Introduction

Hierarchical note-taking using dot notation in file names is a powerful method for organizing and structuring your notes. This system allows for a clear, visual representation of the relationships between different topics and subtopics. This type of note-taking was popularized by Kevin Lin and his note-taking plugin for Visual Studio Code, Dendron.

Basic Concepts

1. Dot Notation

The core of this system is the use of dots (.) in file names to represent hierarchical levels. For example:

• Science
• Science.Physics
• Science.Physics.Quantum

2. Main Topics

Main topics are represented by single words or phrases without dots:

• History
• Literature
• Mathematics

3. Subtopics

Subtopics are created by adding a dot followed by additional text:

• History.Ancient
• Literature.American
• Mathematics.Calculus

4. Further Subdivisions

You can create deeper levels of hierarchy by adding more dots: