Obsidian Base: What is it and How to use it?
Obsidian Base is a single-vault database for filtering and viewing notes by properties, bridging reflection and action-oriented workflows.
Obsidian introduced Base, a database feature for organizing notes through structured properties and flexible views. Unlike spreadsheets where cells hold arbitrary data, a database treats each row as an entry with defined properties.
Obsidian Base vs Notion
| Aspect | Obsidian Base | Notion |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | One database per vault | Multiple independent databases |
| Speed | Fast | Slower |
| Properties | Limited set | Extensive options |
| Purpose | Structure information | Drive actions |
Obsidian Base focuses on information organization rather than replicating Notion's full database power.
Two-Step Usage
1. Filter what you see. Use properties to narrow down notes. Combine filters: show only permanent notes containing "happy" with file size over 100 characters.
2. Choose how you see it. Select which properties appear as columns. Switch between table and card views.
Practical Applications
Weekly reviews. Track weekly goals, reflections, and wellbeing scores. Filter for low-scoring weeks to identify patterns worth addressing.
Information discovery. Base joins Obsidian's graph view and canvas as another lens for exploring connections. Filtering by properties reveals groupings invisible in other views.
Related
Darin positions Obsidian for "level four productivity" (reflection and learning) while Base helps bridge toward action-oriented tasks. This complements how-i-use-obsidian, which emphasizes emergent organization through linking rather than rigid structure.