# Zettelkasten vs. org-mode

**URL:** <https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/zettelkasten-vs-org-mode/1194>\
**Category:** Meta\
**Created:** [January 21, 2021, 10:13pm UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/zettelkasten-vs-org-mode/1194 "2021-01-21T22:13:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 4

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**Author:** ![nobiot](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/org-roam.discourse.group/nobiot/32/159_2.png) [@nobiot](https://org-roam.discourse.group/u/nobiot)\
**Post date:** [January 23, 2021, 10:09am UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/zettelkasten-vs-org-mode/1194/4 "2021-01-23T10:09:04Z")

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> [@borgauf](#):
>
> Question: Am I to understand that org-roam wants us to be more ZK-like, i.e., don’t make org files with multiple headings and sub-headings?

Yes. [Org-roam manual](https://www.orgroam.com/manual.html#Introduction) (excerpt below) makes it explict that it is designed with the Zettelkasten method in mind. One unit of thought per note is encouraged, organised in a flat structure (as opposed to a hierarchical structure) with links to other related notes. And yet, this is by no means forced. You can use it in the way you see fit.

> Org-roam is the slip-box, digitalized in Org-mode. Every zettel (card) is a plain-text, Org-mode file. In the same way one would maintain a paper slip-box, Org-roam makes it easy to create new zettels, pre-filling boilerplate content using a powerful templating system.

> [@borgauf](#):
>
> I assume the database is DAG-to-relational and not a real graph database, right?

I do not understand the mathematical precise definition of [DAG (directed acyclic graph)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Directed_acyclic_graph), but Org-roam data is probably not acyclic. You can do this to make a closed loop (do I understand it correctly?):

- Note A links to Note B
- Note B links to Note A

Org-roam uses SQLite, which is probably not a “real” graph database (I do not know if a choice of database management system is relevant for the definition you have in mind; apologies if I am talking nonsense).

You can see the database schema by inspecting the variable `org-roam-db--table-schemata`.

In addition, there have been some related discussion threads that you might find interesting:

- [Application of Graph Theory to Roam link network](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/application-of-graph-theory-to-roam-link-network/61)
- [Custom Roam-style link](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/custom-roam-style-link/39)

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