```json
{
  "title": "Obsidian (software) - Wikipedia",
  "author": "Developer(s)",
  "site": "Developer(s)",
  "published": "2024-01-15T00:00:00+00:00"
}
```

## Obsidian (software)

**Obsidian** is a [personal knowledge management](https://wikipedia/wiki/Personal_knowledge_management "Personal knowledge management") and [note-taking](https://wikipedia/wiki/Note-taking "Note-taking") [software application](https://wikipedia/wiki/Application_software "Application software") that operates on [Markdown](https://wikipedia/wiki/Markdown "Markdown") files.[^2] It allows users to make internal links for notes and then to visualize the connections as a graph. It is designed to help users organize and structure their thoughts and knowledge in a flexible, non-linear way.[^3] The software is free for personal use, with commercial licenses and hosted services such as [Obsidian Publish](https://wikipedia/wiki/Obsidian_Publish "Obsidian Publish") and [Obsidian Sync](https://wikipedia/wiki/Obsidian_Sync "Obsidian Sync") available as paid add-ons.[^4]

Obsidian is developed by Dynalist Inc., a company founded by [Shida Li](https://wikipedia/wiki/Shida_Li "Shida Li") and Erica Xu. The application stores notes as plain-text Markdown files in a local folder called a "vault", allowing users full control over their data.[^5] It supports a wide range of [plugins](https://wikipedia/wiki/Plug-in_\(computing\) "Plug-in (computing)") and themes created by its [open-source](https://wikipedia/wiki/Open-source_software "Open-source software") community.[^6]

## History

Obsidian was created by Shida Li and Erica Xu, who previously developed the outliner application [Dynalist](https://wikipedia/wiki/Dynalist "Dynalist").[^7] The first public version was released in March 2020 as a desktop application for [Windows](https://wikipedia/wiki/Windows "Windows"), [macOS](https://wikipedia/wiki/MacOS "MacOS"), and [Linux](https://wikipedia/wiki/Linux "Linux").[^8] The application quickly gained a following among users interested in the [Zettelkasten](https://wikipedia/wiki/Zettelkasten "Zettelkasten") method and [personal knowledge management](https://wikipedia/wiki/Personal_knowledge_management "Personal knowledge management") workflows.[^9]

Mobile versions for [iOS](https://wikipedia/wiki/IOS "IOS") and [Android](https://wikipedia/wiki/Android_\(operating_system\) "Android (operating system)") were released in 2021.[^10] In October 2022, the application reached version 1.0, which included a new default theme, improved tab support, and a redesigned settings interface.[^11]

Obsidian introduced [Obsidian Publish](https://wikipedia/wiki/Obsidian_Publish "Obsidian Publish"), a paid service for publishing notes as a website, and [Obsidian Sync](https://wikipedia/wiki/Obsidian_Sync "Obsidian Sync"), an [end-to-end encrypted](https://wikipedia/wiki/End-to-end_encryption "End-to-end encryption") synchronization service.[^12]

## Features

Obsidian stores all notes as plain-text [Markdown](https://wikipedia/wiki/Markdown "Markdown") files in a local folder on the user's device, referred to as a "vault".[^13] This approach gives users complete ownership of their data and allows notes to be opened with any text editor.

### Linking and graph view

A core feature of Obsidian is its support for [internal links](https://wikipedia/wiki/Internal_link "Internal link") between notes using a `[[wikilink]]` syntax.[^14] These links create a network of connected notes that can be visualized through a built-in graph view.[^15]

### Plugins

Obsidian supports an extensive [plugin](https://wikipedia/wiki/Plug-in_\(computing\) "Plug-in (computing)") system that allows third-party developers to extend the application's functionality.[^16] As of 2024, the community plugin repository contains over 1,500 plugins.[^17]

## Reception

Obsidian has received generally favorable reviews from technology publications. *[The Verge](https://wikipedia/wiki/The_Verge "The Verge")* praised the application for its flexibility and local-first approach, noting that "Obsidian is a powerful note-taking app that gives you full control of your data." [^2] *[PC Magazine](https://wikipedia/wiki/PC_Magazine "PC Magazine")* awarded it an Editors' Choice designation, highlighting its linking capabilities and customizability, though noting a steep learning curve for new users.[^3]

The application has been compared to other note-taking tools such as [Notion](https://wikipedia/wiki/Notion_\(productivity_software\) "Notion (productivity software)"), [Roam Research](https://wikipedia/wiki/Roam_Research "Roam Research"), and [Logseq](https://wikipedia/wiki/Logseq "Logseq"). Commentators have noted that Obsidian differentiates itself through its local-first storage model and emphasis on user data ownership.[^18] However, critics have pointed out that the [proprietary](https://wikipedia/wiki/Proprietary_software "Proprietary software") nature of the application itself limits user freedom compared to fully [open-source](https://wikipedia/wiki/Open-source_software "Open-source software") alternatives.[^19]

## See also

- [Comparison of note-taking software](https://wikipedia/wiki/Comparison_of_note-taking_software "Comparison of note-taking software")
- [Personal knowledge management](https://wikipedia/wiki/Personal_knowledge_management "Personal knowledge management")
- [Zettelkasten](https://wikipedia/wiki/Zettelkasten "Zettelkasten")
- [Roam Research](https://wikipedia/wiki/Roam_Research "Roam Research")
- [Logseq](https://wikipedia/wiki/Logseq "Logseq")

## References

## External links

- [Official website](https://obsidian.md/)
- [Obsidian on GitHub](https://github.com/obsidianmd)
- [Obsidian Community Forum](https://forum.obsidian.md/)

[^1]: ["Obsidian 1.5.8"](https://obsidian.md/changelog/2024-01-15-desktop-v1.5.8/). *Obsidian*. January 15, 2024. Retrieved February 10, 2024.

[^2]: Brandom, Russell (September 12, 2023). ["Obsidian review: a powerful note-taking app"](https://www.theverge.com/2023/09/12/obsidian-review). *[The Verge](https://wikipedia/wiki/The_Verge "The Verge")*. Retrieved January 5, 2024.

[^3]: Duffy, Jill (March 8, 2023). ["Obsidian Review"](https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/obsidian). *[PC Magazine](https://wikipedia/wiki/PC_Magazine "PC Magazine")*. Retrieved January 5, 2024.

[^4]: ["Pricing"](https://obsidian.md/pricing). *Obsidian*. Retrieved January 5, 2024.

[^5]: Cunningham, Andrew (August 15, 2022). ["Obsidian is the Markdown note-taking app that could replace Evernote"](https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2022/08/obsidian-review/). *[Ars Technica](https://wikipedia/wiki/Ars_Technica "Ars Technica")*. Retrieved January 5, 2024.

[^6]: ["Community plugins"](https://obsidian.md/plugins). *Obsidian*. Retrieved January 5, 2024.

[^7]: Mehta, Ivan (April 5, 2023). ["How Obsidian built a note-taking app used by millions"](https://techcrunch.com/2023/04/05/obsidian-note-taking/). *[TechCrunch](https://wikipedia/wiki/TechCrunch "TechCrunch")*. Retrieved January 5, 2024.

[^8]: ["Introducing Obsidian"](https://obsidian.md/blog/obsidian-launch/). *Obsidian Blog*. March 2020. Retrieved January 5, 2024.

[^9]: Tietze, Christian (June 22, 2021). ["Obsidian as a Zettelkasten tool"](https://zettelkasten.de/posts/obsidian-review/). *Zettelkasten.de*. Retrieved January 5, 2024.

[^10]: ["Obsidian Mobile is here"](https://obsidian.md/blog/mobile-launch/). *Obsidian Blog*. July 12, 2021. Retrieved January 5, 2024.

[^11]: ["Obsidian 1.0"](https://obsidian.md/blog/1-0/). *Obsidian Blog*. October 13, 2022. Retrieved January 5, 2024.

[^12]: ["Obsidian Sync"](https://obsidian.md/sync). *Obsidian*. Retrieved January 5, 2024.

[^13]: ["Create a vault"](https://help.obsidian.md/Getting+started/Create+a+vault). *Obsidian Help*. Retrieved January 5, 2024.

[^14]: ["Internal links"](https://help.obsidian.md/Linking+notes+and+files/Internal+links). *Obsidian Help*. Retrieved January 5, 2024.

[^15]: ["Graph view"](https://help.obsidian.md/Plugins/Graph+view). *Obsidian Help*. Retrieved January 5, 2024.

[^16]: ["Build a plugin"](https://docs.obsidian.md/Plugins/Getting+started/Build+a+plugin). *Obsidian Developer Docs*. Retrieved January 5, 2024.

[^17]: Morrison, Sara (May 18, 2023). ["Inside Obsidian's thriving plugin ecosystem"](https://www.vox.com/technology/2023/05/18/obsidian-plugins-ecosystem). *[Vox](https://wikipedia/wiki/Vox_\(website\) "Vox (website)")*. Retrieved January 5, 2024.

[^18]: Patel, Nilay (November 2, 2023). ["Obsidian vs Notion vs Roam: which note-taking app is best?"](https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/02/note-taking-apps-comparison). *[The Verge](https://wikipedia/wiki/The_Verge "The Verge")*. Retrieved January 5, 2024.

[^19]: Hoffman, Chris (December 1, 2023). ["Is Obsidian really open source?"](https://www.howtogeek.com/obsidian-open-source/). *[How-To Geek](https://wikipedia/wiki/How-To_Geek "How-To Geek")*. Retrieved January 5, 2024.