Here at Commons Knowledge we like to talk about all of the various options out there for personal and information management tools, so today we’re talking about TiddlyWiki!
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“It’s like a hypertext card index system from the future” -Jeremy Ruston, in the TiddlyWiki intro video
To summarize: this is a British, somewhat tricky to use, free and open source note taking and information management linked web wiki platform made in Javascript. TiddlyWiki is mostly used for task management. Still, if you’re looking for a way to manage all of your information and feeling particularly adventurous (and not at all into aesthetics, as TiddlyWiki is an ugly website — though CSS customization is possible) you might enjoy TiddlyWiki.
Everything in TiddlyWiki is a small piece, a tiddler — a British word for a small fish — which you can stack, arrange, and link however you like. Tiddlers are individual units that you can incorporate into larger tiddlers through a process called “transclusion.” To have a tiddler all you need is a title. This is very similar to Scalar CMS where all content is equal, and can be linked or embedded in each other to tell both linear and nonlinear stories. However, TiddlyWiki is not as pretty and is focused more on note-taking and information management than presentation.
There are a lot of options for customization, as well as an active community that keeps the project alive and adds new customization options for different purposes (such as for writing a thesis). There is a WYSIWYG editor and formatting options, though you will still need to become familiar with the WikiText language in order to use more interesting formatting and customization. The WikiText language is similar to Markdown. There is also a plugin that will let you write your tiddlers in Markdown if you are more familiar and comfortable with that. You can add images and scribble all over them, as well as save links to websites with a download and some difficulty. TiddlyWiki includes search functionality and tagging, which is especially useful, as you can click on a tag you get a list of pages that have that tag. There are encryption plugins, which I have not tested, to create password-protected tiddlers and offer some basic security (though neither I nor the creators of TiddlyWiki endorse putting sensitive information on one of these sites).
- Focused 3.2 – Stunning word processing with markdown (was Typed). MacClean 3.3.0 – Clean, optimize, and protect from malicious threats. Swinsian 2.1.11 – Music manager and player.
- Meet Focused, formally known as Typed - the writing & Markdown app that blocks out distractions and clutter, and aids your focus so you can just write. We firmly believe the typewriter gives you the best writing experience. That's why we've completely re-built Focused from the ground up, typewriter.
An easy-to-use text editor that supports Markdown. Supports full-screen mode. January 3, 2019. Marked 2.5.28 – Easily preview your Markdown documents. Marked allows you to preview your Markdown (in any flavor) as you write in your favorite text. Plus, writing in Markdown converts easily for simple web design without the headache of having to write in HTML. Staying Focused: Maybe you don’t want to buy a whole new word processor. Here are some tools that can help creating the “write” environment to get work done: Freedom: costs $2.50 a month, so Freedom is not free.
You can use TiddlyWiki with TiddlySpot, Tiddly Desktop, or various browsers as well as node.js or a variety of other options for saving the program. Get started here.
Setting up where your files save so you can find them again is probably the hardest part of setting up a TiddlyWiki. It creates one HTML file that you update as you save. If you’re using Firefox and using the Firefox plugin I recommend downloading an empty wiki and copying it from your Downloads and pasting it to your G:Drive or another place where files aren’t deleted automatically. After, you can click on the cat icon and set it to automatically save your changes to your file on the Desktop.
Note: Don’t save things to the Desktop on Scholarly Commons computers long-term, as files are routinely erased.
Let us know in the comments if you have any other personal information management systems that need more love!
Overview
Nearly all Markdown applications support the basic syntax outlined in John Gruber’s original design document. There are minor variations and discrepancies between Markdown processors — those are noted inline wherever possible.
Headings
To create a heading, add number signs (
#
) in front of a word or phrase. The number of number signs you use should correspond to the heading level. For example, to create a heading level three (<h3>
), use three number signs (e.g., ### My Header
).Markdown | HTML | Rendered Output |
---|---|---|
# Heading level 1 | <h1>Heading level 1</h1> | |
## Heading level 2 | <h2>Heading level 2</h2> | Heading level 2 |
### Heading level 3 | <h3>Heading level 3</h3> | Heading level 3 |
#### Heading level 4 | <h4>Heading level 4</h4> | Heading level 4 |
##### Heading level 5 | <h5>Heading level 5</h5> | Heading level 5 |
###### Heading level 6 | <h6>Heading level 6</h6> | Heading level 6 |
Alternate Syntax
Alternatively, on the line below the text, add any number of characters for heading level 1 or
--
characters for heading level 2.Markdown | HTML | Rendered Output |
---|---|---|
Heading level 1 | <h1>Heading level 1</h1> | |
Heading level 2 | <h2>Heading level 2</h2> | Heading level 2 |
Heading Best Practices
Markdown applications don’t agree on how to handle a missing space between the number signs (
#
) and the heading name. For compatibility, always put a space between the number signs and the heading name.✅ Do this | ❌ Don't do this |
---|---|
# Here's a Heading | #Here's a Heading |
Paragraphs
To create paragraphs, use a blank line to separate one or more lines of text.
Markdown | HTML | Rendered Output |
---|---|---|
I really like using Markdown. | <p>I really like using Markdown.</p> | I really like using Markdown. I think I'll use it to format all of my documents from now on. |
Paragraph Best Practices
Unless the paragraph is in a list, don’t indent paragraphs with spaces or tabs.
✅ Do this | ❌ Don't do this |
---|---|
Don't put tabs or spaces in front of your paragraphs. | This can result in unexpected formatting problems. |
Line Breaks
To create a line break (
<br>
), end a line with two or more spaces, and then type return.Markdown | HTML | Rendered Output |
---|---|---|
This is the first line. | <p>This is the first line.<br> | This is the first line. And this is the second line. |
Line Break Best Practices
You can use two or more spaces (commonly referred to as “trailing whitespace”) for line breaks in nearly every Markdown application, but it’s controversial. It’s hard to see trailing whitespace in an editor, and many people accidentally or intentionally put two spaces after every sentence. For this reason, you may want to use something other than trailing whitespace for line breaks. Fortunately, there is another option supported by nearly every Markdown application: the
<br>
HTML tag.For compatibility, use trailing white space or the
<br>
HTML tag at the end of the line.There are two other options I don’t recommend using. CommonMark and a few other lightweight markup languages let you type a backslash (
) at the end of the line, but not all Markdown applications support this, so it isn’t a great option from a compatibility perspective. And at least a couple lightweight markup languages don’t require anything at the end of the line — just type return and they’ll create a line break.✅ Do this | ❌ Don't do this |
---|---|
First line with two spaces after. | First line with a backslash after. |
Emphasis
You can add emphasis by making text bold or italic.
Bold
To bold text, add two asterisks or underscores before and after a word or phrase. To bold the middle of a word for emphasis, add two asterisks without spaces around the letters.
Markdown | HTML | Rendered Output |
---|---|---|
I just love **bold text**. | I just love <strong>bold text</strong>. | I just love bold text. |
I just love __bold text__. | I just love <strong>bold text</strong>. | I just love bold text. |
Love**is**bold | Love<strong>is</strong>bold | Loveisbold |
Bold Best Practices
Markdown applications don’t agree on how to handle underscores in the middle of a word. For compatibility, use asterisks to bold the middle of a word for emphasis.
✅ Do this | ❌ Don't do this |
---|---|
Love**is**bold | Love__is__bold |
Italic
To italicize text, add one asterisk or underscore before and after a word or phrase. To italicize the middle of a word for emphasis, add one asterisk without spaces around the letters.
Markdown | HTML | Rendered Output |
---|---|---|
Italicized text is the *cat's meow*. | Italicized text is the <em>cat's meow</em>. | Italicized text is the cat’s meow. |
Italicized text is the _cat's meow_. | Italicized text is the <em>cat's meow</em>. | Italicized text is the cat’s meow. |
A*cat*meow | A<em>cat</em>meow | Acatmeow |
Italic Best Practices
Markdown applications don’t agree on how to handle underscores in the middle of a word. For compatibility, use asterisks to italicize the middle of a word for emphasis.
✅ Do this | ❌ Don't do this |
---|---|
A*cat*meow | A_cat_meow |
Bold and Italic
To emphasize text with bold and italics at the same time, add three asterisks or underscores before and after a word or phrase. To bold and italicize the middle of a word for emphasis, add three asterisks without spaces around the letters.
Markdown | HTML | Rendered Output |
---|---|---|
This text is ***really important***. | This text is <strong><em>really important</em></strong>. | This text is really important. |
This text is ___really important___. | This text is <strong><em>really important</em></strong>. | This text is really important. |
This text is __*really important*__. | This text is <strong><em>really important</em></strong>. | This text is really important. |
This text is **_really important_**. | This text is <strong><em>really important</em></strong>. | This text is really important. |
This is really***very***important text. | This is really<strong><em>very</em></strong>important text. | This is reallyveryimportant text. |
Bold and Italic Best Practices
Markdown applications don’t agree on how to handle underscores in the middle of a word. For compatibility, use asterisks to bold and italicize the middle of a word for emphasis.
✅ Do this | ❌ Don't do this |
---|---|
This is really***very***important text. | This is really___very___important text. |
Blockquotes
To create a blockquote, add a
>
in front of a paragraph.The rendered output looks like this:
Dorothy followed her through many of the beautiful rooms in her castle.
Blockquotes with Multiple Paragraphs
Blockquotes can contain multiple paragraphs. Add a
>
on the blank lines between the paragraphs.The rendered output looks like this:
Dorothy followed her through many of the beautiful rooms in her castle.
The Witch bade her clean the pots and kettles and sweep the floor and keep the fire fed with wood.
Nested Blockquotes
Blockquotes can be nested. Add a
>>
in front of the paragraph you want to nest.The rendered output looks like this:
Dorothy followed her through many of the beautiful rooms in her castle.
The Witch bade her clean the pots and kettles and sweep the floor and keep the fire fed with wood.
Blockquotes with Other Elements
Blockquotes can contain other Markdown formatted elements. Not all elements can be used — you’ll need to experiment to see which ones work.
The rendered output looks like this:
The quarterly results look great!
- Revenue was off the chart.
- Profits were higher than ever.
Everything is going according to plan.
Lists
You can organize items into ordered and unordered lists.
Ordered Lists
To create an ordered list, add line items with numbers followed by periods. The numbers don’t have to be in numerical order, but the list should start with the number one.
Markdown | HTML | Rendered Output |
---|---|---|
1. First item | <ol> |
|
1. First item | <ol> |
|
1. First item | <ol> |
|
1. First item | <ol> |
|
Ordered List Best Practices
CommonMark and a few other lightweight markup languages let you use a parenthesis (
)
) as a delimiter (e.g., 1) First item
), but not all Markdown applications support this, so it isn’t a great option from a compatibility perspective. For compatibility, use periods only.✅ Do this | ❌ Don't do this |
---|---|
1. First item | 1) First item |
Unordered Lists
To create an unordered list, add dashes (
-
), asterisks (*
), or plus signs (+
) in front of line items. Indent one or more items to create a nested list.Markdown | HTML | Rendered Output |
---|---|---|
- First item | <ul> |
|
* First item | <ul> |
|
+ First item | <ul> |
|
- First item | <ul> |
|
Unordered List Best Practices
Markdown applications don’t agree on how to handle different delimiters in the same list. For compatibility, don’t mix and match delimiters in the same list — pick one and stick with it.
✅ Do this | ❌ Don't do this |
---|---|
- First item | + First item |
Adding Elements in Lists
To add another element in a list while preserving the continuity of the list, indent the element four spaces or one tab, as shown in the following examples.
Paragraphs
The rendered output looks like this:
- This is the first list item.
- Here’s the second list item.I need to add another paragraph below the second list item.
- And here’s the third list item.
Blockquotes
The rendered output looks like this:
- This is the first list item.
- Here’s the second list item.A blockquote would look great below the second list item.
- And here’s the third list item.
Code Blocks
Code blocks are normally indented four spaces or one tab. When they’re in a list, indent them eight spaces or two tabs.
The rendered output looks like this:
- Open the file.
- Find the following code block on line 21:
- Update the title to match the name of your website.
Images
The rendered output looks like this:
- Open the file containing the Linux mascot.
- Marvel at its beauty.
- Close the file.
Lists
You can nest an unordered list in an ordered list, or vice versa.
The rendered output looks like this:
- First item
- Second item
- Third item
- Indented item
- Indented item
- Fourth item
Code
To denote a word or phrase as code, enclose it in backticks (
`
).Markdown | HTML | Rendered Output |
---|---|---|
At the command prompt, type `nano`. | At the command prompt, type <code>nano</code>. | At the command prompt, type nano . |
Escaping Backticks
If the word or phrase you want to denote as code includes one or more backticks, you can escape it by enclosing the word or phrase in double backticks (
``
).Markdown | HTML | Rendered Output |
---|---|---|
``Use `code` in your Markdown file.`` | <code>Use `code` in your Markdown file.</code> | Use `code` in your Markdown file. |
Code Blocks
To create code blocks, indent every line of the block by at least four spaces or one tab.
The rendered output looks like this:
Note: To create code blocks without indenting lines, use fenced code blocks.
Horizontal Rules
To create a horizontal rule, use three or more asterisks (
***
), dashes (---
), or underscores (___
) on a line by themselves.The rendered output of all three looks identical:
Horizontal Rule Best Practices
For compatibility, put blank lines before and after horizontal rules.
✅ Do this | ❌ Don't do this |
---|---|
Try to put a blank line before.. | Without blank lines, this would be a heading. |
Links
To create a link, enclose the link text in brackets (e.g.,
[Duck Duck Go]
) and then follow it immediately with the URL in parentheses (e.g., (https://duckduckgo.com)
).The rendered output looks like this:
My favorite search engine is Duck Duck Go.
Adding Titles
You can optionally add a title for a link. This will appear as a tooltip when the user hovers over the link. To add a title, enclose it in parentheses after the URL.
The rendered output looks like this:
My favorite search engine is Duck Duck Go.
URLs and Email Addresses
To quickly turn a URL or email address into a link, enclose it in angle brackets.
The rendered output looks like this:
https://www.markdownguide.org
[email protected]
[email protected]
Formatting Links
To emphasize links, add asterisks before and after the brackets and parentheses. To denote links as code, add backticks in the brackets.
The rendered output looks like this:
I love supporting the EFF.
This is the Markdown Guide.
See the section on
This is the Markdown Guide.
See the section on
code
.Reference-style Links
Reference-style links are a special kind of link that make URLs easier to display and read in Markdown. Reference-style links are constructed in two parts: the part you keep inline with your text and the part you store somewhere else in the file to keep the text easy to read.
Formatting the First Part of the Link
The first part of a reference-style link is formatted with two sets of brackets. The first set of brackets surrounds the text that should appear linked. The second set of brackets displays a label used to point to the link you’re storing elsewhere in your document.
Although not required, you can include a space between the first and second set of brackets. The label in the second set of brackets is not case sensitive and can include letters, numbers, spaces, or punctuation.
This means the following example formats are roughly equivalent for the first part of the link:
[hobbit-hole][1]
[hobbit-hole] [1]
Formatting the Second Part of the Link
The second part of a reference-style link is formatted with the following attributes:
- The label, in brackets, followed immediately by a colon and at least one space (e.g.,
[label]:
). - The URL for the link, which you can optionally enclose in angle brackets.
- The optional title for the link, which you can enclose in double quotes, single quotes, or parentheses.
This means the following example formats are all roughly equivalent for the second part of the link:
[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobbit#Lifestyle
[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobbit#Lifestyle 'Hobbit lifestyles'
[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobbit#Lifestyle 'Hobbit lifestyles'
[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobbit#Lifestyle (Hobbit lifestyles)
[1]: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobbit#Lifestyle> 'Hobbit lifestyles'
[1]: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobbit#Lifestyle> 'Hobbit lifestyles'
[1]: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobbit#Lifestyle> (Hobbit lifestyles)
You can place this second part of the link anywhere in your Markdown document. Some people place them immediately after the paragraph in which they appear while other people place them at the end of the document (like endnotes or footnotes).
An Example Putting the Parts Together
Say you add a URL as a standard URL link to a paragraph and it looks like this in Markdown:
Though it may point to interesting additional information, the URL as displayed really doesn’t add much to the existing raw text other than making it harder to read. To fix that, you could format the URL like this instead:
In both instances above, the rendered output would be identical:
In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.
and the HTML for the link would be:
Link Best Practices
Markdown applications don’t agree on how to handle spaces in the middle of a URL. For compatibility, try to URL encode any spaces with
%20
.✅ Do this | ❌ Don't do this |
---|---|
[link](https://www.example.com/my%20great%20page) | [link](https://www.example.com/my great page) |
Images
Focused 3 2 – Stunning Word Processing With Markdown Word
To add an image, add an exclamation mark (
!
), followed by alt text in brackets, and the path or URL to the image asset in parentheses. You can optionally add a title after the URL in the parentheses.The rendered output looks like this:
Linking Images
To add a link to an image, enclose the Markdown for the image in brackets, and then add the link in parentheses.
The rendered output looks like this:
Escaping Characters
To display a literal character that would otherwise be used to format text in a Markdown document, add a backslash (
) in front of the character.The rendered output looks like this:
Focused 3 2 – Stunning Word Processing With Markdown Letters
* Without the backslash, this would be a bullet in an unordered list.
Characters You Can Escape
You can use a backslash to escape the following characters.
Character | Name |
---|---|
backslash | |
` | backtick (see also escaping backticks in code) |
* | asterisk |
_ | underscore |
{ } | curly braces |
[ ] | brackets |
( ) | parentheses |
# | pound sign |
+ | plus sign |
- | minus sign (hyphen) |
. | dot |
! | exclamation mark |
| | pipe (see also escaping pipe in tables) |
HTML
Many Markdown applications allow you to use HTML tags in Markdown-formatted text. This is helpful if you prefer certain HTML tags to Markdown syntax. For example, some people find it easier to use HTML tags for images. Using HTML is also helpful when you need to change the attributes of an element, like specifying the color of text or changing the width of an image.
To use HTML, place the tags in the text of your Markdown-formatted file. Ithoughtsx (mindmap) 4 6.
The rendered output looks like this:
This word is bold. This word is italic.
HTML Best Practices
For security reasons, not all Markdown applications support HTML in Markdown documents. When in doubt, check your Markdown application’s documentation. Some applications support only a subset of HTML tags.
Use blank lines to separate block-level HTML elements like
<div>
, <table>
, <pre>
, and <p>
from the surrounding content. Try not to indent the tags with tabs or spaces — that can interfere with the formatting.You can’t use Markdown syntax inside block-level HTML tags. For example,
<p>italic and **bold**</p>
won’t work.Take your Markdown skills to the next level.
Focused 3 2 – Stunning Word Processing With Markdown Text
Learn Markdown in 60 pages. Designed for both novices and experts, The Markdown Guide book is a comprehensive reference that has everything you need to get started and master Markdown syntax.
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