Wiki-Links
Write [[Note Name]] to link to another vault file. Short names resolve across the vault; paths identify a specific destination. Code files such as [[Icon.tsx]] work too.
Table of Contents
Basics
Markdown Source
See the [[Markdown Guide]] for syntax.
Rendered Result
See the Markdown Guide for syntax.
A resolved wiki-link opens the matching file in a tab.
Aliases
Markdown Source
The [[Markdown Guide|reference manual]] explains every block.
Rendered Result
The reference manual explains every block.
The text before the pipe is the file to resolve. The text after it is the label readers see.
Markdown Links
Relative Markdown links also work:
Markdown Source
See [the reference](SERVER_REFERENCE.md) for details.
Relative file links resolve from the containing file's folder, regardless of extension. For example, [Config](../deploy/nginx.conf) goes up one folder and then into deploy. They receive the same resolved or unresolved styling as wiki-links.
The Backlinks panel includes both wiki-links and relative file links. Use wiki-links when you need autocomplete or aliases. Web URLs open a new browser tab and show an external-link icon; heading and footnote links stay within the current preview.
| Choose | Best For | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Wiki-link | Fast note connections, autocomplete, and aliases | [[Project Plan|the plan]] |
| Relative Markdown link | Portable Markdown with an explicit filename | [the plan](Project%20Plan.md) |
Unresolved Links
Clicking a missing file link offers Create File only when its destination is inside the writable vault and its type appears in MDash's supported-file list. The dialog shows the complete destination and asks before creating the file and any missing parent folders. Explicit extensions are preserved; new code and configuration files start empty. An extensionless wiki-link such as [[New Note]] creates New Note.md at the vault root. Ordinary relative links keep their exact filenames.
Paths that attempt to leave the vault, malformed paths, unsupported types, and read-only destinations do not offer creation. Multiple matches open Open Linked File so you can select the intended file. Opening it does not rewrite the link.
This lets you write a link before the destination exists.
Resolved links and unresolved links use different visual treatments in Preview. Review unresolved links before exporting or sharing a document so readers do not encounter an unexpected missing destination.
Choose Analyze Links from a file or folder menu, a tab's options, or Vault Options. The Link Analysis dialog covers a file, a folder and its subfolders, or the entire vault. It opens on Unresolved, a subset of Internal Links containing missing, ambiguous, and invalid destinations. Internal Links includes wiki-links and relative file links; External Links lists web URLs with Open Link and Show in Source actions. External URLs open in a new browser tab, and website availability is never checked.
Results are grouped by source file. Search by source or destination and filter unresolved links by reason. Show in Source reveals the exact occurrence. Choose File opens a repair dialog: select a destination, review the explicit path, and choose Update Link. This preserves link text and fragments, offers Undo in the report, and explains when a shared reference affects multiple occurrences. Read-only sources cannot be repaired. Create File reviews the destination before creating it. Repairs and creation refresh results without leaving the report.
Backlinks starts calculating as soon as the dialog opens, with a spinner until the count is ready. Scoped internal and external results appear first. Folder backlinks include incoming links from outside the selected folder and its descendants. The Backlinks tab stays disabled for a vault-wide report. Destinations resolve against the whole vault, and Trash is excluded. Reports count link occurrences and remain stable while unrelated files change; choose Analyze Again for current results. Closing the dialog cancels unfinished work. Analysis does not validate heading fragments or run when opening Properties or starting MDash.
Autocomplete
Type [[ to open suggestions from the vault. Use the arrow keys to choose a note and press Enter to insert it.
Backlinks Panel
Open Backlinks from the Activity Rail on the left to see notes that reference the current file. Click an entry to open it and review the matching context.
Resolution Rules
- Matching is case-insensitive.
- Markdown extensions are optional in wiki-links.
- Ordinary relative links resolve from the containing file's folder, without a basename fallback.
- Wiki-link paths such as
[[Projects/Plan.md]]start at the vault root;[[./Plan.md]]and[[../Plan.md]]start from the containing folder. - A leading
/explicitly starts at the vault root...may move upward within the vault, but cannot escape it. - Short wiki-link names search the live vault. Duplicate names require a choice; autocomplete inserts a path when necessary.
- Files in Trash are excluded from navigation, autocomplete, and backlinks.
Rename and Move Linked Notes
When Update Internal Links is enabled, renaming or moving a file repairs matching wiki-links and relative file links in editable Markdown documents. Moving the containing folder also repairs relative paths. Labels, aliases, fragments, and link titles are retained; code examples are left untouched.
For example, renaming Project Plan.md to Delivery Plan.md can update [[Project Plan]] to [[Delivery Plan]]. An alias can preserve the original sentence:
Review the [[Delivery Plan|project plan]] before the meeting.
Link updates are included in the immediate Undo action. Keep a backup before a large reorganization, and review ambiguous duplicate basenames before applying bulk moves.
Useful Patterns
- Glossary: create one short note per term and link to it when needed.
- Daily Log: link people, projects, and decisions from dated notes.
- Concept Notes: create lightweight stubs, then expand them as ideas develop.
Troubleshooting
- If a wiki-link offers several files, use the intended file's path to make it unambiguous.
- If a relative link stays unresolved, check its path from the containing folder and whether its target is in Trash.
- Backlinks update after vault content changes. Open the target note to review its current list.