How I discovered logseq? #

Back in 2022, I was searching for a powerful replacement for my existing note-taking software, CueCards. It was then that I stumbled upon Logseq. While it had a few minor glitches at the time—which is to be expected of any new software—I was immediately impressed by the development team’s commitment. Their rapid release cycles, approximately every four weeks, demonstrated a proactive approach to addressing issues, and I consistently saw those initial problems resolved in a timely manner.

What ultimately convinced me to make the switch were Logseq’s core principles and design philosophy:

• Open Source: The open-source nature of Logseq was a major factor. It gave me confidence that the project was not only transparent but also driven by a community of users and developers. This ensures that the software is not tied to the fate of a single company and fosters long-term sustainability.
• Privacy First: The “privacy first” approach was non-negotiable for me. Logseq stores all data locally in plain text. This meant I had complete control and ownership of my notes, with no reliance on proprietary cloud services or vendor lock-in. My data was truly mine.
• Outliner by Design: As someone who thinks in structured, hierarchical formats, Logseq’s outliner-first design was a perfect fit. It’s built around the idea of blocks and relationships, allowing for flexible organization and powerful querying. This structure is ideal for connecting disparate thoughts, building a personal knowledge graph, and seamlessly integrating daily notes, tasks, and project plans into a single, cohesive system.

How do I use logseq? #

Beyond its core function as a Personal Knowledge Management system, Logseq serves a multitude of roles in my daily workflow, making it an indispensable tool for productivity and learning. Here’s a closer look at how I leverage its capabilities:

• Knowledge Graph: By linking concepts, projects, and resources, I build a dynamic web of interconnected information, making it easy to navigate complex topics and retrieve relevant data contextually.
• Document Analysis: I use Logseq’s outlining and block-referencing features to extract key information, break down concepts into digestible chunks, and annotate. Using it´s API interface I extract data for further processing, analysis, or integration with other tools,
• Data Repository: logseq is my first choice to store all type of unstructured data.
• Study and Research Tool: I add valuable sources I come across during my research to legseq
• Tracking Tool: I keep track of various things (health/weight, projects, daily log, personal finance, , etc.) more or less frequently.
• Writing Tool: Brainstorming, collecting ideas, structuring thoughts

What you should know before using logseq #

Roadmap #

logseq is a robust and stable product (“Working Software”) in it´s most recent version. However, like many other OSS projects, its development pace can sometimes be unpredictable. For instance, the transition to a database version, aimed at improving core performance and reliability, has faced notable delays. While the team is dedicated, such ambitious re-architectures can be complex, and it’s wise to acknowledge that major feature rollouts might not always align with initially announced timelines.

Performance #

Users with exceptionally large knowledge graphs, containing tens of thousands of blocks and complex interconnections, might occasionally encounter performance issues, such as slower loading times or minor delays in search operations. While the developers are continuously working to optimize performance, this is a common challenge for local-first, graph-based applications at scale. That said, for most users, performance remains excellent.

Small glitches or minor UI quirks #

You might also encounter small glitches or minor UI quirks from time to time; these are generally not serious or workflow-breaking, but they are a reminder that, while robust, Logseq is still an actively developed project. Despite these points, Logseq’s powerful features and community support typically far outweigh these minor considerations.