges).

In Detail Panel

The "Linked Items" section shows all nodes linked to the current node:

  • Click a linked node to navigate to it
  • Click the X button to remove the link
  • Use the search field to add new links

In Cards View

Linked nodes can be toggled visible in the Children section of the detail panel using the "Show Linked" option.

From Detail Panel

  1. Open the detail panel for either linked node
  2. Scroll to "Linked Items" section
  3. Click the X button next to the link to remove

From Context Menu

  1. Right-click a node that has links
  2. Select "Unlink from..."
  3. Choose which link(s) to remove

From Graph View

Links cannot be directly deleted from the graph view. Use the detail panel or context menu.

Use Cases

Cross-References

Link related topics that exist in different parts of your hierarchy:

  • A task linked to the person responsible
  • A meeting linked to its agenda items
  • A research note linked to source materials

Project Associations

Connect nodes across projects without duplicating them:

  • Shared resources used by multiple projects
  • Dependencies between components
  • Related milestones

Person Connections

Link people to relevant nodes:

  • Team members to their projects
  • Contacts to meeting notes
  • Stakeholders to decisions

Mentions in Notes

The notes editor supports @mentions that automatically create links:

  1. Type @ followed by a person's name
  2. Select from the dropdown of matching persons
  3. The mention is inserted and a link is created

Mention format: @[Person Name](person:123)

See Detail Panel for more details.

  • Links are bidirectional: if A links to B, B also shows A in its linked items
  • Links persist independently of hierarchy changes
  • Moving a node preserves its links
  • Deleting a node removes all its links
  • Links are included in export/import operations

See Also