Documentation Getting Started

---
type: documentation
id: PL-DOC01
created: 2026-07-19
tags: [guide, onboarding]
---
 
# Getting Started with Project Loom
 
## What This Vault Is
 
Project Loom is a research operating system. It is not a notebook. It is not a file dump. It is a structured system for turning sources into knowledge into outputs.
 
## The Four Layers
 
Every idea flows through these layers. Nothing skips steps.
 
| Layer | Purpose | Example |
|-------|---------|---------|
| **Sources** | Raw material | PDF, article, interview |
| **Literature Notes** | What the author said | Summary of Smith 2024 |
| **Permanent Notes** | What you think | Your own insight about power dynamics |
| **Outputs** | Finished work | Essay, paper, presentation |
 
## Your First 10 Minutes
 
1. Open `00 Dashboard`
2. Look at the Vault Overview table
3. Click a note to see how it's structured
4. Create one test note from a template (see Workflow Guide)
 
## If You Get Stuck
 
- Templates show raw `<% %>` code → Switch to Source mode (Ctrl+E)
- Dataview shows code instead of tables → Switch to Reading view (Ctrl+E)
- Can't find a note → Use Omnisearch (Ctrl+O) or Quick Switcher (Ctrl+O)
 
## Key Principle
 
One idea. One note. Always in your own words.