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Personal information management: part 2

productivity
Technical solutions for implementing effective personal and professional information management systems.

Introduction

In part 1 of this series, we explored the principles and considerations for effective personal information management. This article builds on those foundations by examining specific technical implementations that align with our goals of data ownership, portability, and long-term viability.

Note

These recommendations focus on open, flexible solutions that work across multiple platforms and prioritise plain text formats.

Markdown as a foundation

At the core of my recommended approach is Markdown—a lightweight markup language that balances human readability with machine processability. Markdown offers several significant advantages for information management:

  • Plain text format ensures maximum portability
  • Readable without specialised software
  • Supports rich formatting while remaining simple to learn
  • Widely supported across platforms and tools
  • Excellent for version control systems

Tip

Learn the extended Markdown syntax supported by your chosen tools. Features like tables, definition lists, and fenced code blocks significantly enhance Markdown's utility for technical documentation.

Platform-specific solutions

macOS-focused approach

For those working primarily on macOS, several powerful options exist:

DEVONthink offers an exceptionally robust solution with:

  • Advanced AI-based document classification
  • Powerful search capabilities
  • PDF annotation and management
  • Markdown support integrated with other document types
  • Flexible organisation options (tags, groups, smart groups)

Important

While DEVONthink is proprietary software, it stores documents in their native formats on the filesystem, preventing vendor lock-in.

Cross-platform solutions

For those working across Linux, macOS, and Windows, I've developed a workflow combining several complementary tools:

VimWiki

VimWiki transforms Vim into a powerful personal wiki system:

  • Rapid navigation between linked documents
  • Consistent formatting and organisation
  • Keyboard-driven workflow for maximum efficiency
  • Customisable syntax highlighting and formatting

Gollum

Gollum provides web-based access to your Markdown wiki:

  • Git-backed version control
  • Web interface for browsing and editing
  • Renders Markdown with proper formatting and navigation
  • Useful for quick edits or when accessing from devices without Vim
# Example Docker setup for Gollum
from flask import Flask
import subprocess

app = Flask(__name__)

@app.route('/refresh')
def refresh_wiki():
    subprocess.run(["git", "pull"], cwd="/path/to/wiki")
    return "Wiki refreshed from repository"

if __name__ == '__main__':
    app.run(host='0.0.0.0', port=5000)

MKDocs

MKDocs excels at transforming Markdown documents into polished documentation:

  • Creates professional static sites from Markdown files
  • Excellent for code project documentation
  • Supports themes and customisation
  • Built-in search functionality
  • Easy deployment options

Caution

While these tools work well together, initial setup requires some technical knowledge. Budget time for configuration and learning the ecosystem.

Integration workflow

The real power of this approach comes from how these tools integrate:

  1. Create and edit content primarily with VimWiki, leveraging Vim's efficiency
  2. Use Gollum for browsing, sharing, and quick edits when convenient
  3. Deploy formal documentation with MKDocs when a more polished presentation is needed
  4. Version and back up everything with Git

This multilayered approach provides flexibility while maintaining data integrity and portability. Since everything is stored as Markdown files, you're never locked into any single tool in the chain.

Conclusion

Effective information management requires tools that balance power with simplicity and control with convenience. The Markdown-centric approach described here provides a solid foundation for managing both personal and professional information while ensuring your data remains accessible and portable over the long term.

Whether you opt for the macOS-specific approach with DEVONthink or the cross-platform combination of VimWiki, Gollum, and MKDocs, prioritising open formats and user control will serve you well as your information management needs evolve.