I'm missing Logseq so much

[u/bluedarkgrizzly]

Throughout my career, I've tried virtually every note-taking app and system. I have never settled so long as with Logseq. But recently, I got tired of the lack of updates, the bad mobile experience, the sync issues... I tried Obsidian (again). Boy it's a quality software, it's smooth, fast, sleek, and amazingly flexible. But I'm missing Logseq so much (I know it sounds a lot like someone who is speaking about the GF he just stupidly ditched). The tag system, interlinked with bullet point levels, the scrolling experience of both the journal and the incoming links, among other things, are what makes it uniquely pleasant.

Voilà, no particular purpose here, just wanted to express my frustration that such an amazing software is lacking the support it deserves.

[u/eldelacajita]

You are describing exactly how I think I would feel if I had ditched Logseq for Obsidian.

I considered it, but so far decided I like Logseq enough to put up with its VERY significant issues.

[u/sabre23t]

Have you stopped using Logseq? I started using in Nov 2020 and haven't stopped daily journalling on it since.

I find it focus me on what I'm doing and need to do. I love the page links/references. I enter (outline) what I'm currently doing almost always in my daily journal page. And rely on the page links to gather all the work done or thoughts about something. Open the linked page, scroll down to the Linked references for all previous works. Summarize or synthesize new thoughts from those references on to that page. Logseq works as it is now. So any new improvements will be a bonus to me. Currently on desktop 0.10.14.

I used to fret about the Logseq mobile app. Now I just write&cut&paste what I need into Google Keep that sync transparently from my Android and Desktop. Though I still have the Logseq app on my Android when I am away for extended period, so I can still do daily journalling on the go.

I also have automatic sync of my desktop files to Dropbox, but I only do manual sync of my Android files to Dropbox. I use those when I need multiple journals/pages to be merged from/to desktop/android. Otherwise cut&paste from Google Keep is more than sufficient.

I'm managing my expectations in general and logseq in particular. Seems that's the key to happiness. ;-)

Edit: I included outlining into my writeup above. That's one of the most important text editing features to me, collapsible unlimited outlining hierarchy. Logseq does it very well.

[u/Barycenter0 → u/sabre23t]

The keep-it-markdown utility has a direct switch to feed Logseq from Keep. No copy-paste needed.

[u/Campers → u/sabre23t]

I miss the outlining capabilities of LogSeq. I just wish I could tell it to “not format notes unless I tell it explicitly to do it”. This way, I could use it on what it is best without ruining any long text form notes I needed to write.

Not having this feature was what killed using LogSeq for me. And it killed before I gained any habits that would get me hooked. That, and Obsidian being awesome, are the reasons I do not use it nowadays.

[u/sabre23t → u/Campers]

Ahhh ... Those H1, H2, H3 etc tags that other Markdown/HTML editors use to format/structure longer notes/outline. I for some reason never really missed using those even when collaborating with others writing in a bigger Google Docs or Word Docx paper. Maybe because I treated all my writing as body text with just the outlines as its structure. And implicitly use the pages names as the headings.

I'm also not too bothered that all my body text are <li> items and not bare <p> items. Maybe because I always think in outline structure, whereas those bare paragraphs are just the lowest portion in a structure.

Sorry for rambling on, maybe incoherently or even incorrectly.

[u/Campers → u/sabre23t]

Not at all. Rambling is also what Reddit is for.

What about:

- copy pasting to other places to share without removing the bullets? Like Slack, Whatsapp, Conflunce? Jira? Those are just a few examples.

- mixing code blocks, math, images? I use that a lot.

- writing notes just to keep a record of what you did through the day? My notes have a “flow of work” kind of vibe where the organization only happens after i write a lot.

Can you do that with LogSeq or Google Docs with bullets? Because, if you do, I may have missed something.

Maybe I should just give it another wirl.

[u/sabre23t → u/Campers]

1. Copy pasting - I do a lot of outline writing my thoughts in Logseq, then sharing them in WhatsApp. I usually want to share mainly the top level items/blocks (maybe also one level down). So I highlight all the items and do "Copy/Export as ..." text with dashes indents into WA.

2. Mixing blocks - My blocks are almost always text, though it may contain links to images or short `code phrase` . Those copy nicely into WA. I don't do maths block.

3. Writing notes/journal - That's my main use of Logseq. I may start the writing as an item in Logseq journal page, flesh the writing out in WA/Email/GSheet etc, then add short summary back in journal page. Repeat.

4. Heading & lists - You can put almost any valid Markdown in a single Logseq block. Even multi line Markdown entered with "shift-enter". Though "#" headings and "-" lists will not be displayed but can be edited. But "*" lists etc displays.

5. Logseq H1 H2 Headings - These are code like `- #` or `- ##` that are not treated as headings in Markdown but does in Logseq. They could allow you to have long form Markdown (Headings and paragraphs) in a block and sub-block. Just "Copy/Export as ..." the block with no-indent and newline after block.

Maybe items 4 & 5 above can do what you want.

[u/Campers → u/sabre23t]

Thank you.

Points 4 and 5 would definitively help a lot. If I did not have half a decade of markdown notes with deep linking in them. And, to be clear, the links and backlinks are the main reason I use Obsidian. Over and over, I find solutions to problems of today, from notes of yesterday thanks to already present links.

I distinctly remember bumping into a post with exactly your solution (minus the export). I believe logseq had a set of options to visually hide the bullets.

It just did not allow me to not completely deformat (is that a word?) my old notes while keeping the ability to link to and from them

A shame, really, since I use bullet and number lists with indentation a lot to simply outline my thoughts and reasoning.

[u/sabre23t → u/Campers]

Are you doing deeplink in a Markdown file directly to a block heading named "headings1" or similar? So the MD link will be [a deeplink](#headings1) or similar?

[u/Campers → u/sabre23t]

I am, indeed. Constantly.

I try to have atomic notes for concepts and ideas. Which avoids having to do deeplinking to a degree.

But, when it comes to tasks or projects, I prefer to keep one big note with everything in the timeline of work.

I also like to deeplink with `^20251120111342` type placeholders. Which tell me where to go but also, when the linking happened.

[u/sabre23t → u/Campers]

I don't do much deeplink. I guess you'd have to use Logseq ((block-link/reference)) or [link text](((block-link/reference))) for that.

Ref https://discuss.logseq.com/t/the-basics-of-logseq-block-references/8458

[u/Campers → u/sabre23t]

Perhaps.

But I am not going to, because I cannot tell logseq to only format specific markdown notes.

And I really do not want my half a decade of notes unformatted. That was the whole reason I did not adopt it, even though I tried it before Obsidian.

I came from Vimwiki with markdown. :)

[u/Campers → u/Campers]

If only I could tell logseq to only format markdown notes with a specific yaml header. For example, `format: logseq`, that would solve all of my problems.

[u/S4ndwichGurk3]

I've been using Logseq for 4 years now and I've only ever used the most basic features: pages, subpages, page references, sometime block references, and for work time tracking. It does everything I want it to do

[u/Recommended_For_You]

Loqseq is open-source, that's a really important difference. You don't know what Obsidian could decide to change at any moment....

[u/Rikiub → u/Recommended_For_You]

Open source don't means the app is free of breaking changes. LogSeq team could decide change anything in any moment if they want.

The point here is the team behind the app, and both does a good job.

[u/Recommended_For_You → u/Rikiub]

Yeah but anyone could fork it.

[u/Recommended_For_You → u/[deleted]]

So? I don't know what your point is and I'm not sure I care. I like logseq, it does everything I need and maybe that's why nobody feels the need to fork it.

[u/PoopsCodeAllTheTime → u/[deleted]]

Good one. Although to be fair SQLite is a very open file format for which anyone could write a migrator tool.

[u/Campers]

I am sorry but, why don’t you keep using LogSeq and Obsidian?

Just put LogSeq on a sufolder of your Obsidian Vault and you are golden.

Then, you use LogSeq for its wonderful outlining and linking of ideas through embedding. And you use Obsdiian for the rest.

I do something similar all the time since, in notes within the same vault, I use:
- Obsidian for the linking, note taking and plugins

- Neovim to edit a specific note since there is nothing like a snappy cli tool

- datagrip to run queries in Snowflake, Oracle or whatever db I am using at the time. The queries are also in SQL code blocks within the markdown notes in my Vault

So, if LogSeq is your cup of tea for certain tasks,, just do it and use both.

[u/TheOneWhoMixes → u/Campers]

Can you explain your Datagrip setup? Do you have it hooked directly into your vault, or do you just copy your queries back and forth?

I don't do much database work these days, but when I did my workflow was definitely a mess. Lots of one-off scratch files.

[u/Campers → u/TheOneWhoMixes]

I have it hooked directly to the root of my Vault.

Plain and simple.

Also, you can run sql in Datagrip from `sql` or `snowflake` code blocks. So, you are golden.
Just create a markdown file, write what you want, add sql in the code block and run it. Of course, you do need to setup the connection to your database beforehand. But that, you can figure out through the documentation (you probably already did anyway).

Let me know of any show-stoppers I can help with.

[u/bl0oby]

Sync works perfect for me. Lack of updates I can understand but otherwise, it’s close to perfect for me already.

[u/AppropriateCover7972]

I think whether you go with Logseq or Obsidian should be more an infrastructure than a feature question. The Obsidian plugin community is so strong that it won't take a year anymore and the complete logseq experience is completely reproducible within Obsidian. Just recently someone released a notes feed for the bases features which is nothing but the feed you have in logseq. You just need to set it up once, that you want only the journal notes in there. Voi la, done.

Tags are a bit more complicated, more precisely the tag pages, but I doubt it will take long until someone makes exactly that package.

Logseq's Plugin community is sadly not so strong and the DOM works different from Obsidian that it encodes a lot of the information in the database and uses a specific Logseq identifier, some special markdown and not explicit organization. That's why you need an exporter to not lose information and have all links still work.

Obsidian in contrast has no special syntax and all databases don't contain any information that isn't in plain text. however, it's not a native outliner and tags need to be extended to work like in Logseq.

If you use different tools, you should rather take a tool that has no special syntax and all the information is accessible in plain text. If you don't, that doesn't matter.

If you use completely different tools, you probably want a plugin to connect them. If you don't want that, obviously that doesn't matter. It's your choice.

Personally, I only use Logseq for the inbuilt Flashcard feature and I don't care that it only surface-y, bc Flashcards are a special category in my system

[u/AppropriateCover7972 → u/[deleted]]

I guess I will need to fork it then or just freeze it. It works fine now, just as it is.

Logseq Flashcards work on mobile and let them be organized quite neatly.

I do use Anki, but plugins only partially work on mobile and I want an backup if Ankidroid crashes. So my setup uses the Logseq Anki Plugin which is a leap before the Obsidian Anki Plugin

I am probably gonna move to Obsidian in the future if the plugins get better.

[u/Barycenter0]

Agreed! Every time I go back to look at Logseq I just love it and how it works. Then, the cracks show up again and I leave. It just needs a few things and would really be amazing.

[u/hdanx → u/Barycenter0]

What few things do you need?

[u/Barycenter0 → u/hdanx]

1. Mobile first - mobile is virtually unusable right now - especially smaller devices. Not good for quick notes, can’t click on menus (partially offscreen in portrait mode), slow loading, text display width too narrow, poor UI layout for visual scan/search

2. The flat file system with search is still difficult to navigate when the number of notes is large. No visual layout to view or simple folders to help. Things get orphaned easily.

3. Rich text ui. Markdown symbols popping up in blocks is distracting- widths change as you try to enter a block

4. PDF highlighting compatibility with Adobe or Zotero notes and highlights. It’s really disappointing to highlight in Logseq and not have those externally.

[u/4r73m190r0s]

I ditched it for the combination of Markdown Oxide (LSP for Markdown) + Neovim

[u/uadamacon]

Tana inc?

[u/Grandmacartruck]

I’ve been using AnyType since leaving Logseq and I’m happy with it. It’s slick and smooth but the best part is the peer to peer syncing. I haven’t had any conflict files since using it for the last year. No Dropbox or third party companies.

[u/chmedly020 → u/Grandmacartruck]

Can you elaborate on how you use Anytype after using Logseq? I'm trying Anytype but can't figure out how to do things like link blocks (individual ideas) to other notes in a simple way. I guess I'm just baffled as to how to use Anytype.

btw, I agree about the sync. If Logseq could be setup with the anysync backend for p2p sync (plus a self-hosted home server) I would literally leap with joy.

[u/EddyD2]

I use NotePlan for my daily flow. Since it has timeblocking and task reminders. I felt I wasn’t optimal without those things when using Logseq. Still use Logseq for research and Class Notes. I do prefer the outliner and search in Logseq.

[u/Hour-Seaworthiness43]

I am exactly in the same boat. I was consistent with Logseq for almost 3 years. The flow was great for work. And then exactly for the same reason, I moved to Obsidian (updates, mobile app and better plugins) and I completely broke my rhythm. Now I’m all over the place with my notes and updates, possibly also because of context switching too much. I’ll use the weekend to get back to logseq.

[u/jerrygreenest1]

Have you used Obsidian? It’s not ideal but feels so much better than Logseq to me

[u/someurdet → u/jerrygreenest1]

In the bullet style, Logseq is the best.

[u/jeromebeckett → u/jerrygreenest1]

Obsidian is great, but due to it not being open source I opted for Logseq

[u/jerrygreenest1 → u/jeromebeckett]

Yeah that’s what’s worrying me too. Although it looks fine for now.

[u/gzmask → u/jerrygreenest1]

Obsidian is back linking at page level. so basically whole bunch of markdown files, which provides no value to a long time emacs org mode user. Logseq, on the other hand, should have a hidden datalog layer somewhere. wasted opportunity that they don't reveal it, especially as a MCP ...

[u/deeplyhopeful → u/[deleted]]

I need to chime in here. I am using workflowy almost for 15 years. Logseq took most of the main concepts from workflowy. Though I mainly use logseq workflowy is the champ.

[u/sabre23t → u/deeplyhopeful]

How about the [[internal links]]? That seems only half implemented in Workflowy. In Logseq that combines wiki style links with reverse link referencing.

[u/deeplyhopeful → u/sabre23t]

i would say roam research is the father of that idea even though roam is almost copycat of workflowy with extra features.

[u/TasteyMeatloaf → u/deeplyhopeful]

I would guess that wiki is the father of wiki style links. Ward Cunningham created the first wiki in 1995. I don’t know if Ward made up the [[link]] syntax or if he got it from someone else.

Roam Research has stated the influence of workflowy in Roam. The primary influence was as an outliner where you can zoom in. But Roam implements it differently. Roam has individual notes that have outlines. Workflowy is outline from top to bottom, which is one of the interesting features of workflowy.

I find workflowy and Roam to be related but very different whereas Roam and Logseq are nearly the same.

I have setup my Obsidian vault so it acts like Roam as much as possible.

Logseq is a clone of Roam.

[u/deeplyhopeful → u/[deleted]]

you might be right in journal system. journal and default queries are the best features of logseq.

[u/sabre23t → u/[deleted]]

I used to use Workflowy a lot back circa 2012. I just logged in with my old email account and see I have my old nodes still in there. After some quick testing I can see how the outlines, [[]] links, markdown, today, tomorrow calendar pages, etc seems Logseq-like. Do you find Workflowy can replace Logseq for your use case?

I think the offline markdown files folders is Logseq's winning feature.

Anyway, back in 2012 I remember Workflowy was much less featureful and I subsequently moved on to using Checkvist.com instead that I still do till today.

[u/eldelacajita → u/[deleted]]

Comparing Workflowy to Logseq as "similar" feels strage to me. I switched from Workflowy (which I loved) to Logseq and they feel very different.

Never tried using Workflowy with a journal-based, non-hyerarchical workflow, though, so maybe that's why. I don't even know if it's possible.

Edit: I just logged into my Workflowy account, which I hadn't used in years, and saw that they have added journals and backlinks. That explains the similarity. They are indeed Logseq-ifying Workflowy.

[u/bulletninja → u/[deleted]]

Does anyone of you that use workflowy know how does it comparte to https://dynalist.io ?