Obsidian Cheat Sheet

Updated 2026-05-17

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Obsidian is a powerful knowledge management application that stores notes locally as plain Markdown files, creating a personal knowledge base through bidirectional linking. Unlike cloud-first note apps, Obsidian builds on your file system — your notes remain yours forever, linkable into an interconnected graph of ideas. With extensive customization through plugins, themes, and workflows (PARA, Zettelkasten, GTD), Obsidian scales from simple note-taking to sophisticated second brain systems, supporting everything from daily journaling and task management to research databases and project documentation.

What This Cheat Sheet Covers

This topic spans 15 focused tables and 168 indexed concepts, 118 flashcards. Below is a complete table-by-table outline of this topic, spanning foundational concepts through advanced details.

Table 1: Vault Structure and Folder OrganizationTable 2: Markdown Syntax and FormattingTable 3: Internal Linking and BacklinksTable 4: Properties, Tags, and MetadataTable 5: Core Plugins and Essential FeaturesTable 6: Community PluginsTable 7: Zettelkasten and PKM MethodsTable 8: Dataview Queries and Dynamic ContentTable 9: Canvas and Visual WorkspacesTable 10: Mobile Apps and Cross-Device SyncTable 11: Search and NavigationTable 12: Themes, CSS Snippets, and AppearanceTable 13: Callouts and Content BlocksTable 14: Advanced Markdown FeaturesTable 15: Hotkeys and Productivity Tips

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Table 1: Vault Structure and Folder Organization

Organizing your vault establishes the foundation for long-term knowledge management. Whether you prefer folders, tags, or link-based navigation, Obsidian adapts to your workflow — PARA for project-action systems, Zettelkasten for atomic networked notes, or hybrid approaches combining structure with emergence.

Method	Example	Description
Flat structure with MOCs	All notes in root + index notes	• Minimal folders • organization through Maps of Content (index notes linking related topics) and rich internal linking — favored for emergent structure
PARA method	`Projects/`, `Areas/`, `Resources/`, `Archive/`	Four top-level folders for actionable projects, ongoing areas of responsibility, reference resources, and completed work — implements Tiago Forte's system
Zettelkasten structure	Atomic notes + permanent notes + indexes	• Atomic notes with unique IDs, linked through structure notes • emphasizes note connections over folder hierarchy
Folder-based hierarchy	`Work/Projects/`, `Personal/Health/`, etc.	• Traditional nested folders by topic or life area • familiar structure, easy to browse — trade-off with reduced link-based emergence
Attachment subfolder	`.obsidian/attachments/` or per-note subfolder	Dedicated folder for images, PDFs, media (configured in Settings → Files and Links → Default location for new attachments)
Date-based daily notes folder	`Daily/2026/05/` or `Daily/2026-05-17.md`	Separate folder for daily notes (Settings → Daily notes → Date format and New file location) to keep journal entries isolated
Workspaces plugin for layouts	Save "Writing", "Research", "Planning" layouts	Core plugin to save and switch pane arrangements — instantly restore sidebars, splits, and tabs for different contexts
Dataview-based dynamic MOCs	Auto-generated lists via `TABLE` queries	Replace static index notes with Dataview queries that auto-populate based on tags, folders, or properties
Bases for database views	Filter notes by properties in table view	Core plugin (v1.11+) turning notes into database rows — sort, filter, and view by frontmatter properties
Vault-in-vault for separation	Separate vaults for `Work` vs `Personal`	• Multiple vaults for strict separation • each vault is an independent folder on disk with separate settings and plugins

Table 2: Markdown Syntax and Formatting

Obsidian uses standard Markdown with extensions — learning formatting syntax enables clean, portable notes that render beautifully while remaining readable as plain text. Unlike proprietary formats, Markdown ensures your work remains accessible in any text editor or Markdown app.

Syntax	Example	Description
Headers	`# H1` `## H2` `### H3`	• Six heading levels using `#` symbols • H1 typically once per note (title), H2-H3 for main sections — used in outline navigation

The rest of this section is part of the full cheat sheet

Table 3: Internal Linking and Backlinks

Links transform isolated notes into an interconnected knowledge graph. Obsidian's bidirectional linking — the ability to see both outgoing links and incoming backlinks — reveals unexpected connections and enables emergent insights as your vault grows.

Type	Example	Description
Wikilink	`[[Note Name]]`	• Double brackets create a link to another note by title (Obsidian default) • updates automatically if note is renamed — case-insensitive

The rest of this section is part of the full cheat sheet

Table 4: Properties, Tags, and Metadata

Metadata transforms notes into queryable data. Obsidian's properties (frontmatter), inline tags, and Dataview fields enable filtering, sorting, and generating dynamic views — the foundation for databases, project trackers, and advanced searches.

Feature	Example	Description
YAML frontmatter properties	`---` `title: My Note` `date: 2026-05-17` `tags: [idea, draft]` `---`	• YAML block at note top • key-value pairs for structured metadata — powers Dataview queries, Bases, and search filters

The rest of this section is part of the full cheat sheet

Table 1: Vault Structure and Folder Organization

Method	Example	Description
Flat structure with MOCs	All notes in root + index notes	• Minimal folders • organization through Maps of Content (index notes linking related topics) and rich internal linking — favored for emergent structure
PARA method	`Projects/`, `Areas/`, `Resources/`, `Archive/`	Four top-level folders for actionable projects, ongoing areas of responsibility, reference resources, and completed work — implements Tiago Forte's system
Zettelkasten structure	Atomic notes + permanent notes + indexes	• Atomic notes with unique IDs, linked through structure notes • emphasizes note connections over folder hierarchy
Folder-based hierarchy	`Work/Projects/`, `Personal/Health/`, etc.	• Traditional nested folders by topic or life area • familiar structure, easy to browse — trade-off with reduced link-based emergence
Attachment subfolder	`.obsidian/attachments/` or per-note subfolder	Dedicated folder for images, PDFs, media (configured in Settings → Files and Links → Default location for new attachments)
Date-based daily notes folder	`Daily/2026/05/` or `Daily/2026-05-17.md`	Separate folder for daily notes (Settings → Daily notes → Date format and New file location) to keep journal entries isolated
Workspaces plugin for layouts	Save "Writing", "Research", "Planning" layouts	Core plugin to save and switch pane arrangements — instantly restore sidebars, splits, and tabs for different contexts
Dataview-based dynamic MOCs	Auto-generated lists via `TABLE` queries	Replace static index notes with Dataview queries that auto-populate based on tags, folders, or properties
Bases for database views	Filter notes by properties in table view	Core plugin (v1.11+) turning notes into database rows — sort, filter, and view by frontmatter properties
Vault-in-vault for separation	Separate vaults for `Work` vs `Personal`	• Multiple vaults for strict separation • each vault is an independent folder on disk with separate settings and plugins

Table 2: Markdown Syntax and Formatting

Syntax	Example	Description
Headers	`# H1` `## H2` `### H3`	• Six heading levels using `#` symbols • H1 typically once per note (title), H2-H3 for main sections — used in outline navigation

Table 3: Internal Linking and Backlinks

Type	Example	Description
Wikilink	`[[Note Name]]`	• Double brackets create a link to another note by title (Obsidian default) • updates automatically if note is renamed — case-insensitive

Table 4: Properties, Tags, and Metadata

Feature	Example	Description
YAML frontmatter properties	`---` `title: My Note` `date: 2026-05-17` `tags: [idea, draft]` `---`	• YAML block at note top • key-value pairs for structured metadata — powers Dataview queries, Bases, and search filters