An interface note is a tool to help navigate trains of thought
Because of the minimal imposed structure on the main compartment of the Zettelkasten, there needs to be some way to interface with the ideas stored within. This is accomplished in the form of interface notes, which are tools to help navigate trains of thought. There are three different kinds of interface notes and each can provide a high-level view into a user’s Zettelkasten.
In A System for Writing by Bob Doto, he suggests three types of interface notes:
- Hub: The hub note is a launching off point for different trains of thought. After a while certain trains will become more developed than others; these can be put in the hub note and commented on to indicate the contents of the chain.
- Structure: A structure note will generally start its life out as a section heading and then start accumulating more information about the topic. They are meant to contain explanations about connections, and are a great place to start looking when beginning a writing project.
- (Keyword) Index: This is allegedly what Niklas Luhmann used the most in his personal Zettelkasten. This is most akin to an index at the back of a book, where keywords list their locations in order for the reader to find them. You could have multiple of these kinds of note, each with a different criteria, but generally I think one would be more than sufficient. Most people would opt to imitate what is found in books, while others can index by things like how the notes make them feel or where the notes were taken. [1]