Logseq Tutorial: How To Get Started - Using Paper to Show How Pages, Blocks & Links Work

Logseq’s core model is built around three mechanics—pages as nodes, blocks as containers (often bullet points), and links/backlinks that make the same block appear in multiple places—so information stays easy to retrieve without duplicating it. The tutorial uses a “physical model” with colored sheets (pages) and index cards (blocks) to show how data flows through linking and indentation, then maps that model onto Logseq’s real journal pages, page files, and graph view.

Pages are treated as nodes that can receive information. Journal pages (like a date-based entry) are created automatically, while other colored pages represent user-defined nodes. The key difference highlighted: pages correspond to actual text files in the Logseq folder when they contain information, whereas journal pages always exist as date nodes even if other pages only point to them. Blocks are the basic containers of content—think of them as bullet points that live on a page.

The tutorial’s centerpiece is the double square bracket syntax (and the hashtag variant) that creates backlinks and, in the process, generates new pages as references. When a block contains a link like [[Jane]] or [[Telco project]] (or a hashtag tag), Logseq creates those referenced pages (nodes) even if they’re empty at first. More importantly, every linked page gains a “linked references” section that automatically lists the same block wherever it’s referenced. That means one block can show up on multiple pages—such as the same “Jane” task appearing under the September 28 journal page, the Jane page, and an Inbox page—along with metadata showing where the block originates (including the journal date). This creates a built-in retrieval system and a traceable history of where ideas came from.

Indentation adds structure. Nested blocks under a linked block inherit the same visibility across linked pages, so the tutorial emphasizes that retrieval depends on both linking and nesting: a block nested under a linked block appears in the linked page’s linked references as well. The example builds an Inbox workflow: tasks and notes are first captured in journal pages, then surfaced through linked references on Inbox, Jane, and project pages. Once content becomes “permanently retrievable,” the tutorial shows adding real text directly into the referenced page so Logseq creates a corresponding markdown file for that node.

The tutorial then expands the model beyond one-way linking from journal pages. Links can connect pages to other pages, reminders can be attached to journal dates from project pages, and block references can embed the same block content elsewhere so edits propagate everywhere. In the computer view, the graph view visualizes pages as nodes and backlinks as edges, while filters in linked references help narrow results (e.g., showing only blocks related to Jane). Finally, favorites help reduce the initial intimidation of navigating a graph-based workspace, turning the system into a practical workflow for structuring information and building feedback loops over time.