Editing & Content
Collections and queries both group content, but they answer different questions.
A collection is a subgroup of one object type that you curate by hand. You add an item when it belongs and remove it when it does not. That is a good fit when membership is a judgment call: a short list of favourite papers, meetings you are actively preparing for, or a showcase set you do not want the app to infer from metadata.
A query is a saved filter. You define rules (properties, tags, dates, links), and Capacities shows everything that matches. New content appears when it satisfies the rules; it drops off when it no longer does. You maintain the fields on your objects, not the list itself.
Use a collection when:
Use a query when:
#to-watch and #video)You can use both on the same type. For example, keep a Favourites collection on Images for pictures you love, and a query on Images filtered by Category for every handwritten note scan. The collection stays manual; the query stays automatic.
Collections cannot span object types. If you need one theme across pages, quotes, and weblinks, use tags or a tag query instead of a collection.
For a longer comparison of tags and collections (before queries enter the picture), see Tags vs. Collections.
Saving and reusing queries is part of Capacities Pro. Collections are available on all plans. If you are on the free tier and hit the limit, you can still use filters on object dashboards; you save them as named queries once you upgrade.
| Goal | Better fit |
|---|---|
| Every book you finished in 2025 | Query on Book type, filter Finished on |
| Five papers you recommend to students | Collection on a Paper or Weblink type |
| All meetings for the project you are viewing | Query embedded on the project, with a variable filter |
#to-watch videos only | Tag page or tag query with an extra tag filter |
| “Best of” gallery you rearrange by hand | Collection |
Step-by-step setups for bookshelves, project pages, tag combinations, and similar patterns are in Queries in practice.
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