Atomic Notes

One note, one idea. This is a core principle of Evergreen Notes.

Atomic notes are reusable. You can link from multiple contexts without baggage. They’re composable. Combine them to build arguments. They’re maintainable. Update one idea without breaking others (AI shapes voice dumps into atomic notes).

Traditional notes mix multiple concepts. Hard to reference precisely. Same problem as Manual file management is a high-friction waste of cognitive resources. Too many decisions bundled together. Atomic notes split topics into constituent ideas.

Writing an evergreen note? Ask: “What’s the one idea here?” Multiple ideas means split into separate notes. Requires Titles are takeaways, not labels because each title captures a specific claim.

Each note is a distinct concept. Ask the Brain provides precise answers because queries target specific ideas, not mixed topics. Notes beat posts for showing progress because you publish individual insights as they develop.

Associative linking over hierarchies works because atomic notes create precise connection points. Andy Matuschak’s Notes pioneered this. Build in Public works better with small focused notes than monolithic documents.