Are you new to Obsidian and feeling overwhelmed by all its features and customization options? This step-by-step beginner’s guide will walk you through everything you need to know to start building your own personal knowledge management system in Obsidian. We’ll cover the basics like setting up your first Vault, writing notes in Markdown, and linking your thoughts together. But we’ll also dive into some of Obsidian’s more powerful features that can really supercharge your note-taking, like tags, backlinks, plugins, and custom themes[1]. Whether you’re a student, researcher, writer, or just someone looking to organize your ideas, this guide will provide a solid foundation to get you up and running with Obsidian quickly. Let’s unlock the potential of networked thought together!
Get Obsidian
Step 1: Download and Install Obsidian
Visit the official Obsidian.md website (https://obsidian.md/) and download the version suitable for your operating system (Windows, macOS, or Linux).
Follow the provided instructions to install Obsidian on your device. The installation process is straightforward and should only take a few minutes.
Step 2: Create a New Vault
Open Obsidian and choose “Create new vault” from the initial startup screen. A vault in Obsidian is essentially a directory that contains all your notes and related files.
Name your vault and select a directory on your computer for its location. It’s recommended to choose a location that is easily accessible and backed up regularly.
Begin creating notes by clicking the ”+” button in the left sidebar. Notes in Obsidian are stored as plain text files with the .md (Markdown) extension.
Step 3: Explore the Interface
Take some time to familiarize yourself with Obsidian’s layout, including the file explorer on the left, the search functionality, and the backlinks panel on the right.
Learn how to link notes internally by typing [[ and then the note name. This is a core feature of Obsidian that allows you to create a network of interconnected notes[1].
Step 4: Choose a Directory Structure
Ideas for Directory/Folder Structure
Some popular options include:
ABD structure: Begin a vault by creating 3 semi-definitive folders: About, Blog, Directory and Notes as a catch all to keep the root folder clean. With FolderNote, these can become root notes for organizing group ideas into an unfolding ontology.
Flat structure: Keep all notes in the root folder and rely on links, tags, and o navigate147. This works well for Zettelkasten-style note-taking focused on atomic notes14.
PARA method: Organize notes into 4 top-level folders - Projects, Areas, Resources, and Archive2512. Projects contain notes related to specific outcomes, Areas group notes by area of responsibility, Resources are for reference material, and Archive is for inactive notes5.
Johnny Decimal: Use a hierarchy with up to 10 top-level “area” folders numbered 10-99, each with up to 10 “category” subfolders numbered 00-09, giving each folder a unique ID712.
By note type: Put different types of notes like journals, outputs, references, etc. into separate folders131418.
By topic or category: Create folders around major themes, subjects or categories in your notes81012.
Adopt your teams practice or decide on a folder structure that makes sense for your notes.
Avoid over-categorizing notes into too many nested subfolders. Aim for a balance of hierarchy and flatness by using only a few levels of folders69
Use unique, descriptive note names to avoid ambiguity. Consider adding a UUID to note titles614.
Leverage Obsidian’s ability to link notes together to create associations between concepts across folders13
Remember that you can always iterate and evolve your folder structure over time as your notes collection grows and changes91418.
The key is finding a directory structure that feels intuitive to you and complements your note-taking style. Experiment to see what works best for your needs.
Setup the Essential Plugins
Obsidian is a powerful note-taking application that can be customized with plugins to enhance its functionality. Here, we outline some essential plugins that are particularly useful for collaborative publishing and improved note organization.
The Share.Note.sx plugin offers secure sharing of Obsidian notes. It encrypts notes by default, ensuring that shared content remains private and accessible only to those with the correct link.
Installation and Usage
To install, navigate to Settings > Community plugins > Browse in Obsidian and search for “Share Note”.
Disable Safe mode to permit the installation of community plugins.
Once installed, activate the plugin to integrate encrypted sharing into your workflow.
To share a note, open it and trigger the command palette with Ctrl+P or Cmd+P.
Select “Share current note” to generate an encrypted link.
Distribute the link through your preferred communication method.
FolderNote Plugin
The FolderNote plugin allows users to create notes that are directly associated with folders, which helps in organizing and managing notes more effectively.
Installation and Configuration
Install the plugin via Settings > Community plugins > Browse by searching for “FolderNote”.
After installation, configure the plugin settings to suit your preferences.
You can set a default template for new folder notes or choose a naming convention.
Creating Folder Notes
To create a folder note, CTRL+Click on a folder in the file explorer.
This action creates a note that serves as an overview for the folder’s content.
The plugin offers different methods for managing folder notes, such as placing the note inside or outside the folder, or using an index file.
Advanced URI Plugin
The Advanced URI plugin extends Obsidian’s capabilities by allowing users to control various features through Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs). This plugin is particularly useful for automating workflows and integrating with other applications.
Features and Functions
The plugin enables actions like opening, editing, and creating files, navigating to headings or blocks, and performing automated search and replace within a file12.
It supports advanced features such as opening workspaces, navigating using bookmarks, and editing frontmatter2.
Installation
To install from within Obsidian, go to Settings > Community plugins, and install “Advanced Obsidian URI”3.
Usage
The plugin can be used to create URIs that perform specific actions within Obsidian. For example, to open a file, you would use a URI formatted as obsidian://advanced-uri?filepath=YourFilePathHere, with the file path URL-encoded8.
URIs can be launched in various ways, such as entering them into a browser’s search bar, using shell commands, or wrapping them in a markdown link within Obsidian itself8.
Share.Note.sx Plugin
Share.Note.sx is a plugin for Obsidian that provides EncryptedByDefault sharing of notes. It’s designed for secure collaboration or private sharing of your notes with others.
Step 1: Install the Share Note Plugin
In Obsidian, go to Settings > Community plugins > Browse and search for “Share Note”.
Make sure that Safe mode is turned off to allow plugin installation. This can be done in the Community plugins settings.
Install and enable the Share.Note.sx plugin. This process integrates encrypted sharing functionality directly into your Obsidian workflow.
Step 2: Sharing a Note
Open the note you wish to share in Obsidian.
Open the command palette by pressing Ctrl+P (or Cmd+P on macOS).
Type and select “Share current note” from the command palette. This action utilizes the Share.Note.sx plugin to prepare your note for sharing.
Step 3: Generating and Sharing the URL
The plugin generates an encrypted link to your note that can be shared with others.
Share this link with your intended recipients via email, messaging apps, or any other communication channel. The encryption ensures that your shared note remains secure and private, accessible only to those with the link.
FolderNote Plugin for Enhanced Organization
FolderNote is a plugin for Obsidian that allows for the creation of notes associated with folders, enabling better organization, information packaging, and management of your notes.
Step 1: Install FolderNote Plugin
In Obsidian, go to Settings > Community plugins > Browse and search for “FolderNote”.
Install and enable the FolderNote plugin[1].
Step 2: Configure FolderNote
After installation, access the FolderNote plugin settings to customize its functionality to your liking. You have the option to set up a default template for new folder notes or decide on a naming convention for these notes[1].
While the plugin offers several configuration options, starting with the default settings is a practical approach for new users.
Step 3: Create Folder Notes
To create a folder note, simply CTRL+Click on a folder within the file explorer panel of Obsidian. This action generates a note that acts as a description or overview of the folder’s contents, effectively turning the folder into a more informative entity[1].
The FolderNote plugin supports various methods for creating and managing folder notes, including placing the note inside the folder, outside the folder, or using an index file method. Each approach has its pros and cons, and you can select the one that best fits your workflow[1].
Advanced URI Plugin for Collaborative Notes
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