Hack your brain with Obsidian.md [Part 1] 🔗 **Source:** [Hack your brain with Obsidian.md [Part 1]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbsAQSIKQXk) > [!note]+ Document Notes > tags: [obsidian, note-taking, pkm] > author: No Boilerplate > source: YouTube > reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbsAQSIKQXk > date created: 2024-01-15 10:30 > > # 🏷️ Title: Hack your brain with Obsidian.md [Part 1] > <!-- deep-read:sections start --> ## 🧰 Action Inbox - [H1] Install Obsidian and create first vault — setup/getting started #setup - [H2] Enable core plugins like tags and backlinks — configuration #plugins - [H3] Try dataview plugin for database-like queries — advanced features #dataview ## 🧭 Table of Contents - [📝 Summary](#-summary) - [📖 Main Content](#-main-content) - [🗒️ Notes](#️-notes) - [📚 References](#-references) - [🗣️ Paraphrase](#️-paraphrase) - [📰 Newsletter](#-newsletter) - [✅ Action Items](#-action-items) - [🧪 Hypotheses](#-hypotheses) - [📊 Methodology](#-methodology) - [❓ Questions](#-questions) - [🔮 Future Research](#-future-research) - [💡 Implications](#-implications) - [🧠 Learning Styles Assessment](#-learning-styles-assessment) - [📊 Accessibility Assessment](#-accessibility-assessment) - [🌍 DEIB Assessment](#-deib-assessment) - [✅ Logical Validity](#-logical-validity) - [🛡️ DARVO Analysis](#-darvo-analysis) - [🎯 Conclusion](#-conclusion) ### 🔗 References - [Obsidian Official Website](https://obsidian.md) - [GitHub Repository](https://github.com/0atman/noboilerplate) ## 📝 Summary - Tris from No Boilerplate demonstrates Obsidian as a second brain tool that extends cognitive capacity through linked markdown notes - Why it matters: Traditional note-taking tools hold data hostage; Obsidian stores everything as portable plain text while providing powerful linking and visualization - Key audience: Knowledge workers, researchers, students, and anyone building a personal knowledge management system - Risks: Vendor lock-in concerns mitigated by plain text storage; learning curve for advanced features - Bottom line: Obsidian transforms note-taking from linear documents into an interconnected knowledge graph that mirrors how we actually think ## 📖 Main Content Obsidian represents a paradigm shift in personal knowledge management, built on the principle of "active externalism" - the idea that our minds extend beyond our physical brains to include external tools. Unlike proprietary systems like Notion that trap data in formats difficult to export, Obsidian stores everything as plain text markdown files that remain accessible even if the software disappears. The core power lies in bidirectional linking between notes, creating a knowledge graph that reveals connections between ideas. This approach mirrors how human memory works through association rather than hierarchical filing. The visual graph view shows not just what you know, but gaps in your knowledge through gray nodes representing linked-but-not-yet-created notes. While Obsidian itself is closed-source freeware (free for personal use), the commitment to data portability through plain text storage addresses typical vendor lock-in concerns. The extensive plugin ecosystem, with over 1,000 community plugins, allows customization from simple enhancements to complete workflow transformations. ## 🗒️ Notes #### ⏱️ [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbsAQSIKQXk?t=0) — [H1] Introduction and background with note-taking tools - Key idea: Author has used many note-taking tools but none improved thinking like Obsidian - Evidence: "I have used many note-taking tools over the years simple note notion and extensively emacs org mode none have improved my thinking in the way obsidian has" #### ⏱️ [01:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbsAQSIKQXk?t=75) — [H2] Extended mind thesis and active externalism - Key idea: Obsidian functions as an extension of human cognition beyond the physical brain - Evidence: "the theory I'm using here is called active externalism part of the extended mind thesis the idea is that our mind is more than our physical brain" #### ⏱️ [02:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbsAQSIKQXk?t=150) — [H2] Data portability and plain text storage - Key idea: Unlike proprietary tools, Obsidian stores data as accessible plain text markdown - Evidence: "my data is open stored as plain text markdown the two-person company behind obsidian may eventually go away but my data is stored on my computer in plain text" #### ⏱️ [03:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbsAQSIKQXk?t=225) — [H1] Cross-platform availability and sync capabilities - Key idea: Obsidian works everywhere with superior sync compared to cloud storage solutions - Evidence: "obsidian sync is fantastic and the reason I switched better than Dropbox better than iCloud better than get or sync think" #### ⏱️ [04:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbsAQSIKQXk?t=270) — [H2] Plugin ecosystem and extensibility - Key idea: Over 1,000 plugins available with JavaScript-based customization system - Evidence: "at the time of recording obsidian has 1014 plugins in the built-in plugin installer and you may easily sideload your own" #### ⏱️ [06:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbsAQSIKQXk?t=360) — [H1] Getting started - vault creation and setup - Key idea: Obsidian vaults are simply folders containing markdown files - Evidence: "in obsidian terms this is called a vault but it's just a folder put it in your documents directory" #### ⏱️ [07:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbsAQSIKQXk?t=435) — [H2] Markdown formatting basics - Key idea: Simple markdown syntax provides rich formatting without complexity - Evidence: "markdown is really simple to use and is designed to look good in both plain text and rendered as Rich Text" #### ⏱️ [08:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbsAQSIKQXk?t=510) — [H1] Graph view and knowledge visualization - Key idea: Visual graph reveals connections between ideas and knowledge gaps - Evidence: "nodes in Gray are linked to but not created yet this is huge this allows you to fill in the gaps in your knowledge incrementally" #### ⏱️ [10:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbsAQSIKQXk?t=600) — [H2] Bidirectional linking and backlinks - Key idea: Links work both ways, allowing exploration in multiple directions - Evidence: "obsidian allows you to follow links both ways along your knowledge graph allowing you to explore your brain" #### ⏱️ [12:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbsAQSIKQXk?t=735) — [H2] Canvas plugin for spatial organization - Key idea: Canvas allows non-linear arrangement of notes beyond traditional tabs - Evidence: "this allows instead of working with your notes in tabs or splits or Windows you to throw them on a canvas in whatever layout you would like" #### ⏱️ [13:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbsAQSIKQXk?t=810) — [H2] Tagging system and organization - Key idea: Tags provide alternative to folder hierarchy with front matter metadata - Evidence: "you can tag your notes in two main ways in the body of the note with a hashtag or in the front matter of the page" #### ⏱️ [15:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbsAQSIKQXk?t=900) — [H1] Dataview plugin for database queries - Key idea: Treat your vault as a queryable database using SQL-like syntax - Evidence: "dataview allows you to treat your Vault your brain your collection of linked tagged markdown files as a database you can query" #### ⏱️ [16:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbsAQSIKQXk?t=1005) — [H3] Maps integration for geographical data - Key idea: Location data can be embedded and visualized within notes - Evidence: "this will open up a location search for any place in the world the results provided by openstreetmap" #### ⏱️ [17:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbsAQSIKQXk?t=1050) — [H1] Network effects and exponential value - Key idea: As your vault grows, connections multiply and value increases exponentially - Evidence: "just like the internet as you build your your brain the links between notes become exponentially greater and obsidian becomes exponentially more useful" ## 📚 References - [Obsidian Official Website](https://obsidian.md) - [No Boilerplate GitHub](https://github.com/0atman/noboilerplate) - [Markdown Guide](https://www.markdownguide.org) - [Extended Mind Thesis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extended_mind_thesis) ## 🗣️ Paraphrase - Obsidian transforms note-taking from isolated documents into an interconnected web of knowledge that mirrors how human memory actually works through associations - The tool's commitment to plain text storage means your data remains accessible forever, even if the company disappears, unlike proprietary systems that lock in your information - Through plugins and customization, Obsidian can evolve from a simple markdown editor into a complete personal knowledge management system tailored to individual workflows ## 📰 Newsletter **Transform Your WordPress Documentation with Obsidian's Second Brain Approach** WordPress developers and site builders often struggle with fragmented documentation, scattered notes about customizations, and difficulty tracking relationships between themes, plugins, and configurations. Obsidian's approach to connected knowledge could revolutionize how we manage WordPress projects. By treating your WordPress knowledge as an interconnected graph rather than isolated files, you can link plugin configurations to specific sites, connect troubleshooting notes to related issues, and visualize dependencies between different customizations. The plain text storage ensures your documentation remains accessible regardless of future tool changes. Consider using Obsidian's dataview plugin to query all sites using specific plugins, or the maps plugin to track client locations. The bidirectional linking naturally reveals patterns in your WordPress work that traditional folder organization might miss. Resources: [Learn WordPress](https://learn.wordpress.org/), [Developer Docs](https://developer.wordpress.org/), [WP-CLI](https://wp-cli.org/) ## ✅ Action Items #### DevRel - Developer advocacy: Create Obsidian templates for API documentation with bidirectional linking between endpoints and use cases - Education: Develop workshops showing developers how to build technical knowledge graphs for complex codebases - Developer experience: Document plugin architectures using Obsidian's graph view to visualize dependencies - Developer marketing: Use canvas plugin to create visual developer journey maps and content strategy - Community management: Implement tag-based organization for community feedback and feature requests #### OSPO - Policy & Governance: Create linked policy documents showing relationships between different compliance requirements - License Compliance: Use dataview plugin to query and track license obligations across project dependencies - Security Management: Build knowledge graphs connecting vulnerabilities to affected components and mitigation strategies - Software Inventory: Develop SBOM templates with linked components and ownership information - Developer Support: Create searchable knowledge base using bidirectional links between common issues and solutions - Community Engagement: Track upstream relationships and contributions using visual graph connections - Strategic Alignment: Use canvas view to map OKRs and KPIs to specific initiatives and outcomes #### Community - Maintainers: Develop governance templates with linked decision trees and process documentation - Contributors: Create onboarding knowledge graphs showing pathways from first contribution to maintainer - Sponsors: Build transparent impact reporting with linked outcomes and funding sources - Ecosystem: Map cross-project relationships and shared dependencies using graph visualization #### WordPress - Core: Use graph view to visualize feature dependencies and release planning relationships - Core Performance: Link performance metrics to specific optimizations and their impact areas - Documentation: Create bidirectional links between DevHub technical docs and HelpHub user guides - Community: Develop knowledge graphs for meetup organizers showing connected resources and templates - Training: Build learning paths with linked prerequisites and skill progression maps - Support: Create searchable knowledge base with linked solutions and escalation pathways ## 🧪 Hypotheses - Organizations using connected knowledge management systems like Obsidian will show measurable improvements in knowledge retention and cross-team collaboration - Technical documentation structured as knowledge graphs rather than hierarchical folders will reduce time-to-resolution for developer questions - Teams that visualize project dependencies through graph-based tools will identify and mitigate risks earlier than those using traditional linear documentation - Personal knowledge management systems that emphasize linking over filing will lead to more innovative connections and creative problem-solving ### 📊 Methodology - A/B test documentation approaches: traditional folder structure vs. Obsidian-style linked knowledge graphs with developer teams - Longitudinal study tracking knowledge retention and application in teams before and after implementing connected note-taking systems - Comparative analysis of time-to-resolution for support tickets using traditional documentation vs. graph-based knowledge systems ### ❓ Questions - How does the cognitive load of maintaining bidirectional links compare to traditional hierarchical organization for different types of learners? - What specific patterns of knowledge connection emerge in technical domains that could inform better documentation architectures? - Can graph-based personal knowledge management systems be effectively scaled to team and organizational levels without losing their core benefits? ### 🔮 Future Research - Integration patterns between personal knowledge graphs and enterprise knowledge management systems - AI-assisted relationship discovery and suggestion systems for large knowledge graphs - Collaborative editing and conflict resolution in shared knowledge graph environments ### 💡 Implications - Practice: Shift from document-centric to connection-centric knowledge work requiring new skills in link management and graph thinking - Policy: Need for data portability standards in knowledge management tools to prevent vendor lock-in - Security: Plain text storage offers transparency but requires careful consideration of sensitive information handling - Education: Curricula should include graph-based thinking and connected knowledge management as core digital literacy skills - Funding: Investment in tools and training for knowledge graph approaches may show significant ROI through improved innovation and reduced knowledge silos ### 🧠 Learning Styles Assessment Reading level estimate: 12.5 Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level #### 👀 Visual learners - Present: Extensive graph visualizations, canvas layouts, color-coded node relationships - Improve: Add architectural diagrams showing plugin relationships and data flow patterns #### 🔊 Aural learners - Present: Video format with clear narration and pacing - Improve: Provide 5-minute audio summary focusing on key concepts and practical next steps #### 🗣️ Verbal learners - Present: Clear analogies (brain extension, internet comparison), defined technical terms - Improve: Add more metaphors for database concepts and expand glossary of markdown terms #### 🧩 Kinesthetic learners - Present: Step-by-step vault creation, hands-on plugin installation, interactive demos - Improve: Provide downloadable starter vault with sample notes and pre-configured plugins #### 🧠 Logical learners - Present: Clear cause-effect relationships, structured progression from basic to advanced features - Improve: Add decision trees for choosing between organizational approaches and plugin selection criteria #### 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Social learners - Present: Community plugin ecosystem, GitHub repository sharing - Improve: Create discussion prompts for comparing note-taking approaches and collaborative vault templates #### 🧘‍♀️ Solitary learners - Present: Individual vault creation, personal knowledge management focus - Improve: Add reflection questions about knowledge organization preferences and self-assessment rubrics #### 🌿 Naturalistic learners - Present: Organic growth metaphors, ecosystem thinking about connected knowledge - Improve: Emphasize sustainability of plain text storage and long-term knowledge preservation ### 📊 Accessibility Assessment #### Screen reader semantics - Present: Video format limits screen reader access to content - Improve: Provide full transcript with proper heading structure and alt text for visual elements #### Keyboard navigation - Present: Obsidian software supports full keyboard navigation - Improve: Document specific keyboard shortcuts and navigation patterns for accessibility #### Contrast and readability - Present: High contrast in software interface demonstrations - Improve: Ensure all graph visualizations meet color contrast requirements for colorblind users #### Text resizing and reflow - Present: Video format doesn't support text resizing - <!-- deep-read:sections end -->