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But is it worth the hype?
This is the question that Ill answer in this Obsidian review.
This will help you determine if the platform suits your knowledge management needs!
These features stand out in note-taking, writing, and knowledge management.
Heres what makes Obsidian special.
Writing App
I spoke withSanjay Nagar(Founder and Trustee at Kohka Foundation) about his experience with Obsidian.
Obsidiansmarkdown-based editormakes writing effortless.
It supports rich formatting, inline code, and backlinks, enhancing knowledge management.
Since it works offline, users can write thoughts anytime without depending on cloud services.
Sync
Obsidian simplifies syncing notes across devices while keeping everything private.
Users can access their notes from a phone, tablet, or laptop without worrying about data loss.
Since it offersend-to-end encryption, no one else can see the notes, ensuring complete privacy.
This feature makes iteasy for anyone working on multiple projectsto stay updated.
Everything remains connected, making project management more organized and efficient.
The Publish feature allows users to share their notes as a website withjust a few clicks.
Its especially useful for writers, researchers, and teams who want to organize and access their knowledge seamlessly.
If I cant do this, then I might as well stop calling myself an SDE.
Obsidians linking feature is very useful for organizing and retrieving information effortlessly.
Obsidians Canvas feature helps with this.
Its avisual workspacewhere you’ve got the option to arrange notes, ideas, and media freely.
Obsidian Canvas helps youstay precise and organized.
Graph
Obsidians Graph View is a unique way to visualize how your notes are connected.
Instead of searching through folders or scrolling endlessly, you cansee relationships between topics instantly.
This feature gives you a clear, interactive overview of your knowledge base.
Plugins
Sheshera Mysore, a Postdoctoral Researcher at Microsoft, shared how Obsidians plugins helpstreamline academic work.
I use the Plugins feature mainly for four key tasks:
Obsidians plugin ecosystem isone of its strongest points.
With a wide range of over 2,250 community-developed add-on services, users can customize their experience.
Vault
This isone of my favorite features.
As a writer, I need all my notes, drafts, and ideas in one organized space.
Thats exactly what Obsidians Vault helps with.
As a writer, I have to juggle multiple projects.
I gather ideas, drafts, and notes in different places, and finding them later can be difficult.
Vault helpskeep everything in one place, making it easy to stay organized and access your work anytime.
It helps me with three key tasks:
Sometimes, ideas come when you least expect them.
Audio Notes help you capture thoughts instantly and link them to your projects.
Who Uses Obsidian
Obsidian 1.8.8 is now available, and it has come a long way.
With every update, the app becomes more polished, making it easier to manage information without feeling overwhelmed.
Here are some of the professionals that use Obsidian.
Writers & Journalists
Ideas come at unexpected times, research gets messy, and drafts pile up.
Endless papers, scattered notes, and tracking references can be a struggle.
Obsidian helps students organize their subjects, track assignments, and connect ideas.
Educators can structure lesson plans and resources in one place.
For many professionals, managing meetings, deadlines, and notes can get chaotic.
Obsidian makes it easier, especially for professionals & knowledge workers.
It gives you more than just a place to jot down notes.
Obsidian stores everything locally on your rig, so you have complete control.
If privacy matters to you, this is a big deal.
Sync Notes Across Devices
Switching between devices?
The Sync add-on keeps your notes consistent across your laptop, phone, and tablet.
Your data stays private with full encryption, so no one else can access it.
This way, you always have your notes ready without worrying about security.
Publish Notes and Documentation
Need to share your knowledge with others?
The Publish add-on makes it easy to turn your notes into a clean, professional-looking website.
With just a few clicks, your notes can be live online.
Canvas for Idea Visualization
Some ideas are easier to understand through visual layouts.
Its a great way to brainstorm, connect ideas, or break down complex topics into something more manageable.
you’re free to highlight important sections, add notes, and keep everything organized.
No more searching through countless surfing app tabs to find something you saved weeks ago.
Customization with Plugins & API
Everyone works differently, and Obsidian reflects that.
With its plugin system and API, you’re able to customize it to match your workflow.
Need better task tracking?
Theres a plugin for that.
Want automatic backups or a specific way to organize notes?
you could add those too.
Beyond these, Obsidian serves countless other purposes depending on individual needs.
Lets take a deeper look at its many use cases.
The most difficult part for writers and journalists is staying on track.
Between research, drafts, and deadlines, its easy to lose focus.
Obsidian helps by keeping everything in one place.
With Graph View, you’ve got the option to seehow ideas connect.
AI-powered plugins assist with summarizing notes and refining content, so nothing slips through the cracks.
Research involves piles of papers, endless references, and scattered notes.
Obsidian keeps everything connected with Obsidian Sync and Obsidian Publish.
you’re free to organize sources, track ideas, and never lose important insights.
For students, keeping up with coursework and assignments is a challenge.
Obsidian makes it easier with Task Management and Version History and Backups to track progress and revisions.
Educators can share materials using Custom Domain Support.
Between meetings, projects, and deadlines, professionals need a way to keep everything in order.
Obsidian Sync ensures your notes are always accessible, while Real-time Collaboration makes teamwork seamless.
Obsidian Pricing
Obsidian has a pricing model that suits different needs.
In the table below, Ive compared each of Obsidians pricing plans based on their offerings.
With Obsidian Sync, users can keep their notes updated across devices.
End-to-end encryption ensures privacy, while offline storage allows access without the internet.
Obsidian Support
Obsidian has an active community and support system to assist users.
The Obsidian Forum and Discord server offer discussions, troubleshooting, and feature requests.
The Official Obsidian Help Documentation provides detailed guides on setup, plugins, and customization.
Developers and power users contribute to the plugin support community, expanding functionality with AI-powered plugins and automation tools.
From beginners to advanced users, plenty of resources are available to improve the knowledge management experience.
Obsidian Alternatives
Obsidian is a powerful Markdown-based note-taking tool, but its not the only option.
Depending on your needs, collaboration, privacy, knowledge mapping, or cloud access.
You might find other tools more suitable.
As an example, Notion is a greatproject management solutionand offers real-time collaboration.
$4
$10/seat
$13.75
Free and open-source
$10.83
Who Should Use Obsidian?
Obsidian is an ideal note-taking tool for the following audiences:
Who Shouldnt Use Obsidian?
While Obsidian is a powerful Markdown-based note-taking tool, it may not be the best fit for everyone.
If you fall into the following categories, you should consider Obsidians alternatives.
What I love about Obsidian is itsprivacy-first approach.
Your notes stay on your unit, meaning no forced cloud storage.
Plus, the customization options are endless and it offers flexible pricing plans.
But if you need real-time collaboration or built-in AI note-taking features, it isnt the best fit.
Due to these reasons, I wouldnt recommend Obsidian for complex project management needs.
