Bear should show a slight visual variation (grey/transparency/lighter interaction color) for links to notes that have not been created yet. Currently all links (created or uncreated) show as visually identical, making it very hard to keep track of created notes (especially in longer/more complex research docs) at a glance.
This feels like a no-brainer, low-lift addition that would have a large workflow impact and bring the linking feature more in line with established best practices (e.g. Obsidian).
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As the OP indicated, having a visual differentiation between created and uncreated links would seem to be an essential part of offering back linking. Without it, it undermines trust in the system since it is an important differentiator and ultimately a point of friction if you always have to “double check” to see if the linked document has been created or not. Does anyone know if there has been any feedback from the developers as to whether this is on their radar or not?
Just curious, why it is “important differentiatior and a point of friction”? = why do you need to know whether your link leads to real note or not? If you click it, new note will be created (if not created yet). What is the exact scenario where you need to know it before clicking the link? If you need the note for checking its backlinks, you will anyway have to go there (thus clicking the link, thus creating it = backlinks work now)