Three Plugins to Simplify Your Metadata Management in Obsidian
Introduction
In the world of markdown note-taking, maintaining tidy metadata in Obsidian is crucial for advanced functionality. Whether you rely on the Dataview plugin or embedded queries, properties play a vital role. Beyond functionality, having easy access to note information like creation dates and source URLs enhances your note-taking experience. Luckily, there are three powerful plugins that can streamline your metadata management in Obsidian: Linter, Metadata Menu and Multi Properties.
Linter Plugin—Streamline Your Defaults
Among the trio, Linter stands out as the most robust plugin. With enough customization, it can accomplish what the other two plugins offer. However, I prefer using Linter for general defaults while using the other plugins for specific cases. Linter excels at applying a default set of properties to all your notes, and I use the following essential properties:
>```
title:
url:
tags:
creation date:
modification date:
```
Furthermore, Linter offers the flexibility of adding additional properties, which it conveniently lists in alphabetical order. You can also choose the date format, with the recommended format being YYYY-MM-DD. Another impressive feature of Linter is its ability to move tags from the note body to the metadata section. Additionally, if you have older notes without properties, Linter excels in formatting existing YAML headers according to the new standards.
Metadata Menu—Customize Note Properties
For applying a specific set of properties to select notes, Metadata Menu is an excellent choice. Whether you want to group notes within a folder or classify them by a common tag, this plugin offers remarkable flexibility. While the Templater plugin can achieve similar functionality, Metadata Menu eliminates the need to learn special syntax. It’s worth noting that Templater can be less reliable on Mac systems. To learn more about how to leverage Metadata Menu effectively, check out Marco Serafini’s YouTube video.
Multi Properties—Quick and Easy
If you need a quick and effortless method to add properties on the go, the Multi Properties plugin is your go-to solution. Simply select a group of notes, right-click, and Multi Properties allows you to apply as many properties as desired. This feature allows you to assign specific tags or add property fields for note-specific data that you plan to fill in later.
Conclusion
By leveraging these three powerful plugins, you can automate a significant portion of your metadata management in Obsidian. This foundation will not only make your note-taking more effective, it will also allow you to harness Dataview and inline queries to amp up the effectiveness of your PKM system.