Roam Research was the darling of the productivity community in 2020, the tool that made "networked thinking" a buzzword and inspired a generation of copycats. Four years later, I've spent six months living in Roam's interconnected web of double-bracketed links and daily notes, and I'm left with a complicated feeling: I understand why people love it, but I can't honestly recommend it to most business professionals anymore.
Roam Research is a tool for purists who love the methodology more than the execution. If you're a researcher, writer, or deep thinker willing to invest weeks learning a system that rewards long-term commitment, Roam's unique approach to networked notes can be transformative. But for most business professionals in 2024—especially those expecting modern AI capabilities or intuitive UX—there are simply better options that deliver similar benefits with less friction and better value. Skip it unless you're specifically drawn to Roam's philosophy and have time to master its idiosyncrasies.