Block References

Link to and embed specific paragraphs, lists, headings, or any content block within your notes using Obsidian-compatible block reference syntax.

Block references work identically to Obsidian’s implementation, ensuring seamless migration and compatibility.

What are Block References?

Block references allow you to create precise links to specific portions of a note, rather than just linking to the entire page. This is invaluable for:

Academic citations: Reference specific paragraphs or quotes from research notes
Meeting notes: Link to specific action items or decisions across different meetings
Research connections: Build a web of knowledge linking specific ideas, not just documents
Task tracking: Reference specific tasks or outcomes from project notes

Instead of linking to an entire note like [[Project Notes]], you can link directly to a specific block: [[Project Notes^decision-architecture]].

Understanding Block IDs

A block ID is a unique identifier you assign to any block of content (paragraph, list item, heading, quote, etc.). Block IDs are created using the caret (^) symbol followed by an alphanumeric identifier.

Block ID Syntax

This is a paragraph that I want to reference later. ^my-block-id

The block ID appears at the end of the content and consists of:

A space followed by ^ (caret symbol)
An identifier using letters, numbers, hyphens, or underscores: [a-zA-Z0-9_-]+
Block IDs are case-sensitive

Valid Block ID Examples

This is a key finding from the research. ^research-finding-1
 
- Task item that needs referencing ^task-item-urgent
- Another list item ^list-2
 
> Important quote from the source material ^important-quote
 
## Section Heading ^section-intro

What Can Have Block IDs?

Block IDs can be added to:

Paragraphs
Headings (all levels)
List items (both ordered and unordered)
Blockquotes
Code blocks
Tables
Table rows

Creating Block References

Once you’ve added a block ID to content, you can reference it from anywhere in your knowledge base.

Step 1: Add a Block ID

First, add a block ID to the content you want to reference:

The quarterly revenue increased by 23% due to new product launches. ^q4-revenue-finding

The block ID ^q4-revenue-finding is now attached to this paragraph.

Block IDs are displayed with reduced opacity in the editor, making them visible but not distracting.

Step 2: Link to the Block

In any note, create a link to the specific block using the syntax [[filename^blockid]]:

According to the analysis: [[Q4 Report^q4-revenue-finding]]

This creates a clickable link that navigates directly to the referenced block in the Q4 Report note.

Step 3: Customize Display Text (Optional)

You can customize how the link appears using the pipe (|) syntax:

The results were impressive: [[Q4 Report^q4-revenue-finding|23% revenue increase]]

This displays as “23% revenue increase” but still links to the specific block.

Block Link Display Format

When you create a block reference without custom text, Lokus automatically formats the link in a readable way:

[[Meeting Notes^action-item-deploy]]

Displays as: Meeting Notes › Action Item Deploy

The filename and block ID are separated by a › symbol, with the block ID converted from kebab-case to Title Case for better readability.

Embedding Blocks

Beyond just linking, you can embed the actual content of a block directly into another note using the exclamation mark (!) prefix.

Embed Syntax

![[filename^blockid]]

How Embeds Work

When you embed a block:

The actual content of the referenced block appears inline in your current note
The embed shows the source filename and block ID as a header
The embedded content is read-only but updates if the source changes
Embeds are displayed with a distinct visual style (border and background)

Embed Example

If Research Notes contains:

The study found a strong correlation between sleep quality and productivity. ^sleep-study-finding

In another note, you can embed it:

## Supporting Evidence
 
![[Research Notes^sleep-study-finding]]

This will display:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ 📄 Research Notes › sleep-study-finding │
├─────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ The study found a strong correlation    │
│ between sleep quality and productivity. │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘

Use Cases

Academic Research

Link to specific findings, quotes, or methodologies across your research notes:

## Literature Review
 
The methodology follows [[Smith 2023^methodology-section]].
 
Key findings:
- ![[Study A^finding-correlation]]
- ![[Study B^finding-causation]]

Meeting Notes Cross-Referencing

Reference specific decisions or action items:

## Project Status
 
Following up on [[March 15 Meeting^decision-tech-stack]], we've begun implementation.
 
Action items from [[March 22 Meeting^action-items-list]]:

Knowledge Building

Create precise connections between ideas:

## Zettelkasten Example
 
This concept relates to [[Atomic Habits^habit-loop-definition]] and builds upon [[Thinking Fast and Slow^system-1-vs-2]].

Task Management

Track tasks and their outcomes across project notes:

## Sprint Retrospective
 
Completed: [[Sprint 5 Planning^task-backend-api]]
Still in progress: [[Sprint 5 Planning^task-frontend-ui]]

Tips & Best Practices

Naming Block IDs

Use descriptive, kebab-case identifiers that make sense out of context:

✅ Good: ^decision-microservices-architecture
✅ Good: ^finding-user-retention-rate
❌ Avoid: ^block1, ^x, ^temp

When to Use Block References vs. Page Links

Use Block References When	Use Page Links When
Referencing specific findings or quotes	Referencing general topics or concepts
Linking to action items or decisions	Linking to entire documents
Building precise knowledge connections	Creating broad category links
Citing specific sources	Referencing background information

Avoiding Conflicts

Block IDs must be unique within a single note (but can be the same across different notes)
If you duplicate content, remember to update block IDs to maintain unique references
Use meaningful prefixes for different types of blocks: ^finding-, ^task-, ^quote-, ^decision-

Managing Block References

⚠️

If you delete or rename a block ID, existing references will break. Consider:

Searching your vault for references before deleting block IDs
Using descriptive IDs that won’t need changing
Keeping a log of important block IDs in your notes

Advanced Usage