8.3 KiB
8.3 KiB
Obsidian Best Practices for PARA
Compiled from Obsidian forums, Obsibrain documentation, and community wisdom
Table of Contents
- Folder Structure
- Frontmatter Standards
- Linking Strategies
- Tagging Strategy
- Dataview Queries
- Templates
- File Naming
- Performance Tips
- Plugin Recommendations
- Common Mistakes
- Quick Reference
Folder Structure
Recommended PARA Setup
00_Inbox/ # Unprocessed captures
01_Projects/ # Active projects with deadlines
02_Areas/ # Ongoing responsibilities
03_Resources/ # Reference material by topic
04_Archive/ # Completed/inactive items
└── 2024/ # Organized by year
└── 2025/
05_Attachments/ # Images, PDFs, files
06_Metadata/ # Templates, MOCs, system files
└── Templates/
└── MOCs/
Why Number Prefixes?
- Forces consistent sort order
- Prevents alphabetical chaos
- Makes structure scannable
- Numbers indicate actionability (lower = more active)
Frontmatter Standards
Universal Properties
---
title: "Note Title"
created: 2025-01-15
modified: 2025-01-15
type: project|area|resource|capture
status: active|completed|on-hold|archived
tags: []
aliases: []
---
Type-Specific Properties
Projects
start_date: 2025-01-15
target_completion: 2025-03-01
completion_date: # filled when done
area: "[[Parent Area]]"
priority: high|medium|low
Areas
review_frequency: weekly|monthly|quarterly
last_reviewed: 2025-01-15
Resources
source: book|article|video|course|podcast|paper|web
source_url: "https://..."
author: "Author Name"
date_consumed: 2025-01-15
rating: 1-5
Captures
captured_from: thought|conversation|article|book
resonance: inspiring|useful|personal|surprising
urgency: high|medium|low
processed: false
Linking Strategies
Bi-Directional Links
This project relates to [[Area Name]].
- Creates automatic backlink in Area note
- Builds knowledge graph organically
- Enables serendipitous discovery
Link Contexts
Working on [[Project X]] taught me about [[concept]].
- Surrounding text provides context
- Makes backlinks more useful
- Helps future you understand why you linked
Block References
![[Note Name#Section]]
![[Note Name^block-id]]
- Embed content from other notes
- Single source of truth
- Updates propagate automatically
Wikilink Resolution
Correct Syntax
[[Note Name]] # Preferred - no extension needed
[[Note Name.md]] # Also works
[[Folder/Note Name]] # Include path if duplicate names exist
[[Note Name|Display Text]] # Custom display text
How Obsidian Resolves Links
- Obsidian searches for filenames across the entire vault
- Does NOT require folder paths in most cases
- Finds shortest/closest match first
- CRITICAL: Duplicate filenames cause link conflicts
Common Issue: Duplicate Filenames
# ❌ BROKEN - Two files with same name
/vault-root/Project Overview.md
/01_Projects/My Project/Project Overview.md
When you use [[Project Overview]], Obsidian picks ONE (usually wrong one!)
Solution
# ✅ FIX 1: Delete duplicate files
# Keep only one version in correct location
# ✅ FIX 2: Use unique filenames
/01_Projects/My Project/My Project Overview.md # Unique name
[[My Project Overview]] # Works correctly
# ✅ FIX 3: Include folder path (last resort)
[[01_Projects/My Project/Project Overview]] # Explicitly specify location
Best Practices
- ✅ Use unique, descriptive filenames (e.g., "2025 Tasmania Holiday" not "Project Overview")
- ✅ Avoid generic names like "Overview", "README", "Index"
- ✅ Keep project overview files INSIDE project folders, not in vault root
- ✅ Search for duplicates:
find /vault -name "*.md" | sort | uniq -d - ❌ Never create files in vault root when they belong in PARA folders
Debugging Wikilinks If clicking a wikilink tries to create a new note:
- The target file doesn't exist, OR
- A duplicate filename exists elsewhere (Obsidian found wrong one)
- Check for duplicates: Search vault for exact filename
Reference: Official Obsidian Wikilink Documentation
Tagging Strategy
Hierarchical Tags
tags:
- project/active
- area/health
- type/meeting-notes
Status Tags
tags:
- status/active
- status/on-hold
- status/completed
When to Tag vs. Link
- Tag: For categorization and filtering
- Link: For meaningful connections
Example:
#book= This is a book note (category)[[Deep Work]]= This relates to the Deep Work concept (connection)
Dataview Queries
Active Projects Dashboard
TABLE
status,
target_completion as "Due",
area as "Area"
FROM "01_Projects"
WHERE status = "active"
SORT target_completion ASC
Overdue Projects
LIST
FROM "01_Projects"
WHERE target_completion < date(today)
AND status = "active"
Recent Notes
TABLE created, type
FROM ""
SORT created DESC
LIMIT 10
Notes by Area
LIST
FROM "01_Projects" OR "03_Resources"
WHERE contains(area, "[[Health]]")
Inbox Count
LIST
FROM "00_Inbox"
Unprocessed Captures
TABLE resonance, urgency
FROM "00_Inbox"
WHERE processed = false
SORT urgency DESC
Templates
Template Location
Store in 06_Metadata/Templates/ or .obsidian/templates/
Template Variables
{{title}} # Note title
{{date}} # Current date
{{time}} # Current time
{{date:YYYY-MM-DD}} # Formatted date
Template Plugin vs. Templater
- Core Templates: Simple, built-in, limited
- Templater: Powerful, programmable, community plugin
Recommended Templates
- Project
- Area
- Resource
- Daily Note
- Meeting Notes
- Weekly Review
File Naming
Conventions
- Use descriptive names
- Avoid special characters:
/ \ : * ? " < > | - Dates in ISO format:
2025-01-15 - Consider prefixes for sorting
Examples
2025-01-15 Project Kickoff Meeting.md
Book - Deep Work by Cal Newport.md
MOC - Personal Knowledge Management.md
Daily Notes
2025-01-15.md
Performance Tips
Large Vaults (1000+ notes)
- Disable plugins you don't use
- Use lazy loading for Dataview
- Avoid complex queries on startup
- Consider excluding folders from search
Sync Considerations
- Use Git or Obsidian Sync
- Avoid Dropbox/iCloud for vault root
- Be careful with mobile sync timing
Plugin Recommendations
Essential
- Dataview: Dynamic queries
- Templater: Advanced templates
- Calendar: Daily note navigation
Productivity
- Tasks: Task management
- Periodic Notes: Weekly/monthly notes
- Quick Add: Fast capture
PARA-Specific
- Folder Note: Folder index pages
- Breadcrumbs: Hierarchy navigation
- Homepage: Dashboard on open
Common Mistakes
1. Over-Organizing
Creating folders before you need them. Let structure emerge.
2. Neglecting Links
Obsidian's power is in connections. Link liberally.
3. Tag Explosion
Too many tags = no tags. Keep tags meaningful.
4. Ignoring the Inbox
Process inbox regularly or it becomes a graveyard.
5. Perfectionism
"Good enough" notes are better than no notes.
6. Not Reviewing
Without weekly review, any system degrades.
7. Duplicate Filenames
Creating files with identical names in different folders breaks wikilinks. Use unique, descriptive names like "2025 Tasmania Holiday" instead of generic "Project Overview".
Quick Reference
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Quick switcher | Cmd/Ctrl + O |
| Search | Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + F |
| New note | Cmd/Ctrl + N |
| Insert template | (configure) |
| Toggle edit/preview | Cmd/Ctrl + E |
Markdown Essentials
**bold**
*italic*
==highlight==
[[link]]
![[embed]]
- [ ] task
> quote
# Header
Best practices compiled from Obsidian community, forums, and documentation.