Emacs for Goodness' Sake

A Gentle Journey into the Operating System Disguised as a Text Editor

Chapter 6: Org-mode

Your Life in Plain Text

I need to tell you something important: Org-mode is the reason half of us use Emacs. We came for the text editor, discovered Org-mode, and realized we’d been doing everything wrong our entire lives. It’s not just a note-taking system—it’s a plain text format that can handle your tasks, calendar, documents, spreadsheets, literate programming, and probably your taxes if you ask it nicely.

Org-mode is what happens when you give programmers a markup language and tell them to solve every organizational problem they’ve ever had. The result is beautiful, terrifying, and absolutely addictive.

Your First Org File

Create a file called life.org:

* Welcome to Org-mode
This is a heading. Press TAB on it. Mind = blown.

** This is a subheading
   And this is some text under it. Everything is collapsible!
   
*** Even deeper
    We can go as deep as we want. It's headings all the way down.

* TODO Buy milk
  SCHEDULED: <2024-01-20 Sat>
  
* DONE Discover Org-mode
  CLOSED: [2024-01-19 Fri 16:42]

Now try:

  • TAB on a heading - Collapse/expand
  • Shift-TAB - Cycle visibility globally
  • C-c C-t on a TODO - Cycle through states

🤔 Why Though? Org-mode treats structure as data. Those asterisks aren’t just formatting—they’re semantic structure that Org can query, filter, and manipulate.

The TODO System That Ruins All Other TODO Systems

* TODO Write Chapter 6
  DEADLINE: <2024-01-25 Thu>
  :PROPERTIES:
  :EFFORT:   3:00
  :END:
  
  Some notes about this task.
  
** TODO Research other org tutorials
** TODO Write first draft
** TODO Edit and revise

* TODO [#A] Fix critical bug
  SCHEDULED: <2024-01-20 Sat 09:00>
  
* WAIT Waiting for Bob's response
  
* Projects :project:
** TODO Project Alpha
*** TODO Design phase
*** TODO Implementation
*** TODO Testing

* Personal :personal:
** TODO Call mom
   SCHEDULED: <2024-01-21 Sun 19:00 +1w>

Key commands:

  • C-c C-t - Cycle TODO states
  • C-c C-s - Schedule
  • C-c C-d - Set deadline
  • C-c , - Set priority
  • C-c C-c - Add tags

The Agenda: Your Command Center

First, tell Org where your files live:

(setq org-agenda-files '("~/org/"))

Now witness the magic:

M-x org-agenda

Press a for agenda view. You’ll see all your scheduled tasks, deadlines, and appointments in a beautiful calendar view. This isn’t just a task list—it’s a temporal map of your life.

🚸 IDE Refugee Note: This is like having Jira, Google Calendar, and Todoist inside your text editor. Except it’s faster, more flexible, and it’s just plain text so you actually own your data.

Tables: Spreadsheets for Humans

Type this and press TAB:

|Name|Hours|Rate|Total|
|-

Org creates a table! Keep going:

| Name    | Hours | Rate | Total |
|---------+-------+------+-------|
| Alice   |    10 |   50 |       |
| Bob     |    15 |   60 |       |
| Charlie |     8 |   55 |       |
|---------+-------+------+-------|
| Total   |       |      |       |
#+TBLFM: $4=$2*$3::@5$2=vsum(@2..@4)::@5$4=vsum(@2..@4)

Press C-c C-c on the TBLFM line. Org calculates everything!

Table commands:

  • TAB / Shift-TAB - Navigate cells
  • C-c | - Create table from region
  • C-c - - Insert horizontal line
  • C-c RET - Insert row
  • C-c ^ - Sort table
* Links in Org

** Web links
- [[https://orgmode.org][Org-mode website]]
- [[https://google.com]] (plain URL)

** File links  
- [[file:~/Documents/report.pdf][Quarterly Report]]
- [[file:~/code/project/main.py::42][Line 42 of main.py]]

** Internal links
- [[*Chapter 1][Link to Chapter 1 heading]]
- [[#my-custom-id][Link to custom ID]]

** Create a link target
:PROPERTIES:
:CUSTOM_ID: my-custom-id
:END:

Store link with C-c l, insert with C-c C-l

Code Blocks: Literate Programming

Org can execute code blocks and capture results:

#+BEGIN_SRC python :results output
def fibonacci(n):
    if n <= 1:
        return n
    return fibonacci(n-1) + fibonacci(n-2)

for i in range(10):
    print(f"F({i}) = {fibonacci(i)}")
#+END_SRC

#+RESULTS:
: F(0) = 0
: F(1) = 1
: F(2) = 1
: F(3) = 2
: F(4) = 3
: F(5) = 5
: F(6) = 8
: F(7) = 13
: F(8) = 21
: F(9) = 34

Press C-c C-c in the code block to execute it!

Configure Babel for languages:

(org-babel-do-load-languages
 'org-babel-load-languages
 '((python . t)
   (shell . t)
   (emacs-lisp . t)))

Export: From Org to Everything

Org can export to HTML, PDF, Markdown, and more:

#+TITLE: My Amazing Document
#+AUTHOR: Your Name
#+DATE: 2024-01-20
#+OPTIONS: toc:2 num:t

* Introduction
This document will be beautiful in any format.

** Background
Some background information.

* Main Content
The main content goes here.

* Conclusion
Wrapping things up.

Export with C-c C-e:

  • h h - HTML
  • l p - LaTeX PDF
  • m m - Markdown
  • o o - OpenDocument

Capture: Never Lose a Thought

Set up capture templates:

(setq org-capture-templates
      '(("t" "Todo" entry (file+headline "~/org/tasks.org" "Inbox")
         "* TODO %?\n  %i\n  %a")
        ("j" "Journal" entry (file+datetree "~/org/journal.org")
         "* %?\nEntered on %U\n  %i\n  %a")
        ("n" "Note" entry (file+headline "~/org/notes.org" "Notes")
         "* %?\n  %i\n  %a")
        ("m" "Meeting" entry (file+headline "~/org/meetings.org" "Meetings")
         "* MEETING with %? :meeting:\n  %T")))

(global-set-key (kbd "C-c c") 'org-capture)

Now C-c c from anywhere captures thoughts instantly!

Clocking: Time Tracking Built In

* TODO Write documentation
  :LOGBOOK:
  CLOCK: [2024-01-20 Sat 10:00]--[2024-01-20 Sat 11:30] =>  1:30
  CLOCK: [2024-01-19 Fri 14:00]--[2024-01-19 Fri 16:00] =>  2:00
  :END:

Commands:

  • C-c C-x C-i - Clock in
  • C-c C-x C-o - Clock out
  • C-c C-x C-r - Clock report

Org-Roam: Your Second Brain

Install org-roam for Zettelkasten-style note-taking:

(use-package org-roam
  :ensure t
  :custom
  (org-roam-directory "~/org-roam/")
  :bind (("C-c n l" . org-roam-buffer-toggle)
         ("C-c n f" . org-roam-node-find)
         ("C-c n i" . org-roam-node-insert))
  :config
  (org-roam-db-autosync-mode))

Now you have a personal wiki with backlinks!

Advanced Org Features

Custom TODO States

(setq org-todo-keywords
      '((sequence "TODO(t)" "NEXT(n)" "PROG(p)" "|" "DONE(d)")
        (sequence "WAIT(w@/!)" "HOLD(h@/!)" "|" "CANCELLED(c@/!)")))

(setq org-todo-keyword-faces
      '(("TODO" . org-warning)
        ("NEXT" . (:foreground "blue" :weight bold))
        ("PROG" . (:foreground "yellow" :weight bold))
        ("WAIT" . (:foreground "orange" :weight bold))
        ("CANCELLED" . (:foreground "red" :weight bold))))

Properties and Column View

* Project Overview
  :PROPERTIES:
  :COLUMNS: %40ITEM %TODO %3PRIORITY %TAGS %17Effort(Estimated){:} %CLOCKSUM
  :END:
  
** TODO Task 1
   :PROPERTIES:
   :Effort:   2:00
   :END:
   
** TODO Task 2
   :PROPERTIES:
   :Effort:   3:00
   :END:

Press C-c C-x C-c for column view!

Dynamic Blocks

#+BEGIN: clocktable :scope file :maxlevel 2
#+END:

Press C-c C-c to update

#+BEGIN: columnview :id local
#+END:

Org for Different Roles

The Project Manager

* Q1 2024 Projects
** Project Alpha [33%]
   DEADLINE: <2024-03-31>
   - [X] Requirements gathering
   - [ ] Design phase
   - [ ] Implementation
   
** Project Beta [0%]
   SCHEDULED: <2024-02-01>
   - [ ] Kickoff meeting
   - [ ] Resource allocation
   
* Team Stand-ups
** <2024-01-20 Sat> Daily Standup
*** Alice
    - Completed API integration
    - Working on tests
*** Bob
    - Blocked on database access
    - Need DevOps help

The Researcher

* Literature Review
** [[cite:@smith2023]] Smith et al. (2023)
   - Key finding: X correlates with Y
   - Methodology: Randomized controlled trial
   - Sample size: n=500
   
** [[cite:@jones2024]] Jones (2024)
   - Contradicts Smith on point Z
   - TODO: Investigate discrepancy
   
#+BIBLIOGRAPHY: references.bib

The Student

* Courses
** CS101: Introduction to Programming
*** Lectures
**** <2024-01-20> Lecture 5: Functions
     - Pure functions vs side effects
     - Higher-order functions
     - TODO: Read Chapter 5
     
*** Assignments
**** TODO Assignment 2
     DEADLINE: <2024-01-25>
     - [X] Problem 1
     - [ ] Problem 2
     - [ ] Problem 3

Your Org-mode Workflow

Here’s a complete GTD setup:

;; Capture
(global-set-key (kbd "C-c c") 'org-capture)

;; Agenda
(global-set-key (kbd "C-c a") 'org-agenda)

;; Refile
(setq org-refile-targets '((org-agenda-files :maxlevel . 3)))

;; Archive
(setq org-archive-location "~/org/archive.org::datetree/")

;; Habits
(add-to-list 'org-modules 'org-habit)

;; Pretty bullets
(use-package org-bullets
  :ensure t
  :hook (org-mode . org-bullets-mode))

Org-mode Superpowers

Inline Images

[[file:diagram.png]]

Then C-c C-x C-v to toggle display

LaTeX Fragments

The equation $e^{i\pi} + 1 = 0$ is beautiful.

\begin{equation}
\int_{-\infty}^{\infty} e^{-x^2} dx = \sqrt{\pi}
\end{equation}

C-c C-x C-l to preview

Drawers

* Task with hidden details
  :DETAILS:
  This information is hidden by default.
  It can contain multiple lines.
  :END:

🎮 Org-mode Exercises

  1. The Planner: Create a complete GTD system with inbox, projects, and contexts
  2. The Documenter: Write this chapter in Org and export to Markdown
  3. The Analyst: Create a budget spreadsheet using Org tables
  4. The Programmer: Write a literate program mixing code and documentation
  5. The Researcher: Build a knowledge base with org-roam

What’s Next?

Chapter 7 will transform Emacs into an IDE that makes your colleagues jealous. But honestly? After learning Org-mode, you might never want to leave. Some people use Emacs exclusively for Org-mode, and that’s perfectly valid.

Org-mode is more than a feature—it’s a philosophy. It says that your thoughts, tasks, and knowledge should be in plain text, under your control, infinitely flexible. Once you internalize this, every other system feels constraining.

“I switched to Emacs for Org-mode. That was 10 years ago. I’m still discovering new features.” —Every Org-mode user

Chapter 6 Summary

  • Everything is plain text that you own forever
  • Headings create structure, structure enables everything
  • TODO states that actually make sense
  • Agenda shows your temporal landscape
  • Tables are spreadsheets for humans
  • Babel enables literate programming
  • Export to any format
  • Capture thoughts instantly
  • Org-mode is a way of life, not just a mode