Dries Buytaert on Sharing Notes in Public: “If It Can Be Public, It Should Be”

Dries Buytaert, founder of Drupal, quietly adopted a principle a few years ago that's now shaping how he writes online: If a note can be public, it should be. This idea, though deceptively simple, has changed how he views his personal website—not as a platform for polished posts, but as a space for ideas in motion.

Inspired by the digital gardens of thinkers like Tom Critchlow, Maggie Appleton, and Andy Matuschak, as well as the learning logs of Simon Willison, Buytaert saw the value in publishing even the small, scrappy notes. These weren’t essays—they were “living notes,” evolving entries that track his ongoing learning. Each begins with a brief disclaimer to set expectations: this is a work in progress, not a finished thought.

At the core of this practice is Obsidian, his chosen note-taking tool, and a Zettelkasten system that helps connect ideas across time. Buytaert realized that many of his notes contained no sensitive information—just useful, sometimes niche knowledge: writing PHPUnit tests in Drupal, configuring password-free SSH, or making moka pot coffee while camping.

But making notes public isn’t always easy. Buytaert candidly admits to struggling with inertia and self-doubt. Sharing while learning often means sharing while unsure. Yet he’s motivated by a larger ethos: learning in the open. After 25 years of doing so, he believes that open sharing enriches not only his own thinking but also that of others.

What emerges is a portrait of a technologist choosing vulnerability and curiosity over perfection. In a digital world cluttered with performative polish, Buytaert’s principle is a call to show the work, not just the outcomes. His living notes aren’t just about Drupal or development; they’re about learning out loud and making space for others to do the same.