Org-roam icon

Org-roam

Org-roam is a note-taking and organization tool built on top of the Emacs text editor and the Org mode plugin. It helps users build a networked system of notes that can be linked, tagged, and graphically visualized.

What is Org-roam?

Org-roam is an open-source tool for managing notes and tasks in Emacs using the popular Org mode format. It helps users build a knowledge graph where nodes are Org mode files that contain notes, ideas, or tasks, and edges connect related nodes.

Some key features of Org-roam include:

  • Backlinks - Automatic backlinks are created between nodes, allowing users to visually map connections in their notes.
  • Graph view - An interactive graph shows an overview of all notes and connections.
  • Powerful search - Flexible search of titles, tags, contexts and text content across all notes.
  • Daily notes - Auto-generated daily notes to capture new ideas and tasks.
  • Random notes - Quick access to jump to and develop a random, underutilized note.

By facilitating connections between ideas, Org-roam helps users organize knowledge, support creativity, plan projects, manage tasks, and develop ideas more effectively. While optimized for Emacs, Org-roam notes are stored as plain text markup so they remain future-proof and flexible to extend with custom workflows.

The Best Org-roam Alternatives

Top Apps like Org-roam

Obsidian, CherryTree, Logseq, RemNote, Roam Research, Notesnook, UpNote, Org mode, SiYuan, QOwnNotes, Tangent Notes are some alternatives to Org-roam.

Obsidian

Obsidian redefines the landscape of note-taking and knowledge management, providing a robust platform for individuals to build a personal knowledge base and make meaningful connections between ideas. Designed with a focus on the principles of local-first and markdown, Obsidian offers a unique and efficient approach to organizing and structuring information...

CherryTree

CherryTree is a versatile open-source note taking and organization application. It allows users to store information in a hierarchical tree structure, allowing for easy categorization and navigation of notes.Some key features of CherryTree include:Rich text support - Notes can be formatted using bold, italics, lists, etc.Syntax highlighting...

Logseq

Logseq is an open-source knowledge base and note-taking application built for creating a second brain to organize your ideas and connect concepts across domains. It adopts a local-first approach where all data is stored on your device by default and optionally synced to the cloud.Some key features of Logseq...

RemNote

RemNote is a free, open-source spaced repetition and note-taking application developed by students at Stanford University. It sets itself apart from traditional note-taking apps by allowing users to create an interactive, interconnected web of notes rather than siloed documents.At the core of RemNote is support for spaced repetition flashcards...

Roam Research

Roam Research is a powerful note-taking and knowledge management application designed to facilitate deeper thinking and insight. It utilizes a graph database structure that allows users to make connections between ideas and build an interconnected web of thoughts.Some key features of Roam Research include:Bidirectional linking between pages to...

Notesnook

Notesnook is a free online note taking and organizing software. It provides users with a variety of tools to easily capture ideas, thoughts, web content, images, and more in an organized notebook interface.Key features of Notesnook include:Intuitive rich text editor for formatting notes - add headings, lists, bold...

UpNote

UpNote is a free, open-source note taking application available for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android operating systems. It provides a simple and clean interface for creating, organizing and editing notes.Some key features of UpNote include:Basic rich text editing tools for formatting note text - add bold, italics...

Org mode

Org mode is a popular open-source note-taking and organization tool extension for the Emacs text editor. It was created by Carsten Dominik in 2003. Org mode uses plain text files to organize notes, tasks, to-do lists, planning details, and more into hierarchies and outlines. Key features of Org mode include:Plain...

SiYuan

SiYuan is an open-source, cross-platform note taking and knowledge management application. Developed as an alternative to proprietary software like Evernote and OneNote, SiYuan emphasizes features, flexibility, and privacy.At its core, SiYuan lets you organize your notes in a hierarchical system of notebooks, sections, and pages. You can format your...

QOwnNotes

QOwnNotes is a free, open source note taking and todo list application for Windows, Linux and macOS. It uses plain text files for storing notes, so there is no vendor lock in or proprietary file formats to worry about.Key features include:Markdown formatting support for notes along with a...

Tangent Notes

Tangent Notes is a free, open-source note taking application available for Windows, Mac and Linux operating systems. It is designed to help users organize their research, thoughts and ideas in one place.Some of the key features of Tangent Notes include:Flexible note organization with notebooks and tagsBacklinks to connect...