Obsidian Note-Taking App Overview

Introduction to Obsidian

• Obsidian is a text editor with markdown support, making it lightweight and fast.
• Extremely powerful with plugin and theming support.
• Can be intimidating to start with.

Purpose of Note-Taking

• Not limited to content creators; useful for everyone.
• Notes can include anything from phone numbers to work projects.
• Key point: Notes are for any information you want to remember later.

Setting Up Obsidian

• Vault Setup: Central folder for documents and notes.
  • Options: Local storage, third-party cloud services (Dropbox, Google Drive, iCloud), or Obsidian Sync.
  • Obsidian Sync is fast and avoids conflicts but is a paid service.
• Folder Structure: Organize folders by personal and work-related categories.
  • Include folders for files, archives, and specific projects.
  • Avoid deleting files by archiving them instead.

Plugins and Themes

• First-Party and Community Plugins: Extend functionality like adding tables or icons.
• Iconize Plugin: Adds icons to folders and notes without disrupting alphabetical order.
• Themes: Customize appearance; example theme: "Border" with JetBrains Mono font.
• Use "Style Settings" plugin to apply theme configurations.

Note-Taking Philosophy

• "Write everything down" approach.
• Use a Quicknote folder for capturing immediate notes, sorted by underscore for priority.
• Automations for capturing notes from other apps like Safari.

Linking Notes

• Use double brackets [[ ]] for linking notes and embedding files.
• Notes show link connections and can be viewed in a pane.

Managing Views

• Tab and Split View: Open multiple notes, split view for side-by-side comparison.
• Quick Switcher Tool: Plugin like Omniarch expands search to document content.

Essential Plugins

• Home Tab: Simplifies opening and creating documents.
• Auto Card Link: Formats links as cards (Hero images, titles, summaries).
• Well Paste Link: Formats links in markdown.
• Data View: Automates note updates based on folder content.
• Recent Files: Quick access to recently edited documents.
• Trash Explorer: View and restore deleted notes.

Customization Features

• Custom Hotkeys: Assign shortcuts to frequently used commands for efficiency.
• Command Palette: Access tools and commands quickly.

Templates and Daily Notes

• Templates for repetitive tasks, easily inserted via command palette.
• Daily notes feature for organizing daily information, inspired by Cortex brand journal.

Conclusion

• Obsidian is highly versatile for various note-taking needs.
• More detailed tutorials on specific features will be available.

Additional Information

• Obsidian supports privacy and ownership of data through local storage options.
• Sponsored by Surf Shark, a VPN service ensuring online security and privacy.