Top Related Projects
A privacy-first, open-source platform for knowledge management and collaboration. Download link: http://github.com/logseq/logseq/releases. roadmap: http://trello.com/b/8txSM12G/roadmap
The personal knowledge management (PKM) tool that grows as you do!
A privacy-first, self-hosted, fully open source personal knowledge management software, written in typescript and golang.
Athens is no longer maintainted. Athens was an open-source, collaborative knowledge graph, backed by YC W21
Your One-Stop Publication Workbench
Quick Overview
Foam is a personal knowledge management and sharing system inspired by Roam Research, built on Visual Studio Code and GitHub. It helps users create and organize their thoughts, notes, and research using a network of linked notes, allowing for flexible and interconnected knowledge management.
Pros
- Open-source and free to use
- Integrates seamlessly with Visual Studio Code
- Supports Markdown for easy note-taking and formatting
- Offers powerful graph visualization for exploring connections between notes
Cons
- Requires some technical knowledge to set up and use effectively
- Less polished user interface compared to dedicated note-taking apps
- Limited mobile support, primarily desktop-focused
- May have a steeper learning curve for users unfamiliar with VS Code or Markdown
Getting Started
- Install Visual Studio Code
- Install the Foam extension from the VS Code marketplace
- Create a new folder for your Foam workspace
- Open the folder in VS Code
- Run the "Foam: Create New Note" command to start creating notes
- Use double square brackets [[like this]] to create links between notes
- Use the graph visualization to explore connections between your notes
Note: Foam is not a code library, so code examples are not applicable in this case.
Competitor Comparisons
A privacy-first, open-source platform for knowledge management and collaboration. Download link: http://github.com/logseq/logseq/releases. roadmap: http://trello.com/b/8txSM12G/roadmap
Pros of Logseq
- Built-in graph visualization and daily notes features
- Supports both Markdown and Org-mode syntax
- Offers a more polished and user-friendly interface
Cons of Logseq
- Less flexible for customization compared to Foam
- Requires a separate application, not integrated with VS Code
- May have a steeper learning curve for new users
Code Comparison
Foam (VS Code extension):
"foam.edit.linkReferenceDefinitions": "withoutExtensions",
"foam.openDailyNote.directory": "journal",
"foam.openDailyNote.filenameFormat": "yyyy-mm-dd",
Logseq (Configuration):
{:journal-basis "daily"
:preferred-format "Markdown"
:preferred-workflow "now"
:graph-view? true}
Both Foam and Logseq are note-taking and knowledge management tools, but they differ in their approach and features. Foam is a VS Code extension that leverages the editor's ecosystem, while Logseq is a standalone application with a focus on networked thought and daily journaling. Foam offers more flexibility and integration with development workflows, whereas Logseq provides a more structured and visually appealing experience out of the box. The choice between the two depends on individual preferences and use cases.
The personal knowledge management (PKM) tool that grows as you do!
Pros of Dendron
- More robust and feature-rich, with advanced hierarchical note-taking capabilities
- Better suited for large-scale knowledge management with powerful search and navigation
- Active development and regular updates, with a strong community and ecosystem
Cons of Dendron
- Steeper learning curve due to more complex features and hierarchical structure
- Requires more setup and configuration compared to Foam's simpler approach
- May feel overwhelming for users who prefer a minimalist note-taking experience
Code Comparison
Dendron schema example:
version: 1
schemas:
- id: person
title: Person
parent: root
children:
- name
- age
Foam link example:
[[wikilink]]
[GitHub-style link](./note.md)
Both projects use Markdown for note-taking, but Dendron introduces additional syntax and structures for advanced organization and linking. Foam focuses on simplicity and compatibility with standard Markdown conventions.
A privacy-first, self-hosted, fully open source personal knowledge management software, written in typescript and golang.
Pros of SiYuan
- Built-in web server and mobile apps for cross-platform synchronization
- Supports SQL queries for advanced data retrieval and analysis
- Offers a WYSIWYG editor with real-time rendering
Cons of SiYuan
- Steeper learning curve due to more complex features
- Less integration with existing text editors like VS Code
- Requires running a local server, which may not suit all workflows
Code Comparison
SiYuan (SQL query example):
SELECT * FROM blocks
WHERE content LIKE '%#todo%'
AND type = 'p'
ORDER BY created DESC
Foam (YAML frontmatter example):
---
foam_template:
name: New Note
description: Default new note template
---
# ${1:$TM_FILENAME_BASE}
$0
While both projects aim to enhance note-taking and knowledge management, SiYuan offers a more feature-rich, standalone application with advanced querying capabilities. Foam, on the other hand, focuses on integrating with existing tools and workflows, particularly within VS Code, providing a lighter-weight solution for users who prefer working in their familiar text editor environment.
Athens is no longer maintainted. Athens was an open-source, collaborative knowledge graph, backed by YC W21
Pros of Athens
- Built with Clojure/ClojureScript, offering a robust and functional programming approach
- Features a graph-based knowledge structure, allowing for more flexible and interconnected note-taking
- Provides real-time collaboration capabilities out of the box
Cons of Athens
- Steeper learning curve due to its unique data model and Clojure-based architecture
- Less integrated with existing text editors, requiring users to adapt to a new environment
- Currently in alpha stage, potentially less stable than more mature alternatives
Code Comparison
Athens (ClojureScript):
(defn create-page [title]
(let [page-id (gen-uuid)]
(d/transact! conn [{:block/uid page-id
:node/title title}])))
Foam (TypeScript):
export function createNote(title: string): Note {
const id = generateId();
return { id, title, content: '', links: [] };
}
Both projects aim to enhance personal knowledge management, but they take different approaches. Athens focuses on a graph-based structure with real-time collaboration, while Foam integrates more closely with existing text editors and version control systems. The choice between them depends on individual preferences for data structure, collaboration needs, and familiarity with their respective ecosystems.
Your One-Stop Publication Workbench
Pros of Zettlr
- Full-featured Markdown editor with a rich user interface
- Integrated citation management and academic writing features
- Cross-platform desktop application with offline capabilities
Cons of Zettlr
- Less flexible for custom workflows compared to Foam
- Steeper learning curve for users new to Zettelkasten method
- Limited integration with version control systems like Git
Code Comparison
Zettlr (TypeScript):
export function createWindow(): BrowserWindow {
const win = new BrowserWindow({
width: 800,
height: 600,
webPreferences: {
nodeIntegration: true
}
});
Foam (JavaScript):
function createNote(notePath, noteTemplate) {
const contents = noteTemplate
? fs.readFileSync(noteTemplate, "utf8")
: "";
fs.writeFileSync(notePath, contents);
}
While both projects aim to enhance note-taking and knowledge management, Zettlr offers a more comprehensive, standalone application with academic features, whereas Foam provides a flexible, extensible framework for building personal knowledge management systems within Visual Studio Code.
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Foam
ðThis is an early stage project under rapid development. For updates join the Foam community Discord! ð¬
Foam is a personal knowledge management and sharing system inspired by Roam Research, built on Visual Studio Code and GitHub.
You can use Foam for organising your research, keeping re-discoverable notes, writing long-form content and, optionally, publishing it to the web.
Foam is free, open source, and extremely extensible to suit your personal workflow. You own the information you create with Foam, and you're free to share it, and collaborate on it with anyone you want.
Features
Graph Visualization
See how your notes are connected via a graph with the Foam: Show Graph command.
Link Autocompletion
Foam helps you create the connections between your notes, and your placeholders as well.
Sync links on file rename
Foam updates the links to renamed files, so your notes stay consistent.
Unique identifiers across directories
Foam supports files with the same name in multiple directories. It will use the minimum identifier required, and even report and help you fix existing ambiguous wikilinks.
Link Preview and Navigation
Go to definition, Peek References
See where a note is being referenced in your knowledge base.
Navigation in Preview
Navigate your rendered notes in the VS Code preview panel.
Note embed
Embed the content from other notes.
Support for sections
Foam supports autocompletion, navigation, embedding and diagnostics for note sections.
Just use the standard wiki syntax of [[resource#Section Title]].
Link Alias
Foam supports link aliasing, so you can have a [[wikilink]], or a [[wikilink|alias]].
Templates
Use custom templates to have avoid repetitve work on your notes.
Backlinks Panel
Quickly check which notes are referencing the currently active note. See for each occurrence the context in which it lives, as well as a preview of the note.
Tag Explorer Panel
Tag your notes and navigate them with the Tag Explorer. Foam also supports hierarchical tags.
Orphans and Placeholder Panels
Orphans are notes that have no inbound nor outbound links. Placeholders are dangling links, or notes without content. Keep them under control, and your knowledge base in a better state, by using this panel.
Syntax highlight
Foam highlights wikilinks and placeholder differently, to help you visualize your knowledge base.
Daily note
Create a journal with daily notes.
Generate references for your wikilinks
Create markdown references for [[wikilinks]], to use your notes in a non-Foam workspace.
With references you can also make your notes navigable both in GitHub UI as well as GitHub Pages.
Commands
- Explore your knowledge base with the
Foam: Open Random Notecommand - Access your daily note with the
Foam: Open Daily Notecommand - Create a new note with the
Foam: Create New Notecommand- This becomes very powerful when combined with note templates and the
Foam: Create New Note from Templatecommand
- This becomes very powerful when combined with note templates and the
- See your workspace as a connected graph with the
Foam: Show Graphcommand
Recipes
People use Foam in different ways for different use cases, check out the recipes page for inspiration!
Getting started
Whether you want to build a Second Brain or a Zettelkasten, write a book, or just get better at long-term learning, Foam can help you organise your thoughts if you follow these simple rules:
- Create a single Foam workspace for all your knowledge and research following the [[Getting started]] guide.
- Write your thoughts in markdown documents (I like to call them Bubbles, but that might be more than a little twee). These documents should be atomic: Put things that belong together into a single document, and limit its content to that single topic. (source)
- Use Foam's shortcuts and autocompletions to link your thoughts together with
[[wikilinks]], and navigate between them to explore your knowledge graph. - Get an overview of your Foam workspace using the [[Graph Visualisation]], and discover relationships between your thoughts with the use of [Backlinking].
You can also use our Foam template:
- Log in on your GitHub account.
- Create a GitHub repository from foam-template. If you want to keep your thoughts to yourself, remember to set the repository private.
- Clone the repository and open it in VS Code.
- When prompted to install recommended extensions, click Install all (or Show Recommendations if you want to review and install them one by one).
This will also install Foam, but if you already have it installed, that's ok, just make sure you're up to date on the latest version.
Requirements
High tolerance for alpha-grade software. Foam is still a Work in Progress. Rest assured it will never lock you in, nor compromise your files, but sometimes some features might break ;)
Known Issues
See the issues on our GitHub repo ;)
Release Notes
See the CHANGELOG.
Learn more
Head over to the ðPublished version of this Foam workspace to see Foam in action and read the rest of the documentation!
Quick links to next documentation sections
You can also browse the docs folder.
License
Foam is licensed under the MIT license.
Contribution Guide
See the Contribution Guide
Code of conduct
See the Code of Conduct
Contributors â¨
Thanks goes to these wonderful people (emoji key):
This project follows the all-contributors specification. Contributions of any kind welcome!
Top Related Projects
A privacy-first, open-source platform for knowledge management and collaboration. Download link: http://github.com/logseq/logseq/releases. roadmap: http://trello.com/b/8txSM12G/roadmap
The personal knowledge management (PKM) tool that grows as you do!
A privacy-first, self-hosted, fully open source personal knowledge management software, written in typescript and golang.
Athens is no longer maintainted. Athens was an open-source, collaborative knowledge graph, backed by YC W21
Your One-Stop Publication Workbench
Convert designs to code with AI
Introducing Visual Copilot: A new AI model to turn Figma designs to high quality code using your components.
Try Visual Copilot