## 1. What is [Obsidian.md](https://obsidian.md)? > [!note] Note > These notes draw from my knowledge, as well as the knowledge of Obsidian's [creators](https://obsidian.md/about) & [community](https://obsidian.md/community) to tell you what this free software provides. Some notes were created using the [Obsidian Copilot](https://obsidiancopilot.com). ### How It Works **Obsidian is a powerful note-taking app that works like a file explorer — but built specifically for your knowledge.** Beyond simply storing notes in folders, you can: 1. You create a vault (a main folder for all your notes) 2. Inside, you create subfolders to organize by topic, project, or date 3. You write notes in plain text (or Markdown for formatting) 4. You link notes together with `[[brackets]]` to create connections 5. Obsidian shows you how all your notes relate to each other **The result:** A personal knowledge base that grows with you, where everything is connected and searchable. ## 2. Core and Community Plugins ### Core Plugins Obsidian comes with numerous [built-in plugins](https://help.obsidian.md/Plugins/Core+plugins) that can be enabled or disabled: - **[Audio recorder](https://help.obsidian.md/Plugins/Audio+recorder)** - Record audio notes and save them as attachments - **[Backlinks](https://help.obsidian.md/Plugins/Backlinks)** - Show links from other files to the current file - **[Bookmarks](https://help.obsidian.md/Plugins/Bookmarks)** - Save shortcuts to files, searches, headings, and graphs ### Community Plugins Extend Obsidian's functionality with thousands of [community-created plugins](https://obsidian.md/community): - **[Calendar](https://github.com/liamcain/obsidian-calendar-plugin)** - Calendar view of your daily notes (by Liam Cain) - **[Copilot](https://www.obsidiancopilot.com/en)** - An AI Copilot in Obsidian (by Logan Yang) - **[Dataview](https://github.com/blacksmithgu/obsidian-dataview)** - Complex data views for the data-obsessed (by Michael Brenan) ## 3. Obsidian Sync and Publish ### [Obsidian Sync](https://obsidian.md/sync) A premium service that securely synchronizes your notes across devices: - End-to-end encryption for maximum privacy - [Version history](https://help.obsidian.md/Obsidian+Sync/Version+history) to recover previous versions (up to 12 months) - [Selective sync](https://help.obsidian.md/Obsidian+Sync/Select+folders+to+sync) for specific folders - Works across all platforms (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android) - Improved iOS/Android sync performance - Enhanced security protocols for all synced data ### [Obsidian Publish](https://obsidian.md/publish) Share your notes with the world as a beautiful website: - [Customizable appearance](https://help.obsidian.md/Obsidian+Publish/Customize+your+site) and navigation - [Password protection](https://help.obsidian.md/Obsidian+Publish/Publish+and+unpublish+notes#Password+protection) options - [Custom domain](https://help.obsidian.md/Obsidian+Publish/Set+up+a+custom+domain) support - Full control over which notes to publish - Preserves your note connections and graph - New themes and customization options ## 4. Alternative Tools to Obsidian - **[Notion](https://www.notion.so)** - All-in-one workspace with databases, kanban boards, and wikis; cloud-based with block editor - **[Roam Research](https://roamresearch.com)** - Focused on bidirectional linking and daily notes; subscription-based with cloud storage - **[Logseq](https://logseq.com)** - Open-source, privacy-focused with local-first storage; combines outlining with bidirectional linking - **[Evernote](https://evernote.com)** - Established note-taking app with web clipping and organization features ### AI-Powered Note-Taking Alternatives - **[Claude Projects](https://claude.ai)** - Custom workspaces with persistent memory and document knowledge base; powered by Claude AI ($20/month) - **[Elephas](https://elephas.app)** - Offline-first AI assistant with Mac integration and support for multiple AI providers ($14.99/month) - **[remio](https://www.remio.ai)** - Auto web capture, AI summarization, daily notes, and highlighting features ($8/month) - **[Tana](https://tana.inc)** - Supertags, AI workspace, and voice-to-tasks ### Visual and Canvas-Based Alternatives (2026) - **[Heptabase](https://heptabase.com)** - Visual PKM with whiteboards and AI deep thinking tools; ideal for visual thinkers and complex knowledge mapping - **[Scrintal](https://scrintal.com)** - Infinite canvas for visual note mapping and thought structuring; enables visual connections between ideas - **[Xtiles](https://xtiles.app)** - Visual tiles workspace blending Notion and Miro; offers offline access and intuitive organization (Free tier available) ### Structured and Collaborative Alternatives (2026) - **[Anytype](https://anytype.io)** - Free, local-first app with networked, privacy-focused notes; block-based editing similar to Obsidian but with decentralized architecture - **[Coda](https://coda.io)** - Advanced project management and databases with shorter learning curve than Notion; top pick for teams needing PM tools alongside notes (Free tier available) - **[Weavernote](https://weavernote.com)** - AI-powered with knowledge graphs, flashcard generation, OCR, and smart quizzes ### Research and Academic Alternatives (2026) - **[Zotero](https://www.zotero.org)** - Research-focused with superior citation management and bibliography generation; ideal for academic workflows - **[Joplin](https://joplinapp.org)** - Open-source Evernote alternative with end-to-end encryption and cross-platform support (Free)