Obsidian Cheatsheet

Overview

Obsidian is a powerful knowledge management and note-taking application that uses linked thought and graph visualization to help you build a second brain. It works with local Markdown files and emphasizes connections between ideas.

Key Features:

Local Markdown files (you own your data)
Bi-directional linking between notes
Graph view for visualizing connections
Extensive plugin ecosystem
Customizable interface and workflows
Real-time preview and editing

Installation and Setup

Getting Started

bash

# Download Obsidian
https://obsidian.md/download

# Supported platforms
- Windows (exe, portable)
- macOS (dmg, Apple Silicon support)
- Linux (AppImage, Snap, Flatpak)
- Mobile (iOS, Android)

# System requirements
- 4GB RAM minimum
- 1GB free disk space
- Modern web browser engine

Vault Creation

bash

# Create new vault
1. Open Obsidian
2. "Create new vault"
3. Choose location and name
4. Select vault type (empty or with sample)

# Open existing vault
1. "Open folder as vault"
2. Navigate to folder with Markdown files
3. Obsidian will index existing files

# Vault settings
Settings → About → Vault info
Backup and sync options
File and link settings

Basic Usage

Note Creation and Management

bash

# Create new note
Cmd/Ctrl + N → New note
Click "New note" button
Right-click folder → New note

# Note naming
Use descriptive titles
Avoid special characters: / \ : * ? " < > |
Spaces are allowed and recommended

# File organization
Create folders for categories
Use tags for cross-cutting themes
Link related notes together

Markdown Syntax

bash

# Headers
# H1 Header
## H2 Header
### H3 Header

# Text formatting
**Bold text**
*Italic text*
~~Strikethrough~~
==Highlight==
`Inline code`

# Lists
- Unordered list
- Another item
  - Nested item

1. Ordered list
2. Second item
   1. Nested ordered

# Links
[[Internal Link]]
[[Note Name|Display Text]]
[External Link](https://example.com)

# Code blocks
```python
def hello_world():
    print("Hello, World!")

Tables

Column 1	Column 2
Data 1	Data 2

Math (with MathJax)

$inline math$ $$ block math $$


### Linking and Connections
```bash
# Internal links
[[Note Name]] → Link to note
[[Note Name|Alias]] → Link with custom text
[[Note Name#Header]] → Link to specific section
[[Note Name^block-id]] → Link to specific block

# Backlinks
View backlinks panel
See all notes linking to current note
Unlinked mentions detection

# Tags
#tag → Simple tag
#nested/tag → Hierarchical tag
#tag/subtag → Multi-level organization

# Block references
^block-id → Create block reference
[[Note Name^block-id]] → Link to specific block

Advanced Features

Graph View

bash

# Open graph view
Cmd/Ctrl + G → Global graph
Right panel → Local graph

# Graph controls
Zoom: Mouse wheel or +/-
Pan: Click and drag
Node selection: Click node
Filter: Use search and filters

# Graph settings
Forces: Adjust node repulsion
Groups: Color by tags or folders
Filters: Show/hide specific content
Display: Node size and labels

bash

# Quick switcher
Cmd/Ctrl + O → Open quick switcher
Type note name to find
Recent files at top

# Global search
Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + F → Search all notes
Use operators: file:, tag:, line:, block:
Regular expressions supported

# Search operators
file:"note name" → Search in specific file
tag:#tagname → Search by tag
line:(text) → Search in same line
block:(text) → Search in same block
path:"folder/" → Search in folder

Templates and Daily Notes

bash

# Templates setup
1. Create Templates folder
2. Settings → Templates → Template folder location
3. Create template files

# Template usage
Cmd/Ctrl + T → Insert template
Choose from template list
Variables: {{title}}, {{date}}, {{time}}

# Daily notes
Settings → Daily notes → Enable
Set format: YYYY-MM-DD
Choose folder location
Cmd/Ctrl + D → Open today's note

# Template variables
{{title}} → Note title
{{date}} → Current date
{{time}} → Current time
{{date:YYYY-MM-DD}} → Custom date format

Plugin System

Core Plugins

bash

# Essential core plugins
File explorer → Navigate files
Search → Find content
Quick switcher → Fast navigation
Graph view → Visualize connections
Backlinks → See connections
Page preview → Hover previews
Command palette → Access commands

# Useful core plugins
Templates → Note templates
Daily notes → Daily journaling
Random note → Serendipitous discovery
Starred → Bookmark important notes
Workspaces → Save layouts

Community Plugins

bash

# Popular community plugins
Dataview → Query and display data
Calendar → Calendar interface
Kanban → Project management boards
Advanced Tables → Enhanced table editing
Templater → Advanced templating
Excalidraw → Drawing and diagrams

# Plugin installation
Settings → Community plugins
Browse or search plugins
Install and enable
Configure plugin settings

# Plugin management
Enable/disable plugins
Update plugins
Plugin settings and hotkeys
Troubleshoot conflicts

Dataview Plugin

bash

# Basic queries
```dataview
LIST FROM #tag

dataview

TABLE file.ctime as "Created"
FROM "folder"

Advanced queries

dataview

TABLE rating, summary
FROM #books
WHERE rating > 4
SORT rating DESC

Inline queries

= this.file.name → Current file name = date(today) → Today's date = [[Note]].field → Field from other note


## Productivity Workflows

### Zettelkasten Method
```bash
# Atomic notes
One idea per note
Descriptive titles
Unique identifiers (optional)

# Linking strategy
Link liberally between related ideas
Create hub notes for topics
Use tags for themes
Build argument chains

# Note types
Permanent notes → Refined ideas
Literature notes → Source summaries
Fleeting notes → Quick captures
Index notes → Topic overviews

PARA Method in Obsidian

bash

# Folder structure
Projects/ → Active projects
Areas/ → Ongoing responsibilities
Resources/ → Reference materials
Archive/ → Inactive items

# Tagging strategy
#project/name → Project-specific
#area/domain → Area of responsibility
#resource/type → Resource category
#status/active → Current status

# Linking strategy
Project notes link to resources
Area notes connect to projects
Archive maintains connections

Research Workflows

bash

# Literature review
Create literature note for each source
Extract key quotes and ideas
Link related concepts
Build synthesis notes

# Research project setup
Project overview note
Research questions list
Source tracking system
Analysis and findings notes

# Citation management
Use citation format consistently
Link to source notes
Track page numbers and quotes
Maintain bibliography

Customization

Themes and Appearance

bash

# Theme installation
Settings → Appearance → Themes
Browse community themes
Install and apply themes
Customize CSS snippets

# CSS customization
Settings → Appearance → CSS snippets
Create .css files in snippets folder
Target specific elements
Use developer tools for inspection

# Interface customization
Ribbon → Show/hide sidebar icons
Status bar → Toggle elements
Tabs → Configure behavior
Panes → Arrange layout

Hotkeys and Commands

bash

# Essential hotkeys
Cmd/Ctrl + N → New note
Cmd/Ctrl + O → Quick switcher
Cmd/Ctrl + P → Command palette
Cmd/Ctrl + E → Edit/Preview mode
Cmd/Ctrl + , → Settings

# Custom hotkeys
Settings → Hotkeys
Search for commands
Assign key combinations
Avoid conflicts with system shortcuts

# Useful commands
Toggle edit/preview mode
Insert template
Open graph view
Search and replace
Export to PDF

Workspace Management

bash

# Workspace setup
Arrange panes and panels
Save workspace layout
Switch between workspaces
Manage workspace plugins

# Multi-vault workflow
Separate vaults for different purposes
Link between vaults (limited)
Sync considerations
Backup strategies

Collaboration and Sync

Obsidian Sync (Official)

bash

# Setup Obsidian Sync
Purchase Obsidian Sync subscription
Settings → Sync → Set up
Create remote vault
Configure sync settings

# Sync features
End-to-end encryption
Version history
Selective sync
Conflict resolution
Cross-platform support

Third-Party Sync Solutions

bash

# Git-based sync
Initialize git repository in vault
Use GitHub/GitLab for remote storage
Obsidian Git plugin for automation
Conflict resolution with merge tools

# Cloud storage sync
iCloud, Google Drive, Dropbox
Automatic file synchronization
Potential conflict issues
No version history
Free options available

# Self-hosted solutions
Syncthing for peer-to-peer sync
NextCloud for cloud storage
Custom scripts and automation
Full control over data

Advanced Tips and Tricks

Power User Features

bash

# Advanced linking
Use aliases for better readability
Create MOCs (Maps of Content)
Build concept hierarchies
Cross-reference related ideas

# Automation with Templater
Dynamic templates with JavaScript
Automated file creation
Custom functions and scripts
Integration with external tools

# Advanced search
Use regular expressions
Combine multiple operators
Save search queries
Create smart folders (with plugins)

Data Analysis with Dataview

bash

# Task management
```dataview
TASK
FROM "Projects"
WHERE !completed

Progress tracking

dataview

TABLE progress, due-date
FROM #project
WHERE status = "active"

Knowledge metrics

dataview

TABLE length(file.outlinks) as "Links Out"
FROM ""
SORT length(file.outlinks) DESC


### Integration Workflows
```bash
# Academic writing
Zotero integration for citations
LaTeX export for papers
Reference management
Collaborative editing workflows

# Project management
Kanban boards for tasks
Timeline views for planning
Progress tracking with dataview
Team collaboration strategies

# Content creation
Blog post drafting
Newsletter preparation
Course material development
Book writing workflows

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

bash

# Performance problems
Large vault optimization
Plugin conflicts resolution
Memory usage monitoring
File indexing issues

# Sync conflicts
Manual conflict resolution
Backup before major changes
Version control best practices
Recovery from corruption

# Plugin issues
Disable problematic plugins
Check for updates
Community support forums
Alternative plugin options

Backup and Recovery

bash

# Backup strategies
Regular vault backups
Version control with git
Cloud storage redundancy
Export important notes

# Recovery procedures
Restore from backup
Rebuild vault index
Plugin reinstallation
Settings restoration

Resources and Community

Official Resources

Learning Resources

Tools and Plugins

This cheat sheet provides comprehensive guidance for mastering Obsidian as a knowledge management and note-taking tool. Start with basic note-taking and linking, then gradually incorporate advanced features like plugins, automation, and custom workflows to build your personal knowledge system.

Obsidian Cheatsheet ​

Overview ​

Installation and Setup ​

Getting Started ​

Vault Creation ​

Basic Usage ​

Note Creation and Management ​

Markdown Syntax ​

Tables ​

Math (with MathJax) ​

Advanced Features ​

Graph View ​

Search and Navigation ​

Templates and Daily Notes ​

Plugin System ​

Core Plugins ​

Community Plugins ​

Dataview Plugin ​

Advanced queries ​

Inline queries ​

PARA Method in Obsidian ​

Research Workflows ​

Customization ​

Themes and Appearance ​

Hotkeys and Commands ​

Workspace Management ​

Collaboration and Sync ​

Obsidian Sync (Official) ​

Third-Party Sync Solutions ​

Advanced Tips and Tricks ​

Power User Features ​

Data Analysis with Dataview ​

Progress tracking ​

Knowledge metrics ​

Troubleshooting ​

Common Issues ​

Backup and Recovery ​

Resources and Community ​

Official Resources ​

Learning Resources ​

Tools and Plugins ​

Obsidian Cheatsheet

Overview

Installation and Setup

Getting Started

Vault Creation

Basic Usage

Note Creation and Management

Markdown Syntax

Tables

Math (with MathJax)

Advanced Features

Graph View

Search and Navigation

Templates and Daily Notes

Plugin System

Core Plugins

Community Plugins

Dataview Plugin

Advanced queries

Inline queries

PARA Method in Obsidian

Research Workflows

Customization

Themes and Appearance

Hotkeys and Commands

Workspace Management

Collaboration and Sync

Obsidian Sync (Official)

Third-Party Sync Solutions

Advanced Tips and Tricks

Power User Features

Data Analysis with Dataview

Progress tracking

Knowledge metrics

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Backup and Recovery

Resources and Community

Official Resources

Learning Resources

Tools and Plugins