Obsidian: what it is and how to start

A note-taking and writing app that stores everything as plain text files on your own computer, and lets you link notes together so related ideas stay connected.

Who it is for

Anyone accumulating notes, research or drafts they expect to still want in ten years. Particularly good for writers, researchers and anyone who has lost work to a note-taking service that shut down or changed its terms.

What it costs

Free for all purposes, explicitly including commercial and non-profit use — a business does not need to buy anything. Two optional paid licences exist: Catalyst, for individuals who want early access to beta builds, and a Commercial licence, which organisations can buy voluntarily to support development. Neither is required. Paid add-on services for syncing between devices and publishing notes online are separate and also optional.

Quick facts

Category: Writing & Publishing — Notes & Research
Pricing model: free
Runs on: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Difficulty for a beginner: beginner
Official site: https://obsidian.md

How to get started with Obsidian

Create a vault where you can find it: A vault is just a folder on your computer. Put it somewhere already backed up, such as your documents folder inside whatever cloud drive you use. Everything Obsidian does is ordinary files in that folder.
Write one note before changing any settings: Obsidian has a large community plugin ecosystem, and configuring it is an extremely effective way to avoid writing. The default setup is complete. Add plugins when something specific frustrates you.
Learn the double-bracket link, and nothing else at first: Typing [[note name]] links to another note and creates it if it does not exist. This single feature is most of what makes Obsidian different from a folder of text files, and it is enough on its own for months.
Stop organising into folders: Most people arrive from a filing-cabinet mental model and build elaborate folder trees they then have to maintain. Links and search handle retrieval better. A flat vault with good links beats a deep hierarchy almost every time.
Use search rather than remembering where things are: Full-text search across every note is instant. Once you trust it, the pressure to file things perfectly disappears, which is the point at which capturing notes stops feeling like work.
Set up your own backup: Because the files are local, losing the folder loses the notes. Either keep the vault inside a synced cloud folder, use Obsidian's paid sync service, or commit it to a private Git repository. Do one of these on day one.

Should you use this instead of something else?

Notion is better for structured databases, collaboration and shared team workspaces, and worse if you want your notes to exist independently of a company. Obsidian trades collaboration features for durability: the files are plain Markdown on your disk, readable in any text editor, so the notes survive the software. Choose Notion for teams and structure; choose Obsidian for a personal archive you intend to keep.

Common beginner mistakes

Spending the first week installing plugins and themes rather than writing notes. The default configuration is fully usable.
Rebuilding a deep folder hierarchy out of habit, then abandoning the vault because filing every note became a chore.
Assuming the notes are backed up because the app is modern. The files are local only, and there is no automatic cloud copy unless you arrange one.
Treating it as a task manager. It can be made into one, but purpose-built tools do it better and the attempt tends to consume the vault.
Copying an elaborate note-taking system from a video before knowing what you personally need. Start with linked notes and let a real problem justify each addition.

Last verified: 2026-08-07. Source: https://obsidian.md/license

Read the full Writing & Publishing guide for how this fits into the wider process.