Directory/Productivity/Note-taking/Obsidian
Obsidian

Obsidian

Obsidian is a powerful knowledge base and note-taking application that works on top of a local folder of plain text Markdown files. It allows you to create connections between notes using internal links and visualize relationships with an interactive graph. Designed for personal knowledge management, it supports daily notes, journaling, project management, and building personal wikis. Key features include a canvas for brainstorming, a vast ecosystem of community plugins and themes, and optional paid services for secure syncing and publishing.

Productivity
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Added on
Sep 22, 2026
Local MarkdownBi-directional linksGraph viewCanvasPlugin ecosystemEnd-to-end encryptionPublish to webDeveloper API
Product information

Everything worth knowing about Obsidian

The complete picture — from everyday features to the technical detail builders and IT folks dig for.

Core features

What it actually does

Local-first, Private Storage
Notes are stored as plain text Markdown files on your device, ensuring privacy and offline access. No one else can access them, not even the developers.
Bidirectional Linking & Graph View
Create connections between notes to build a personal wiki. Visualize relationships and find hidden patterns in an interactive graph.
Canvas for Idea Layout
An infinite space for research, brainstorming, and diagramming. Lay out notes, images, and web content visually.
Extensible with Plugins & Themes
Tailor the app to your workflow with thousands of community plugins and themes. An open API allows for custom development.
Sync Service
Access notes across devices with end-to-end encryption, version history, and selective sync for specific file types.
Publish Service
Turn notes into a public or private website (wiki, knowledge base) with custom themes, domains, and performance optimization.
Technical capabilities
Developer API & Documentation
Build plugins and themes using TypeScript and CSS, with official documentation and community resources.
Must watch videos
Critique your plugin #3 — Obsidian October 2024
8:18
Tutorial8:18
Critique your plugin #3 — Obsidian October 2024
That concludes Obsidian October! 🔗 Obsidian Plugin guidelines: https://docs.obsidian.md/Plugins/Releasing/Plugin+guidelines 💬 Discord Discussion thread: https://discord.com/channels/686053708261228577/1310613800172650596 0:00 - Farewell to Obsidian October 2024 0:52 - Vault.process API 4:30 - Most misunderstood API function - Plugin.onunload 7:55 - Thank you to all the Obsidian plugin devs — Obsidian: https://obsidian.md/ Discord: https://discord.gg/obsidianmd
Critique your plugin #2 — Obsidian October 2024
36:33
Tutorial36:33
Critique your plugin #2 — Obsidian October 2024
Happy Obsidian October! 🎃 Thank you to the Timeline View plugin for volunteering to be critiqued: https://github.com/b-camphart/timeline-view 0:00 - Intro 0:57 - First impressions 2:50 - Fixing a plugin from the devtools 8:28 - Reviewing the Plugin class 16:50 - Is `onload` fast? 17:58 - Reviewing the custom View class 32:57 - Final demo 💬 Discussion thread: https://discord.com/channels/686053708261228577/1299381482334191637 🔗 Obsidian Plugin guidelines: https://docs.obsidian.md/Plugins/Releasing/Plugin+guidelines If you're a plugin developer and want to submit your plugin to be critiqued: https://forms.gle/ZEfwBgS3neLEwMLJ6 — Obsidian: https://obsidian.md/ Discord: https://discord.gg/obsidianmd
Critique your plugin #1 — Obsidian October 2024
17:19
Tutorial17:19
Critique your plugin #1 — Obsidian October 2024
Happy Obsidian October! 🎃 Thank you to the Obligator plugin for volunteering to be critiqued: https://github.com/Newbrict/obsidian-obligator 🔗 Obsidian Plugin guidelines: https://docs.obsidian.md/Plugins/Releasing/Plugin+guidelines 🔗 We have a corresponding discussion thread on Discord: https://discord.com/channels/686053708261228577/1293302276206891169/1293302276206891169 If you're a plugin developer and want to submit your plugin to be critiqued: https://forms.gle/ZEfwBgS3neLEwMLJ6 — Obsidian: https://obsidian.md/ Discord: https://discord.gg/obsidianmd

Who uses it

Real use cases, no hype
Personal Knowledge Base
Build a connected, searchable 'second brain' for all your notes and ideas.
Developer Documentation
Create and publish technical docs or wikis with Markdown and code blocks.
Project Management
Track tasks, Kanban boards, and project notes with linked references.
Academic Research
Organize research papers, quotes, and citations in a zettelkasten system.
Content Creation
Draft and structure blog posts, articles, and creative writing.
Personal Journaling
Keep daily logs, mood trackers, and private reflections.
Digital Garden
Publish a public, evolving collection of notes and ideas online.
What's great
  • Total data ownership via local Markdown files.
  • Massive plugin ecosystem for endless customization.
  • Offline-first, fast performance.
  • Privacy-focused, no user data collection.
Technical strengths
  • Open API (TypeScript) for deep integrations.
  • End-to-end encrypted sync with fine-grained control.
  • Obsidian Publish for static site generation from vault.
Where it falls short
  • Steep learning curve for non-technical users.
  • Sync and Publish are paid services.
  • Mobile app is less powerful than desktop.
  • Plugin quality varies; no official curation.
Technical limitations
  • Core app is Electron-based, uses more RAM than native apps.
  • No native real-time collaboration; relies on file syncing.
  • Vendor lock-in risk with proprietary Publish service.
For technical folks

The deep-dive specs

FAQ

Includes technical Q&A
Yes, the core app is free with no limits. Sync and Publish are optional paid services.

Traffic Insights

Monthly Visits

—

October 2026

Growth Rate

0%

vs last month

Dominance

0%

in Productivity

Top Country

—

Top Countries Breakdown

—

Growth Trend

Stable

Traffic has remained stable.

Honest pricing

No sneaky tiers, no “contact sales”

Here's who each plan is actually for — and where the hidden charges might hit.

Sync
$5/mo

Individuals

  • Sync notes across devices
  • End-to-end encryption
  • Version history
  • Collaborate on shared vaults
  • Priority support
Publish
$10/mo

Individuals

  • Publish notes to the web
  • No technical knowledge required
  • Customizable theme
  • Graph and full text search
  • Priority support
Catalyst
$25/mo

Supporters

  • Early access to beta versions
  • Community badges
  • Exclusive channels
Commercial
$50/mo

Organizations

  • Support development
  • Become a featured organization
  • For bulk purchases and other inquiries
  • contact us at support@obsidian.md
View Full Plans & Pricing on Obsidian

Official pricing, checkout, and plan upgrades are handled directly on obsidian.md.

Reviews

What the internet actually thinks

Data refreshed weekly. No paid placements.

Trustpilot
Not reviewed yet
G2
G2
Not reviewed yet
C
Capterra
Not reviewed yet
Product Hunt
Not reviewed yet
COMMUNITY COMMENTS

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