| name | logseq-outline |
| description | Format any content as a Logseq-compatible outline using nested bullets (no markdown headers, no bold). Works in both Claude Code and Claude Desktop. |
Logseq Outline Formatting Skill
Format notes, lists, or any structured content as Logseq-compatible outlines. Uses nested bullet points (outline hierarchy) instead of markdown headers, with plain text styling.
When to Use This Skill
Use this skill when the user needs to format content for Logseq:
- Structured notes or outlines
- Research summaries
- Reading lists
- Project documentation
- Meeting notes
- Any hierarchical content for import into Logseq
Key indicator phrases:
- "Format this for Logseq"
- "Create a Logseq outline"
- "Make this Logseq-compatible"
- "Save this to paste into Logseq"
- "Format as an outline" (when context suggests Logseq)
Core Formatting Philosophy
Logseq uses outline hierarchy, not markdown headers.
- ✓ Use nested bullet points with tabs/spaces for indentation
- ✓ Use plain text throughout (no bold, no italics unless semantically required)
- ✓ Use proper markdown links for URLs
- ✓ Organize by nesting depth, not visual styling
- ✗ Never use
# markdown headers
- ✗ Never use bold (
**text**) for emphasis
- ✗ Never use horizontal rules (
---)
Universal Logseq Formatting Rules
Structure
Hierarchy through nesting only:
- Top Level Item
- Second Level Item
- Third Level Item
- Fourth Level Item
Never use headers:
❌ WRONG:
# Main Topic
## Subtopic
✓ CORRECT:
- Main Topic
- Subtopic
Text Styling
Plain text only:
❌ WRONG:
- **Important Item**
- *Emphasized point*
✓ CORRECT:
- Important Item
- Emphasized point
Exception: Use bold/italics only when semantically meaningful (e.g., book titles, technical terms), not for visual emphasis.
Links
Use proper markdown links:
✓ CORRECT:
- Item with link: [Link Text](https://example.com)
- Reference: [Document Name](file:///path/to/file.pdf)
Lists and Sub-items
Use consistent indentation:
- Main point
- Supporting detail
- Further detail
- Another detail
- Another supporting detail
- Next main point
What NOT to Include
Avoid these common mistakes:
- ❌ No markdown headers (
#, ##, ###) - use nested bullets instead
- ❌ No bold styling (
**text**) for emphasis - use plain text
- ❌ No summary sections at the end (no totals, no statistics)
- ❌ No horizontal rules (
---) for section breaks
- ❌ No item counts ("Total: 23 items") at the end
- ❌ No meta-commentary ("Organized by themes", "Sources include...")
Output Format by Environment
Claude Desktop
Create a markdown artifact containing the Logseq-formatted outline.
- Use artifact format for easy copying
- User can copy and paste directly into Logseq
- No file system access needed
Claude Code
Save to file and open in BBEdit for review.
Steps:
- Location: Save to Desktop
- Path:
/Users/niyaro/Desktop/
- Filename: Descriptive name with topic
- Format:
Topic_Name_Outline.md
- Example:
Research_Notes.md
- Extension: Always use
.md (markdown)
- Open in editor:
- Command:
bbedit /path/to/file.md
- Confirm to user: Report filename and location
Example:
cat > /Users/niyaro/Desktop/Research_Notes.md <<'EOF'
- Research Topic
- Key Points
- Point 1
- Point 2
- Next Steps
- Action 1
- Action 2
EOF
bbedit /Users/niyaro/Desktop/Research_Notes.md
Common Use Cases
Use Case 1: Research Notes
User request: "Create a Logseq outline of my research notes"
Output structure:
- Research Project: [Topic]
- Background
- Key concept 1
- Definition
- Examples
- Key concept 2
- Definition
- Examples
- Findings
- Finding 1
- Evidence
- Source
- Finding 2
- Evidence
- Source
- Next Steps
- Action item 1
- Action item 2
Use Case 2: Reading List
User request: "Make a Logseq-formatted reading list"
Output structure:
- Reading List: [Topic]
- Must Read
- Book Title, Author (Year)
- Why read: reason
- Length: X pages
- Another Book, Author (Year)
- Why read: reason
- Recommended
- Book Title, Author (Year)
- Why read: reason
- Optional
- Book Title, Author (Year)
Use Case 3: Meeting Notes
User request: "Format these meeting notes for Logseq"
Output structure:
- Meeting: [Date] - [Topic]
- Attendees
- Person 1
- Person 2
- Discussion Points
- Topic 1
- Decision: action decided
- Owner: person responsible
- Topic 2
- Decision: action decided
- Action Items
- Item 1 (Owner: Person)
- Due: date
- Item 2 (Owner: Person)
Use Case 4: Project Plan
User request: "Create a Logseq outline for my project"
Output structure:
- Project: [Name]
- Goals
- Goal 1
- Goal 2
- Milestones
- Phase 1: [Name]
- Task 1
- Task 2
- Phase 2: [Name]
- Task 3
- Task 4
- Resources
- Resource 1
- Resource 2
- Risks
- Risk 1
- Mitigation: plan
Converting Existing Content
From Markdown with Headers
Input:
# Main Topic
## Subtopic 1
Content here
## Subtopic 2
More content
Output:
- Main Topic
- Subtopic 1
- Content here
- Subtopic 2
- More content
From Bold-Heavy Format
Input:
- **Section 1**
- **Point 1:** Details
- **Point 2:** More details
Output:
- Section 1
- Point 1: Details
- Point 2: More details
From Flat List to Hierarchy
Input:
- Item 1
- Item 1a (related to Item 1)
- Item 1b (related to Item 1)
- Item 2
- Item 2a (related to Item 2)
Output:
- Item 1
- Item 1a
- Item 1b
- Item 2
- Item 2a
From Numbered Lists
Input:
1. First main point
1.1 Sub-point
1.2 Another sub-point
2. Second main point
Output:
- First main point
- Sub-point
- Another sub-point
- Second main point
Quality Checklist
Before delivering Logseq-formatted content, verify:
Examples
Complete Research Notes Example
- Embodied Cognition Research Notes
- Core Concepts
- Embodiment
- Definition: Cognitive processes are deeply rooted in the body's interactions with the world
- Key theorists: Lakoff, Johnson, Varela
- Grounded Cognition
- Definition: Mental representations are grounded in sensory-motor experiences
- Key theorists: Barsalou
- Key Studies
- Lakoff & Johnson, 1980. Metaphors We Live By
- Main argument: Abstract concepts structured by bodily experiences
- Example: "Argument is war" metaphor
- Varela et al., 1991. The Embodied Mind
- Main argument: Mind emerges from body-environment interaction
- Approach: Enactivist perspective
- Applications
- Education
- Gesture-based learning
- Physical manipulation in math education
- Robotics
- Embodied AI systems
- Sensorimotor grounding
Complete Project Plan Example
- Website Redesign Project
- Objectives
- Improve user experience
- Increase conversion rate by 20%
- Mobile-first design
- Timeline
- Phase 1: Research (Weeks 1-2)
- User interviews
- Competitor analysis
- Requirements gathering
- Phase 2: Design (Weeks 3-5)
- Wireframes
- Mockups
- User testing
- Phase 3: Development (Weeks 6-10)
- Frontend development
- Backend integration
- QA testing
- Phase 4: Launch (Week 11)
- Deployment
- Monitoring
- Iteration
- Team
- Designer: Jane
- Developer: John
- PM: Sarah
- Budget
- Design: $10,000
- Development: $25,000
- Total: $35,000
Important Notes
- Universal skill: Works in both Claude Code and Claude Desktop
- Environment-aware output: Artifacts for Desktop, files for Code
- Plain text focus: Logseq handles styling; content structure matters most
- No summaries: Logseq users can create their own summaries/queries
- Nesting depth: No theoretical limit, but 3-4 levels is most readable
- Flexibility: Can format any hierarchical content, not just specific types
Related Skills
- zotero-mcp: For formatting bibliographies with Zotero-specific metadata and translations
- zotero-tagging: For tagging Zotero items after bibliography generation
Remember: Logseq uses outline hierarchy, not visual styling. Structure through nesting, not through headers or bold text.
