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https://github.com/bryanhogan/obsidian-vault-template

A Obsidian vault as described on https://bryanhogan.com/blog/obsidian-vault
https://github.com/bryanhogan/obsidian-vault-template

markdown obsidian obsidian-md obsidian-template obsidian-vault obsidian-vault-t

Last synced: about 2 months ago
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A Obsidian vault as described on https://bryanhogan.com/blog/obsidian-vault

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README 

          
# README



# Obsidian Vault Template



A clean, durable Obsidian Vault setup, focussing on simplicity, bottom-up approaches, using as little as possible plugins or similar adjustments. It's what I use for daily for writing, research, projects and collections for books or games.



**Companion post:** [*Obsidian vault setup tour*](https://bryanhogan.com/blog/obsidian-vault) - goes deeper into the setup and ideas behind this template.



---



## Table of contents



- [README](#readme)

- [Obsidian Vault Template](#obsidian-vault-template)

  - [Table of contents](#table-of-contents)

  - [Why this template?](#why-this-template)

  - [Quick start](#quick-start)

  - [Folder tour](#folder-tour)

  - [Core conventions](#core-conventions)

  - [Smart notes (bottom-up)](#smart-notes-bottom-up)

  - [Navigation \& Bases](#navigation--bases)

  - [Templates](#templates)

  - [Recommended plugins](#recommended-plugins)

  - [Common workflows](#common-workflows)

    - [Capture a new insight (Zettel)](#capture-a-new-insight-zettel)

    - [Start a project](#start-a-project)

    - [Log a book or game](#log-a-book-or-game)

    - [Draft a blog post](#draft-a-blog-post)

  - [Syncing between desktop \& mobile](#syncing-between-desktop--mobile)

  - [FAQ](#faq)

  - [Contributing \& customization](#contributing--customization)

  - [Recent changes](#recent-changes)

    - [Credits \& further reading](#credits--further-reading)



---



## Why this template?



* **Stable, future-proof**: Sticks to plain Markdown and Obsidian core features.

* **Lightweight**: Minimal folder count, minimal plugins, zero CSS snippets.

* **Bottom-up**: Notes grow into Maps of Content (MOCs) organically.

* **Multi-purpose**: Works for writing, research, personal projects, and collections.



Built to **help your other work**, instead of becoming the work.



---



## Quick start



1. Download my vault or clone it from the Github repo.

2. Unzip the `.zip` file to a folder of your choosing.

3. In Obsidian open the folder as a vault.



---



## Folder tour



Each top-level item is a folder:



```

01 - Note Box/           → Zettels, projects, blog posts, scripts, locations, and MoCs

02 - Collections/        → Subfolders: Books, Clippings, Games

03 - Tasks & Reminders/  → Monthly task notes

04 - Temporary/          → Short-lived scratch notes

05 - Meta/               → Archive, Attachments, Bases, Templates

```



**Rules of thumb**



* Knowledge notes, projects & writing → **Note Box**

* Media & external content → **Collections**

* Things to get done this month → **Tasks & Reminders**

* Remove soon → **Temporary**

* Vault config & templates → **Meta**



---



## Core conventions



* **Keep it simple.**

* Prefer **one vault** over many.

* **Minimize folders**; use links, tags, and MOCs for structure.

* Stick to **standard Markdown** (future-proof).

* **Pluralize tags / links** (e.g., `[[books]]`, `[[games]]`).

* Dates in **`YYYY-MM-DD`**.



Theme: Obsidian **basic dark**.



---



## Smart notes (bottom-up)



The `01 - Note Box` folder is the most important folder in the vault. It contains:



* **Zettel notes** - long-lasting knowledge notes that explain one concept (atomic) and **link** to related topics with `[[Wiki Links]]`.

* **Project notes** - notes belonging to a project or problem that can end.

* **Blog posts, scripts, locations** - other note types that also live here alongside everything else.



Topics naturally attract clusters; those clusters become **MoCs** (Map of Content). The pattern: Individual notes → Topic pages → MOCs. Project notes show up in project overviews (using Bases) when they are of type `Project`.



If you're new to this style, see the [blog's section on smart notes / Zettelkasten](https://bryanhogan.com/blog/obsidian-vault#smart-notes-bottom-up-note-taking).



---



## Navigation & Bases



Obsidian [Bases](https://help.obsidian.md/bases) let you display notes in table, list, or card views with filtering and sorting.



This vault uses Bases in combination with the **FolderNotes** plugin to create overview pages. Clicking on `01 - Note Box` or `02 - Collections` opens a folder note that includes Bases listing all relevant MOCs, active projects, and other content — ending with a complete list of all notes in that folder.



Between in-note links, MOCs with Bases, and Obsidian's built-in search, relevant information doesn't get lost.



---



## Templates



Enable **Templates** (core plugin) and set the template folder to `05 - Meta/Templates`. Choose a hotkey with which to insert a template (I use `Ctrl + R`).



Templates used in **Note Box**: `Zettel`, `Project`, `Blog Post`, `MoC`, `Script`

Templates used in **Collections**: `Book`, `Game`

Templates used in **Tasks & Reminders**: `Tasks & Reminders`



Additional utility templates: `Location`, `Incoming Links Base Template`, `iFrame Snippet`.



Each template pre-fills sensible **properties** and **sections** so you can start typing immediately.



---



## Recommended plugins



I keep the list short to reduce load time and breakage risk.



* **FolderNotes** — Open a folder's "home note" when clicking the folder.

  [https://github.com/LostPaul/obsidian-folder-notes](https://github.com/LostPaul/obsidian-folder-notes)

* **Filename Heading Sync** — Keeps the file name in sync with your first `# Heading`.

  [https://github.com/dvcrn/obsidian-filename-heading-sync](https://github.com/dvcrn/obsidian-filename-heading-sync)

* **LanguageTool Integration** — Spell/grammar checking.

  [https://github.com/Clemens-E/obsidian-languagetool-plugin](https://github.com/Clemens-E/obsidian-languagetool-plugin)

* **Periodic Notes** — For monthly Tasks & Reminders notes.

  [https://github.com/liamcain/obsidian-periodic-notes](https://github.com/liamcain/obsidian-periodic-notes)



---



## Common workflows



### Capture a new insight (Zettel)



1. `Ctrl/Cmd + O` type name → create if it's a new note → **Insert** `Zettel Template`.

2. Link related topics with `[[Topic]]`.

3. When a cluster forms, create a **MoC** with `MoC Template`.



### Start a project



1. Create a note in `01 - Note Box/` from `Project Template`.

2. Track scope, decisions, links to related notes.

3. If the project grows, add a **MoC** to tie its notes together.



### Log a book or game



* Use the relevant template in `02 - Collections/` subfolders (`Books`, `Games`).



### Draft a blog post



* Use `Blog Post Template` in `01 - Note Box/`.



---



## Syncing between desktop & mobile



This vault is plain Markdown, so you can use **any** sync (Obsidian Sync, iCloud/Drive, Dropbox, Git, etc.).

My setup:



* **Backup**: personal GitHub private repo.

* **Sync**: Google Drive (Drive for Desktop on Windows + DriveSync on Android).



For pros/cons and alternatives, see my blog's [**how to sync Obsidian**](https://bryanhogan.com/blog/how-to-sync-obsidian) guide.



---



## FAQ



**Why one vault instead of many?**

Cross-linking is the superpower. Multiple vaults fragment knowledge and slow you down.



**Why so few folders?**

Folders are "hard" structure. Links, tag links, and MoCs stay flexible as ideas evolve.



**Do I need all the plugins?**

No. Start with **none**. Add only what solves a real problem.



**How do I keep titles and file names in sync without showing file names as H1?**

Disable "Show file name as title" and use **Filename Heading Sync**.



---



## Contributing & customization



* Fork the repo and adjust:

  * Rename top-level folders to your taste.

  * Edit templates in `05 - Meta/Templates/`.

  * Tweak folder overview notes and Bases.



* PRs welcome for:

  * Additional lightweight templates,

  * Better folder overviews using Bases,

  * Further small quality-of-life improvements.



If you publish your own variation, link it in a PR and I'll add a "Community Variants" list.



---



## Recent changes



**Version 2.0:**



* **Updated folder structure**: Went from 4 top-level folders to 5. Added `03 - Tasks & Reminders` for monthly task notes. `Temporary` and `Meta` renumbered to `04` and `05`.

* **Heavier use of Bases**: Replaced Dataview with Obsidian's built-in Bases for creating overviews and structure throughout the vault.

* **Updated plugins**: Removed Dataview, added Periodic Notes for monthly task notes.

* **Updated templates and properties**: All templates updated with streamlined properties. Added `Tasks & Reminders` template.



**Previous:**



* **Simplified folder structure**: Went from 6 top-level folders to 4. `Zettelkasten` → `Note Box`, `Miscellaneous` → `Meta`, and `Projects` was removed as a dedicated folder.

* **Streamlined templates**: Dropped the numbered prefix naming (e.g., `01A - Zettel.md` → `Zettel Template.md`). Added new templates: Location and Script.

* **Fewer plugins**: Cut the recommended list from 7 to 4 — removed Book Search, Home Tab, and Lazy Plugin Loader.



---



### Credits & further reading



* Companion post: [*Obsidian vault setup tour*](https://bryanhogan.com/blog/obsidian-vault)

* On smart notes / Zettelkasten, MOCs, and bottom-up knowledge building ([see the blog post](https://bryanhogan.com/blog/obsidian-zettelkasten)).



> P.S. If you find this helpful, let me know!