This tweet from Tyler Tringas sent me down a rabbit hole
When designing a system, what are the differences between bidirectional links and tags?
Tags build value Asynchronously
The most obvious difference is that tags are asynchronous and become more useful as tags are added. Tags can return results with as few as 1 member, and grow over time. Links require two items, can’t be set until both items exist, and will never contain more than the two items.
Links are static, while Tags are living documents. Links will be the same when you come back to them, tags will be different over time.
Tags are Clusters, Links are Paths
Tags can quickly provide a cluster of related items, but don’t offer guidance over what to read next. Links highlight related, highly branching items. Readers can swim in a pool of tags, or follow a path of links.
Tags are great if you want more on the topic, links help you find the next topic.
Links are Curated
To create a link, you have to know that the other item exists. Your ability to create links will always be constrained by your knowledge of previously published items, or your time and desire to search out related content. Tags are a shot in the dark. They work regardless of your knowledge of the past. As a result, links are a more curated source.
Tags are Context
Tag names are context. If you add a “business” tag to a bunch of articles, someone else will know why you grouped the articles together. Links do not retain any context, later users (including yourself in 6 months) will need to examine both items to know why you linked them.
Bidirectional Links are more DB Intensive
Assuming your database is set up something like this:
Bidirectional links require 2 rows for each entry.
Tags require 1 row per entry plus 1 row for the tag.
Big O says that 2N and N + 1 are both O(n). Anyone who has worked on an overwhelmed database will tell you that 2 insertions can be way more than twice as expensive as 1.
Conclusion
As a practical matter, tags are more friendly to casual content creation and casual users.
Links are better when created by subject matter experts and consumed by people trying to learn an entire topic.
