Remembering everything you read, learn, or think about isn’t easy, especially when ideas come from different parts of life. Roam Research helps you capture and connect those ideas through linked notes that reflect how your brain naturally works. By creating a web of thoughts instead of a stack of files, you can build a system that supports creativity, reflection, and long-term growth in a meaningful way.
What Is Roam Research and Why Use It?
Roam Research is a note-taking app built around the idea of networked thought. Unlike traditional apps that use folders, Roam connects your notes through bi-directional links—meaning you can easily create relationships between ideas and track how they relate over time.
Instead of searching endlessly for where you saved a piece of information, Roam helps you build a web of interconnected insights. Whether you’re managing research, journaling, planning content, or tracking goals, Roam can serve as a digital extension of your memory—organized not by hierarchy, but by meaning and relevance.
This “second brain” model is inspired by productivity expert Tiago Forte’s concept of storing and linking ideas externally so your real brain can focus on creating rather than remembering.
Getting Started: Your Daily Note as the Foundation
When you open Roam Research, the first thing you’ll see is your Daily Notes page. This is the heart of your second brain. Use it like a journal, scratchpad, or task list. Jot down meetings, thoughts, links, or reminders as they come. Don’t worry about organizing things right away—just write freely and frequently.
Roam automatically links entries by date, which allows you to look back and see what you were working on, thinking about, or learning on any given day. Over time, your daily notes become a living record of your personal and professional development.
The magic happens when you start using double brackets—for example, typing [[Marketing Strategy]] while taking notes in your daily log. This creates a new, linkable page on that topic, allowing you to connect new thoughts to past entries.
Building Your Pages and Linking Notes
Every time you bracket a topic in Roam, it becomes a dedicated page with backlinks to every time you mentioned it. This is different from simply tagging something—you’re creating an idea hub where everything related to that concept lives.
To build your second brain effectively, start creating pages for:
- Projects
- Books or articles you’re reading
- Goals or OKRs
- Concepts or theories you’re learning
Once you have some core pages, the real value comes from linking them. Let’s say you’re reading a book on leadership. As you take notes, you might link ideas to pages like [[Emotional Intelligence]], [[Team Communication]], or [[Feedback Loops]]. These pages then grow organically as you add more content across other sources or experiences.
You don’t need to create perfect categories or outlines. Roam encourages a bottom-up structure, where meaning emerges naturally through connections rather than predefined folders.
Use Templates and Queries for Organization
To get more out of Roam, take advantage of templates and queries. A template in Roam is a reusable block of text you can quickly insert into any page. This is useful for daily routines, meeting notes, or content planning. For example, you could create a weekly review template that includes prompts like:
- What went well this week?
- What needs improvement?
- What are my top goals for next week?
Queries let you filter and surface specific data from your notes. You can build pages that show all tasks due this week or all entries tagged with a particular theme. While queries can seem complex at first, they become incredibly useful as your second brain expands and you want to surface hidden insights.
Make It Personal and Consistent
One of the biggest mistakes new Roam users make is trying to follow too many advanced systems from the start. Instead, focus on making Roam work for your brain. Start small. Use the Daily Notes page consistently. Link when it feels natural. Don’t aim for perfection—aim for momentum.
Think of Roam as a space for conversation—with yourself. It should reflect your thinking, not constrain it. Add personality, use emojis or color codes, and include quotes or questions that inspire you. Your second brain should feel like your own personal lab or studio—a place to play with ideas and see how they evolve.
Thinking in Layers, Not Lists
Setting up a second brain with Roam Research doesn’t just make you more organized—it helps you think better. By linking ideas instead of locking them away in folders, Roam mirrors the way your brain naturally works. Over time, it becomes easier to find patterns, revisit insights, and develop deeper understanding across every area of life.
You don’t need to master every feature overnight. Just start writing, start linking, and let your second brain grow with you. The more you invest in capturing and connecting your thoughts, the more value Roam will return—day by day, note by note.