# Basic concepts A *vault* - a folder of files, primarily text files in Markdown format. *Markdown* - a way of formatting plain text so that it can look/act more like a webpage than a text file, while still maintaining human readbility. *Obsidian* - free software for viewing, editing and managing one or more of your vaults. *Second brain* - the idea of offloading thoughts/ideas/tasks into a tool that helps you record, track, and manage it all. # Why this approach? Why Obsidian? Some huge advantages of this approach over alternatives: - The data is yours in a format that will pretty much work forever - text files in a folder. There is practically zero risk of you losing all of your data because you don't like the software anymore or don't want to pay for it or the company running it shuts down or gets acquired. - It's free. Yes there are valuable paid upgrades available but none of them are required. - It's flexible. You can use it however you want. # In detail - What is Obsidian - Software that lets you view and work with a folder of text files - (Insert xray image) - Can always take it with you - Can use other SW to view/edit - Can script it - Can back it up to github - Can make it into a website (like this one) - Markdown - Standard markdown - "Extended" markdown - Obsidian concepts - Frontmatter - Links - Tags - Graph - Addons that extend usage - Recommended usage - Plugins https://obsidian.md/plugins - [[Breadcrumbs]] to make hierarchy and other relationships - Recommended settings - Matrix view - Update on save (use ctrl S) - Recommended usage - Use ducks view - Start making hierarchy - Eventually everything will slot into this - Important: this hierarchy is fluid and not strict - Wishlist: plantuml flowchart display of links - Dataview - Simple Embeds - Tasks - any good tasks stuff - Themes - Shortcuts - ctrl L for link - Other tools - google drive / github / obsidian sync?