Notion extended a welcomed gift to users on this Cinco de Mayo, 2020: self-referencing filters for database templates. The update arrives a week after a handful of subtle improvements to the mobile experience and Markdown exports.
Self-Referencing Filters
![Notion Self Referencing Template Filters](https://uno.notion.vip/wp-content/uploads/notion_self-referencing_template_filters.gif)
For Linked Databases
within database templates, you can now filter by the current template. When you use the template to create a new database item, the Linked Database
will be filtered by the new item automatically.
A Practical Example
- You have two databases: (1) Cocktails and (2) Ingredients.
- Those databases are linked via
Relation
properties; cocktails are linked to the ingredients they contain, and vice versa. - Your Cocktails database contains a template for new cocktails: “New Cocktail.” Within that template is a
Linked Database
that shows the ingredients linked to the respective cocktail. To do so, it’s filtered by that cocktail. - Previously, you’d need to filter that
Linked Database
manually each time you use the “New Cocktail” template. Now, however, you can filter by the template itself. When you create a new cocktail using the template, the filter will populate with the newly created cocktail.
Dark Mode-Friendly Mobile Launch Screen
![Notion Launch Screen in Dark Mode](https://uno.notion.vip/wp-content/uploads/notion_launch_screen_dark_mode.gif)
When launching Notion’s mobile app, users have traditionally seen a white loading page regardless of their color settings. For workspaces set to dark mode, that abrupt transition from white to dark was a bit rattling. Those users now see a dark launch screen.
Polished New Pages on Mobile
![](https://uno.notion.vip/wp-content/uploads/notion_mobile_new_page.jpeg)
New pages on mobile devices now roll the template options into a “Choose a template” button. Previously, those options were in full display by default, which created complexity in Notion’s otherwise minimalist interface.
Fenced Code Blocks in Markdown Exports
![Notion Code Blocks in Markdown](https://uno.notion.vip/wp-content/uploads/notion_markdown_fencing.gif)
Previous Markdown exports indented Code
blocks rather than fencing them with three backticks on either side. With proper fencing, those exports are now friendlier to the majority of Markdown editors.