Obsidian: 10 Tips I Wish I Knew When Starting My Vault
Obsidian is a fairly simple markdown editor, but it can become as complex as you like thanks to the many features it offers.
I’ve been using Obsidian for about two years now, and there are a few things I wish I’d known when I first started with it. So I’m going to share a few tips that may come in handy if you’re just starting out with Obsidian.
Don’t Make Things Overcomplicated
I’m obliged to start with this point, as those that follow are more or less related to it.
One mistake many people make when they start with Obsidian, and I’ve made it too, is to complicate your life unnecessarily.
Don’t amass too much information, and start slowly by asking yourself why you want to use Obsidian. Is it to store your notes? To capture your ideas? For a writing project?
From there, you can start creating a few folders to organize your vault a little, and that’s it. Don’t create too many folders, and don’t install 50 plugins — you’ll see what you need as you go along.
Use Tags
When you start out, you’ll have just a few notes, and finding them won’t be a problem. However, this will change as your vault grows.
The easiest way to find your way around when you start to have a lot of notes is to use tags (and folders, of course). If you’re going to be using Obsidian for a while, tag your notes right from the start.
As for your choice of tags, it’s up to you. Personally, I use tags to describe the type of note rather than its content. For example, I’ll have tags to say that one note is a permanent note, and another a draft, rather than to say that one note is about mathematics and another about chemistry. But there’s nothing to stop you from describing the content of your notes in tags too, and I recommend you do so if you’re not using MOCs (Map of Contents, more about this later). For example, tags like #topics/mathematics or #topics/chemistry are perfect for finding your way around.
Don’t Make Your Vault too Rigid
In programming, we are used to creating code that is as flexible as possible. I am convinced that the same should be done with Obsidian, and have a vault that is as least rigid as possible. Especially when you’re starting out, because you’re likely to change your mind quite a bit and modify the structure and how you use your vault in the first few months, until you find something that suits you.
I like to think of my vault in terms of components. For example, I have a component dedicated to periodic reviews, a component I call “wiki” for permanent notes, a component for storing my project notes, a component for the list of things I have to learn, etc.
And each component itself consists of several components. For example, my component for periodic notes is composed of a component for weekly notes, another for monthly notes, etc. What I call a component is simply a small system of elements, independent of the rest of your vault. These elements can be folders, notes, you can even add plugins if your component requires it… So a “periodic notes” component can simply be a “periodic notes” folder containing a “daily notes” folder, “weekly notes” folder, etc.
I recommend designing your vault this way from the start. Create the different components you need, and try to minimize the dependencies between them, keeping only the necessary ones. Alternatively, manage each dependency in a new component created specifically for that purpose. This way, if in a few months, you decide, for example, that you no longer need to track your tasks in Obsidian, you just have to delete the “todo list” component and it won’t affect your entire vault.
I will certainly write an article specifically to discuss this structure because I still have quite a few things to say on the subject.
Don’t Use too Many Plugins
At first, it may seem nice to add lots of features to Obsidian, even potentially features that you don’t really need.
The problem is that your vault can become dependent on these plugins. As a reminder, Obsidian is a basic Markdown editor that also works on your local notes. The advantage of this is that your notes are portable, meaning you can stop using Obsidian from one day to the next and still be able to use your system. Unless you rely too heavily on plugins.
I advocate for using plugins only if they simplify your system without making it rigid (this aligns with the previous points…). Plugins that enhance the user experience are also interesting.
Use Backlinks Extensively
If you have chosen Obsidian, it is probably for its backlinks feature. So I assume that you will use them, but I advise you to use them almost excessively.
If the note corresponding to the backlink does not exist when you create the backlink, it’s not a problem. It may exist later. You might be concerned that it will disrupt the graph view, but no, because you can choose to display only the notes that exist in the graph view.
There is no disadvantage to using backlinks excessively. On the other hand, there is a big advantage: when you create a note that is already referenced, you won’t have to modify the notes that reference it to add the backlink. Your graph view will be almost exhaustive, and your links will be correct automatically.
Use Templates
A good practice is to use templates from the very beginning when creating your notes, especially if they have a common structure.
This will make things much clearer, and if you later decide to use plugins like Dataview, you will be glad to have notes with a similar structure.
Additionally, using templates will save you time and reduce the mental burden of thinking about note creation. For example, I store notes related to the books I read in my vault. Instead of wondering every time what metadata to add (author, rating, review, etc.), I have created a template that tells me exactly what to do when creating a book note.
You Won’t Get it Right the First Time
I spent two years tinkering with Obsidian before finding a setup that suits me. I haven’t changed my setup for the past 6 months, and it works perfectly for me.
When you start with Obsidian, don’t aim for a perfect setup. Aim for a setup that works for you at the moment you need it. Because, anyway, there will be changes in a few weeks, a few months…
It’s perfectly normal, and it’s not a problem or inconvenience to make changes because it’s about striving for something that suits you a little better.
In short, don’t waste time watching dozens of videos. Just dive in, and your setup will naturally evolve over time towards something ideal.
Only the Content of Your Notes Matters
At first, I enjoyed having a beautiful vault with well-formatted, visually appealing notes. However, that’s not what’s important. What’s important is the content of your notes, not how visually pleasing they are.
Therefore, don’t neglect ease of use and prioritize working on the substance of your notes over the aesthetics and customization of your vault. That’s not the mindset to adopt. I read somewhere, I can’t remember where, that “Notion works well for people who pretend to work.” Granted, it’s a reductionist statement and refers to Notion, but it also applies to Obsidian.
Of course, having an attractive vault is nice. But for example, I have seen completely gamified vaults with an item and reward system, etc. It may seem appealing, but if you spend more time maintaining the vault than actually using it, it becomes pointless, and you lose sight of the essential aspect, which is simply note-taking.
Read the Obsidian’s Documentation
It’s the only resource you need to use Obsidian. And you will find many things in it you can’t find elsewhere, just because people don’t read the documentation.
Even I only recently came across that statement, and I learned useful things that I didn’t know despite using Obsidian for 2 years.
Indeed, it may be less enjoyable to read compared to watching a YouTube video where someone explains everything to you. However, it is definitely worth it and much more valuable.
Don’t Reproduce a Setup from Someone else
I should not say that, because I’ve made a series where I showcase a setup you can use for Obsidian. But at the end of each article of this series, I said something like “You should only reproduce this setup if you need it”.
So, what I‘m saying, is that reproducing someone else’s setup is useless because there are many chances that it won’t fit you. A setup has not appeared in one day, it’s the result of many iterations to finally tend to the ideal setup, for a person. Not for you, that’s why there are many chances you will just copy the setup of someone, and change a few weeks later because you can’t stand with it.
Of course, you can use a setup from someone else as a basis, or to get inspiration, but don’t just copy-paste, it won’t work. The only way to have something working for you is by the never-ending process of trying something, then removing it because it doesn’t work for you, then improving what works, etc… Not copying-pasting a setup you’ve taken from a stranger.
Final Note
I hope I gave you some useful tips. They’re not specifically for beginners or for people just starting with Obsidian, they apply to everyone, but I think most people with some experience and that made the same mistakes as I did probably already know them.
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