Feature Request: Automatic Property Filling Based on Backlinks

Feature Requests
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WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND?

Introduce a system‑wide feature that automatically fills object properties with related objects whenever a backlink is created.

Specifically: when an object is created inside another object’s page and a backlink is generated, the system should also populate any matching object‑type property with that same linked object.

HOW COULD IT BE DONE?

  • When a new object is created within the page of another object, Anytype already generates a backlink to the parent object.

  • Extend this logic so that:

    • If the child object contains a property whose type matches the parent object’s type (e.g., a “Courses” relation on a Task object),

    • The system automatically inserts the parent object into that property.

  • This behavior could be optional, controlled by:

    • A global toggle in settings, and/or

    • A per‑relation setting like “Auto-fill from backlinks”.

    • or turned on/off at the template level

REAL WORLD USE CASES

  • A user is studying a course and creates tasks directly on the course page.

    • The task already gets a backlink to the course.

    • With this feature, the task’s “Courses” property would also automatically include that course, eliminating manual steps.

  • When creating notes, tasks, or sub‑objects inside any parent object (projects, clients, books, areas), the system would keep relations consistent without extra user input.

  • This improves data integrity, reduces repetitive manual linking, and makes workflows smoother—especially in large knowledge systems.

RECOMMENDED ALTERNATIVES

  • Manually selecting the parent object in the relevant property each time (time‑consuming and error‑prone).

  • Using templates with pre-filled relations (not helpful when the parent object varies).

  • Relying solely on backlinks (not enough when structured relations are required for sets, filters, or dashboards).

ADDITIONAL CONTEXT

  • This feature would unify backlink behavior with structured relations, making object connections more predictable and automated.

  • It aligns with the idea of Anytype as a semantic, interconnected knowledge system.

  • Could be related to other feature requests about smarter relations, auto-linking, or context-aware object creation.

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This feature request has been added to our tracker and received by our product team.

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Note that:

  • Inline Queries don’t generate Backlinks. That can be misinterpreted from the above description alone. This means, that backlinks don’t work as transport medium in these cases.
  • As I understand it Inline Queries seem to be the preferable way to include one to many tables, like the described use case may infer.

Alternative Solution:

  • Don’t introduce naming magic.
  • Create a designated system property Creation Context targeting objects, which always records the main object the user sees when creating the child object and works for inline queries and normal links alike.
  • Improve UX greatly by avoiding bad surprises through misconfiguration → Default enable a system filter (OR) on creation context for all inline queries
  • Sidenote: allow the user to manually add more objects to the creation context to implement multiparenting, short of having to design a dedicated property system.

Edit: I just realized, that “Created In Context” already exists, but it doesn’t bridge into inline queries / collections. That could quite podssibly be an implementation oversight / “bug”.

Ref: System Property "Created In Context" does not traverse inline queries · Issue #10 · anyproto/.github · GitHub