From its documentation:

Hyperbole is like Markdown for hypertext. Hyperbole automatically recognizes dozens of common patterns in any buffer regardless of mode and can instantly activate them as hyperbuttons with a single key: email addresses, URLs, grep -n outputs, programming backtraces, sequences of Emacs keys, programming identifiers, Texinfo and Info cross-references, Org links, Markdown links and on and on. All you do is load Hyperbole and then your text comes to life with no extra effort or complex formatting.

Hyperbole interlinks all your working information within Emacs for fast access and editing, not just within special modes. Every button is automatically assigned a type and new types can be developed for your own buttons with simple function definitions. You can create your own buttons by simply dragging between two buffers.

But Hyperbole is also a hub controller for your information supplying built-in capabilities of contact management/hierarchical record lookup, legal-numbered outlines with hyperlinkable views and a unique window and frame manager. It is even Org-compatible so you can use all of Org’s capabilities together with Hyperbole.

Hyperbole is unique, powerful, extensively documented, and free. Like Emacs, Org, Counsel and Helm, Hyperbole has many different uses all based around the theme of reducing cognitive load and improving your everyday information management. Then as you grow with it across time, it helps you build new capabilities that continue to speed your work.

GNU Hyperbole is available as a quick install package from GNU ELPA. The project home page is https://www.gnu.org/software/hyperbole. That page includes screenshots, download and installation instructions, and resource links.

A major new release of Hyperbole, version 8, the Epiphany Release, was released on May 1, 2022. The new features are too extensive to mention here. See HY-NEWS.

Hyperbole, version 7, the Git Ready for Action Release, was released on November 15, 2017. It includes easily embeddable cross-references to git and Github objects, social media hashtag and user page links, rapid drags for displaying buffers and files in any desired window and window grids for displaying many buffers/files in a specified grid of windows, e.g. 3 rows by 5 columns.

Hyperbole’s major capabilities include:

From RSW, author of GNU Hyperbole:

People often ask us about the differences between Org mode and Hyperbole. Although on the surface this comes up a lot, once you use both of these, you’ll quickly see how different they are. Hyperbole and Org mode can be used together, e.g. Hyperbole’s Smart Keys work in Org mode, or separately; there is no need to choose. Here is a contrast of the two, for those interested.

Q: I would like to see a comparison between the various Information Management tools and Hyperbole. Could anyone comment on this?

Q: Am I right if I assume that the major components of Hyperbole are something similar to outline minor mode + the ability to create links to different places (a position in a file for example)? In that case I think that OrgMode can do the same things very good. And that already comes with Emacs 22. New control of windowing, if as described, may be very exciting. Exact position of windows and such. As of the libraries of text files, I think I’ve used files of Org links for that, but never got them to “search and retrieve” as described. I doubt the new incarnation of Hyperbole would replace Org, but if they merge as the above kind of predicts, this could be very useful.

A merger of Org, Hyperbole/Koutline, Muse, and Info modes would be perfect, sort of a „unified documentation project mode”, or a replacement for the very aged and limited Info system.

CategoryPersonalInformationManager