Alexandria Docs

Imports help you move content from other tools into Alexandria.

Right now, the main supported source is Notion. You export your data from Notion, then run the importer to create Alexandria notes and tags for you.

What gets imported (high level):

  • Pages: content becomes note bodies.
  • Databases: rows become notes; database fields become tag properties (when possible).
  • Basic properties: text, select, multi-select, date, number, checkbox.

What is not imported (yet):

  • Relations between databases, formulas, rollups.
  • Page hierarchy is flattened.
  • Images and attachments are not imported.

How to import from Notion:

  1. Export from Notion
  • In Notion, go to Settings & members -> Settings -> Export content.
  • Choose "Markdown & CSV".
  • Download and unzip the export; you'll get a folder with .md and .csv files.
  1. Run the importer

Build the importer once:

cd alexandria-importer
cargo build --release

Then run it with your Notion export folder and the destination Alexandria workspace:

./target/release/akb-importer notion \
  --input /path/to/notion/export \
  --output /path/to/alexandria/workspace

Useful options:

  • --dry-run: preview what would be imported without writing files.
  • --use-created-time: use Notion's Created time for note dates (so notes land in the correct date folders).
  • --verbose: show detailed progress.
  • --continue-on-error: keep going even if some files fail.

Examples:

# Basic import
./target/release/akb-importer notion \
  --input ./notion-export \
  --output ./alexandria-workspace

# Import using original creation dates
./target/release/akb-importer notion \
  --input ./notion-export \
  --output ./alexandria-workspace \
  --use-created-time

# Dry run first
./target/release/akb-importer notion \
  --input ./notion-export \
  --output ./alexandria-workspace \
  --dry-run --verbose

After the import

  • Open your Alexandria workspace: you'll see notes and tags created from your Notion content.
  • You can retag, rename, or edit notes freely -- your files are just on disk.

Tip: If you're trying a large import, start with a small Notion export to see if the structure fits your needs, then run the full import.