My Terminal Workflow for Note-Taking, Data Engineering and Writing (Linux/MacOS)

I have a very sophisticated workflow setup that I have optimized over the years. My dotfiles have over 200+ stars on GitHub and grew from macOS to Linux with Omarchy, which I use today.

Below is my workflow documented in screenshots and videos. Click below to get to YouTube Videos. There’s more around my second brain, but here’s a short overview of some that come to mind right now. I might add over time.

Omarchy (using today) video about Arch Tiling Window Workflow (macOS comparison):
Omarchy Arch Tiling Window Workflow (macOS comparison) - YouTube

You also find it in writing at Arch Linux (Omarchy) — 8 Months Later: The Good, the Bad, and the Fixable (or why I switched in Part 1)

MacOS Tiling Windows Setup for Data Engineers & Writers with Yabai + skhd (used before Omarchy):

macOS Tiling Windows Setup for Data Engineers & Writers | yabai + skhd - YouTube

Query databases in vim (vim-dadbod):

Computer Desk Setup and Monitor Workflow with monitor alignment and virtual desktop setup:

Find some more workflow videos at my Asciinema page.

I’m a full-time writer, and I use Obsidian and Neovim heavily as my writer tools.

I have written about Vim Motions for Writers, especially Vim Motions is key, if you work for a living on a computer, as it’s made specifically for text editing.

In Vim motions for writers, I write about:

• The Flow of Writing an Essay
• and my My Writing Process
• and I have a video of how this looks in action.

See it here:

Vim Motion for Writers Showcase (Inside My Obsidian Vault) - YouTube

I have multiple articles about this topic too, see essays about Vim and writing.

In Why Vim Is More than Just an Editor – Vim Language, Motions, and Modes Explained | ssp.sh I write:

I’m still using Obsidian a lot more for writing (see more on my  PKM workflow) due to its additional features of supported images, backlinks, graphs, and plugins specified for note-taking, such as ReadWise) (syncing my highlight from books, and tweets), Dataview (using notes as a database), Excalidraw (drawing with Markdown format), Templates, and so on.

Nevertheless, I write more and more in Neovim. For now, I use ZenMode (for centering the text), Grammarly (for linting grammar),  write-good (linting grammar), and specifically  Obsidian.nvim (follow backlinks, and so on.). You find all details in my  dotfiles.

In Obsidian, I use the  Vim mode Obsidian  .vimrc and map most  hotkeys to my Vim settings. At the same time, I’ve been writing more and more in Neovim and have been progressively moving over to full Neovim.

Plugins such as  Telescope and simple grep features that I use for coding work very well with Markdown. Here are some clips showing what is possible in an excellent talk about  Writing, Editing, and World-Building at the speed of thought with Vim.

• Zen Mode for Writing
• Four Modes of Writing

Why Vim Is More than Just an Editor – Vim Language, Motions, and Modes Explained at the chapter “Vim for Data Engineers”.

I wrote at length at:

• My Obsidian Note-Taking Workflow | ssp.sh
• Personal Knowledge Management Workflow for a Deeper Life — as a Computer Scientist | ssp.sh
• My Zettelkasten Workflow with Zettelkasten for Tech Notes and Organizing and Writing My Notes
• Sharing as Second Brain Note vs a Blog Post

• tmux
• Terminal Multiplexer
• Today’s Office: A visual log
• Notebook & Desktops for Linux

Origin: tmux
References: Essential Linux Commands