org-backlinks

An interface for searching backlinks to Org headings.

This package aims to provide a sense of context when searching for links to and from the current note.

Backlinks are the Org headings that have links to the current Org heading at point. Second order backlinks are the backlinks to each of the current heading’s backlinks. Third order backlinks are the same but for the second order ones.

Optionally, it can also show the direct and indirect links of a note.

Direct links are the links to other headings present in the current heading. Indirect links are the direct links present in those headings.

The optional package helm-org-backlinks provides a Helm interface for org-backlinks.

This package requires org-ql.

Installation

Clone this repo and add it to your load-path:

(add-to-list 'load-path "/path/to/org-backlinks")
(require 'org-backlinks)
(require 'helm-org-backlinks)    ; optional Helm interface
(require 'consult-org-backlinks) ; optional Consult interface

Or, with use-package + straight.el:

(use-package org-backlinks
  :straight (org-backlinks :host github :repo "bcardoso/org-backlinks"
                           :files ("org-backlinks.el"))
  :bind ("C-c z" . org-backlinks))

;; optional Helm interface
(use-package helm-org-backlinks
  :straight (helm-org-backlinks :host github :repo "bcardoso/org-backlinks"
                                :files ("helm-org-backlinks.el"))
  :bind ("C-c z" . helm-org-backlinks))

;; optional Consult interface
(use-package consult-org-backlinks
  :straight (consult-org-backlinks :host github :repo "bcardoso/org-backlinks"
                                   :files ("consult-org-backlinks.el"))
  :bind ("C-c z" . consult-org-backlinks))

Usage

Just run M-x org-backlinks or with the suggested binding C-c z in a Org heading.

Or run your preferred command: M-x helm-org-backlinks or M-x consult-org-backlinks.

org-backlinks will search the files defined by org-backlinks-files for the CUSTOM_ID or the ID of the current Org heading.

Set org-backlinks-show-direct-links to t to see both the direct and indirect links to other headings.

The other customizable variables are accessible through the customize interface:

• M-x customize-group RET org-backlinks.

Integration

org-backlinks sources can be easily integrated into other Helm or Consult commands.

For example, this is how I integrate a simple backlink source into org-hop, my all-purpose Org heading hopping interface:

;; Consult interface
(require 'consult-org-backlinks)
(advice-add 'consult-org-hop :before #'org-backlinks-setup-simple)
(add-to-list 'consult-org-hop-sources 'consult-org-backlinks-source)

;; Helm inferface
(require 'helm-org-backlinks)
(advice-add 'helm-org-hop :before #'org-backlinks-setup-simple)
(add-to-list 'helm-org-hop-default-sources 'helm-org-backlinks-source)

Changelog

v0.2.0

add consult support.

v0.1.0

initial concept & helm interface.