New in Obsidian: Obsidian Callouts (available now!) 🔗 **Source:** [New in Obsidian: Obsidian Callouts (available now!)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqYQ0kA1yAo) > [!note]+ Document Notes > tags: [obsidian, note-taking, markdown] > author: Nicole van der Hoeven > source: YouTube > reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqYQ0kA1yAo > date created: 2024-01-15 14:30 > > # 🏷️ Title: New in Obsidian: Obsidian Callouts (available now!) > <!-- deep-read:sections start --> ## 🧰 Action Inbox - [H1] Test callout syntax with blockquotes instead of code blocks — 01:32 #obsidian - [H2] Consider upgrading from Admonition plugin to native callouts — 04:12 #migration - [H3] Explore collapsible callouts for D&D scenarios — 02:45 #gamemaster ## 🧭 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 Callouts Documentation](https://help.obsidian.md/How+to/Use+callouts) - [Admonition Plugin](https://github.com/valentine195/obsidian-admonition) ## 📝 Summary - Obsidian has introduced native callout functionality in version 0.14, previously only available through the Admonition plugin - Callouts use blockquote syntax instead of code blocks, making them more semantically correct and compatible with other Markdown renderers - The feature includes 15+ predefined callout types with icons and supports collapsible/expandable behavior - Native callouts work seamlessly with Obsidian Publish, unlike the previous plugin-based solution - The Admonition plugin remains useful for advanced customization and icon selection ## 📖 Main Content Obsidian's new native callouts feature represents a significant upgrade to note organization and readability. The feature transforms how users can create visually distinct sections within their notes, similar to what technical documentation systems offer. The syntax shift from code blocks (```adm note) to blockquotes (> [!note]) is more than cosmetic—it ensures better compatibility with external Markdown renderers and enables proper spell-checking of callout content. This change also allows Markdown formatting within callouts to work correctly. The feature includes comprehensive type support: informational (note, info, abstract), actionable (todo, tip, important), status-based (success, warning, danger), and specialized types (bug, quote, example). Each type comes with distinct visual styling and icons. For existing Admonition users, the plugin now offers conversion tools while maintaining backward compatibility. The plugin's enhanced role focuses on advanced customization—custom icons, Font Awesome integration, and specialized formatting options that extend beyond core Obsidian's capabilities. ## 🗒️ Notes #### ⏱️ [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqYQ0kA1yAo?t=0) — [H1] Introduction to skimmable documentation principles - Key idea: Good digital writing should be skimmable like technical documentation - Evidence: "One thing I've learned from writing technical documentation in the last few years is that good writing is skimmable, at least in the digital age" #### ⏱️ [00:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqYQ0kA1yAo?t=32) — [H2] Callouts available in Insider Build 0.14 - Key idea: Feature currently limited to paid Insider access but will become public - Evidence: "This is only available right now in the Insider Build version 0.14, but that build always gets pushed to the public" #### ⏱️ [01:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqYQ0kA1yAo?t=92) — [H1] Previous Admonition plugin syntax demonstration - Key idea: Original approach used code block syntax with three backticks - Evidence: "You would do three backticks. That's kind of the code block syntax. And you would do something like add note" #### ⏱️ [02:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqYQ0kA1yAo?t=135) — [H2] Visual distinction improves note skimmability - Key idea: Callouts create meta-notes that are visually separated from main content - Evidence: "They're notes about your notes, but because they're visually distinguished from the rest of the text, it's a lot easier" #### ⏱️ [02:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqYQ0kA1yAo?t=165) — [H3] Collapsible callouts for conditional scenarios - Key idea: D&D scenarios benefit from collapsible callouts for player-dependent content - Evidence: "I have different scenarios that I may not even need to go into depending on what my players decide to do" #### ⏱️ [04:12](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqYQ0kA1yAo?t=252) — [H1] Obsidian team incorporated Admonition functionality into core - Key idea: Popular plugin features were deemed essential enough for core integration - Evidence: "This plugin was apparently so good that even the Obsidian team realized that it really should be part of Obsidian" #### ⏱️ [04:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqYQ0kA1yAo?t=285) — [H1] New blockquote-based syntax introduction - Key idea: Callouts use blockquotes with bracket notation instead of code blocks - Evidence: "Instead of the code blocks with the three backticks, this callouts functionality now uses blockquotes" #### ⏱️ [06:20](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqYQ0kA1yAo?t=380) — [H2] Multiple callout types with distinct visual styling - Key idea: System includes 15+ predefined types covering various use cases - Evidence: Shows note, abstract, info, todo, tip, success, warning, danger, bug, quote types #### ⏱️ [09:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqYQ0kA1yAo?t=555) — [H2] Collapsible behavior with minus syntax - Key idea: Adding minus sign before title creates collapsed-by-default callouts - Evidence: "Where just before the title, right outside of the parenthesis for the type that I'm using, I'm going to type a minus" #### ⏱️ [10:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqYQ0kA1yAo?t=630) — [H1] Native Obsidian Publish compatibility - Key idea: Core callouts work seamlessly with Obsidian Publish unlike plugins - Evidence: "Now that callouts is in core Obsidian, you don't even have to do that. It's just going to work right out of the box" #### ⏱️ [11:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqYQ0kA1yAo?t=675) — [H2] Blockquote syntax provides better fallback behavior - Key idea: Unsupported renderers show blockquotes instead of meaningless code blocks - Evidence: "Having the blockquote format falls back to blockquotes in unsupported Markdown renderer" #### ⏱️ [11:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqYQ0kA1yAo?t=705) — [H2] Enhanced Markdown parsing within callouts - Key idea: Blockquote format enables proper link, embed, and spellcheck support - Evidence: "All of the Markdown inside it also gets parsed, including links and embeds and even Dataview queries" #### ⏱️ [12:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqYQ0kA1yAo?t=750) — [H3] Backward compatibility with Admonition plugin - Key idea: Both syntaxes work simultaneously when plugin enabled - Evidence: "Admonition-style code blocks will continue to work. They're now supporting, Obsidian is now supporting both" #### ⏱️ [13:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqYQ0kA1yAo?t=795) — [H3] Admonition plugin conversion tools - Key idea: Plugin offers automated conversion from old to new syntax - Evidence: "You convert MSDoc admonitions to callouts, and you can convert code block admonitions to callouts as well" #### ⏱️ [15:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqYQ0kA1yAo?t=945) — [H2] Admonition plugin's evolved role for customization - Key idea: Plugin now focuses on advanced features like custom icons and styling - Evidence: Shows Font Awesome icons, RPG-Awesome, and custom icon capabilities ## 📚 References - [Obsidian Official Site](https://obsidian.md/) - [Admonition Plugin by Jeremy Valentine](https://github.com/valentine195/obsidian-admonition) - [Nicole's Public Obsidian Vault](https://notes.nicolevanderhoeven.com/) - [Primary Theme for Obsidian](https://github.com/primary-theme/obsidian) ## 🗣️ Paraphrase - Obsidian's native callouts replace the need for the Admonition plugin by incorporating similar functionality directly into the core application using a more semantically appropriate blockquote syntax - The new system provides 15+ predefined callout types with distinct visual styling and supports collapsible behavior, making notes more scannable and organized - While maintaining backward compatibility, the change enables better integration with Obsidian Publish and external Markdown renderers while allowing the original plugin to focus on advanced customization features ## 📰 Newsletter Exciting news for the Obsidian community! Native callouts have landed in version 0.14, bringing professional-grade note organization directly into core Obsidian. This game-changing feature eliminates the need for plugins while providing 15+ beautifully styled callout types—from simple notes to warnings, tips, and collapsible sections. The new blockquote-based syntax (`> [!note]`) is more intuitive than code blocks and works seamlessly with Obsidian Publish. Whether you're documenting code, running D&D campaigns, or organizing research, callouts make your notes instantly more scannable and professional. Current Admonition users get the best of both worlds: conversion tools for existing content plus enhanced customization options for power users who need custom icons and advanced styling. 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 callout syntax guides for technical documentation workflows - Education: Develop workshops on effective note organization using callouts - Developer experience: Document callout integration patterns for technical teams - Developer marketing: Showcase callouts for developer portfolio documentation - Community management: Gather feedback on callout types most useful for developers #### Community - Maintainers: Evaluate callout adoption for project documentation standards - Contributors: Create onboarding guides using callout syntax for clarity - Sponsors: Use callouts in funding reports for better visual organization - Ecosystem: Coordinate callout usage patterns across related projects #### WordPress - Documentation: Implement callouts in DevHub/HelpHub for better technical guidance - Training: Integrate callouts into lesson plans for visual learner support - Support: Use callouts in knowledge base articles for troubleshooting steps - Design: Evaluate callout visual hierarchy in WordPress admin interfaces - Community: Create meetup presentation templates utilizing callout organization - Accessibility: Ensure callout implementations meet WCAG guidelines - Meta: Consider callout-style information architecture for .org properties ## 🧪 Hypotheses - Native callouts will increase user adoption rates compared to plugin-based solutions due to reduced friction and better reliability - Blockquote-based syntax will improve note portability across different Markdown environments and tools - Visual distinction through callouts will measurably improve note scanning speed and information retention - Integration with Obsidian Publish will drive increased usage of callouts in public documentation ### 📊 Methodology - Study design to test hypothesis 1: A/B test comparing plugin adoption rates vs native feature adoption across new users over 6 months - Data sources and analysis for hypothesis 2: Cross-platform compatibility testing with various Markdown renderers and documentation systems - Experiments to validate hypothesis 3: Eye-tracking studies measuring scan patterns and comprehension tests with and without callouts ### ❓ Questions - How will the visual hierarchy of callouts affect information architecture decisions in complex documentation systems? - What impact will native callout availability have on the broader Obsidian plugin ecosystem and development patterns? - How might other note-taking applications respond to Obsidian's integration of community-driven features into core functionality? ### 🔮 Future Research - Investigation into optimal callout density and placement for different note types and use cases - Analysis of callout usage patterns across different professional domains (technical writing, academia, creative projects) - Development of automated callout suggestion systems based on content analysis and user behavior patterns ### 💡 Implications - Practice: Note-taking workflows will become more visual and structured, requiring new organizational strategies - Policy: Documentation standards may need updates to include callout usage guidelines and accessibility requirements - Security: Native features reduce third-party plugin dependencies, potentially improving vault security posture - Education: Training materials can leverage improved visual organization for better learning outcomes - Funding: Reduced reliance on community plugins may affect funding models for Obsidian ecosystem development ### 🧠 Learning Styles Assessment Reading level estimate: Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 8.5 #### 👀 Visual learners - Present: Abundant screenshots, callout examples, visual syntax comparisons - Improve: Flowchart showing syntax migration path, before/after comparison tables #### 🔊 Aural learners - Present: YouTube video format with clear narration and demonstrations - Improve: Audio-only version focusing on conceptual explanations without visual dependencies #### 🗣️ Verbal learners - Present: Step-by-step explanations, syntax definitions, clear terminology - Improve: Glossary of callout types, analogy-based explanations for technical concepts #### 🧩 Kinesthetic learners - Present: Hands-on demonstrations, live syntax editing, interactive examples - Improve: Practice exercises, downloadable sample vault with callout examples #### 🧠 Logical learners - Present: Clear progression from problem to solution, systematic coverage of callout types - Improve: Decision tree for choosing appropriate callout types, comparison matrix of features #### 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Social learners - Present: Community context, reference to plugin developer and user feedback - Improve: Discussion prompts for sharing callout use cases, community examples showcase #### 🧘‍♀️ Solitary learners - Present: Self-paced video format, individual exploration opportunities - Improve: Self-assessment checklist for callout mastery, personal reflection prompts #### 🌿 Naturalistic learners - Present: Real-world use cases (D&D, programming, documentation) - Improve: Ecosystem thinking about how callouts fit into broader information management ### 📊 Accessibility Assessment #### Screen reader semantics - Present: Clear heading structure, descriptive language for visual elements - Improve: Alt text for callout screenshots, ARIA roles for callout examples #### Keyboard navigation - Present: YouTube player supports standard keyboard controls - Improve: Timestamped navigation links, keyboard shortcuts documentation #### Contrast and readability - Present: High contrast theme demonstration, clear visual distinctions - Improve: Contrast ratio specifications for callout styling, low-vision considerations #### Text resizing and reflow - <!-- deep-read:sections end -->