TechWorkRamblings

by Mike Kalvas

202209091130 Notes should be atomic

202109091129 Evergreen notes should be about one thing and one thing only. They should also try to encapsulate as complete of a description of that one thing as possible.1

Writing our notes in this way allows for maximum composability. The concept that each note encapsulates (202109091134 Notes should be concept-oriented) is more transferable and connective across topics and contexts when it's atomic. If it's too broad, you risk missing connections or making connections that are only partially applicable to the note. This gives us the right level of abstraction for creating a web of densely connected notes (202109091132 Notes should be densely linked) that allow for emergent properties (202109091133 Notes should associate organically) to surprise us (202109091131 Notes should surprise us).


  1. Matuschak, A. (2017). Evergreen notes should be atomic. Andyʼs Working Notes. https://notes.andymatuschak.org/z4Rrmh17vMBbauEGnFPTZSK3UmdsGExLRfZz1