How Can I Add Metadata to Metadata :)

So, in an effort to force myself to think about how a new note links up to the existing network, I have template that inserts something like this into every new note:

> [!metadata]- Relations
> [adjacent::   ] /
> [parent::      ] /
> [sibling::     ] /
> [previous::    ] /
> [next::        ] /
> [child::       ] /

I populate as many fields as I go along. Sometimes I add relations, other times I might even remove them. It allows me to capture strong relations that may not be in the text, and plays very well with, e.g. the breadcrumbs plugin.

> [!metadata]- Relations
> [adjacent::   [[notes/foo|Title of Foo]] ]  /
> [adjacent::   [[notes/bar|Title of Bar]] ]  /
> [parent::   [[notes/baz|Title of Baz]] ]  /

I thought by keeping to a small set of consistent terms for some core relation types, it would work across all sorts of knowledge domains and make surfacing and discovery easier.

But at the same time, I want to communicate more semantics than just “parent” etc…
I would like to be able to express things like:

  • “‘parent’ in the sense of background theory/framework”
  • “parent in the sense that you have the understand this other note as a pre-requisite”
  • “parent in the sense that it is a project that required me to understand this concept” etc.

Is there a way I can do this without an explosion of metadata fields?

One way that occurred to was to use the alias field, e.g.

[adjacent:: [[notes/foo|Relevant literature]] ]

Do folks have other systems or maybe just an overall better approach?

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