Evergreen Notes are a concept developed by Andy Matuschak as an evolution of the Zettelkasten method.
What Are Evergreen Notes?
Evergreen notes are notes that are:
- Atomic — One idea per note
- Concept-oriented — Organized by concept, not by source
- Densely linked — Connected to many other notes
- Written for yourself — In your own words
The term “evergreen” comes from the idea that these notes should remain relevant and valuable over time, like evergreen trees that keep their leaves year-round.
Key Principles
Prefer Associative Ontology
Don’t organize notes by topic or category. Instead, link them based on how ideas relate to each other.
Titles Are First-Class
The title of an evergreen note should be a complete thought, not just a label:
- Good: “Spaced repetition enhances long-term retention”
- Bad: “Spaced repetition”
Create Notes Over Time
Evergreen notes should evolve. As you learn more, revisit and refine your notes.
How This Vault Supports Evergreen Notes
- Wikilinks — Connect notes with
[[note-name]]syntax - Backlinks — See which notes reference the current one
- Graph view — Visualize your knowledge network
- Tags — Categorize notes with
#hashtag
Related
- Zettelkasten — The original slip-box method
- Markdown Features — Formatting options
- Getting Started — Vault setup guide
Example
Here’s an example of an evergreen note about spaced repetition:
Write evergreen notes as if you’re explaining the concept to your future self. Be clear, concise, and use your own words.
This note is part of the Concepts collection.