the_information_nexus/personal/obsidian_getting_started.md

Quick Start Guide: Tagging in Obsidian

Using tags in Obsidian can help you organize, search, and connect your notes more effectively. This Quick Start guide will help you set up a basic tagging system, while the full guide provides more advanced techniques and integration with Obsidian features.

Introduction

Tags in Obsidian allow you to categorize and structure your notes in a meaningful way, making it easier to manage and navigate your knowledge base.

Step 1: Create Main Category Tags

Define broad themes that encapsulate your notes:

• #personal
• #work
• #research
• #ideas
• #projects

Step 2: Add Essential Sub-tags

Break down main categories into specific sub-tags:

• #personal
  • #personal/journal
  • #personal/goals
• #work
  • #work/meetings
  • #work/tasks
• #research
  • #research/articles
  • #research/books

Step 3: Use Descriptive Tags

Apply cross-category tags to add meaningful context:

• #productivity
• #finance
• #technology

Step 4: Apply Status Tags

Indicate the progress of your notes:

• #status/to-do
• #status/in-progress
• #status/completed

Step 5: Follow Consistent Naming Conventions

Maintain consistency for easier navigation:

• Use lowercase letters
• Use hyphens or underscores to separate words
• Use numbers for sequences or dates

Example of a Tagged Note

Here's a practical example of how to tag a note:

# Meeting Notes - Project X
- Discussed project timeline #projects/projectX
- Assigned tasks to team members #status/to-do
- Reviewed budget and expenses #finance

#type/meeting-notes #work/meetings

By implementing this basic tagging system, you'll start to experience the benefits of improved organization, searchability, and insight generation in your Obsidian knowledge base.

The Benefits of Using Tags in Obsidian

Improved Organization

Tags allow you to categorize and structure your notes in a meaningful way, making it easier to navigate and manage your knowledge base. They offer a flexible and intuitive organizational system beyond a simple folder hierarchy.

Enhanced Searchability

Tags make it easier to find and retrieve specific notes or groups of notes. Instead of relying solely on search terms or remembering exact note titles, you can quickly access all notes related to a particular topic by searching for the relevant tag.

Increased Flexibility

Tags enable multiple ways of classifying and connecting notes beyond a rigid folder structure. A single note can have multiple tags, allowing it to belong to different categories or contexts simultaneously, promoting a more dynamic and interconnected knowledge management approach.

Insight Generation

Tags can reveal patterns, connections, and relationships between ideas that might otherwise remain hidden. By exploring notes that share common tags, you may discover new insights, generate creative ideas, or identify areas for further research or development.

Customization

Tagging systems can be tailored to suit individual needs, workflows, and preferences. Whether you prefer a simple or complex tagging hierarchy, you can adapt your system over time to reflect your evolving knowledge base and goals, providing a personalized and efficient note management approach.

Integration with Obsidian Features

Tags can be used in combination with other powerful Obsidian features to create a highly interconnected and functional knowledge management system. For example:

• Use links to create a network of related notes.
• Employ queries to automatically generate lists of notes based on specific tag criteria.
• Set up saved searches for frequently used tag combinations.

This integration amplifies the overall power and utility of your Obsidian workspace.

By leveraging the benefits of tags in Obsidian, you can transform your collection of notes into a well-organized, easily searchable, and insightful knowledge base that supports your learning, creativity, and productivity.

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Let's go with BrainArchive for this guide.

Step-by-Step Setup Guide

Step 1: Create a New Vault

1. Open Obsidian.
2. Click on "Create new vault."
3. Name your vault BrainArchive.
4. Choose a location for your vault and click "Create."

Step 2: Set Up Main Categories

1. Open a new note and title it Main Categories.
2. List the primary themes or categories:

   #personal
   #work
   #research
   #ideas
   #projects
   #learning
   #hobbies
   #reference
   

Step 3: Create Sub-tags

1. For each main category, create a note and list the sub-tags. For example, create a note titled #personal and add:

   #personal/journal
   #personal/goals
   #personal/health
   

2. Repeat for other categories:

   • Work: #work/meetings, #work/tasks, #work/projects
   • Research: #research/articles, #research/books, #research/experiments
   • Ideas: #ideas/blog, #ideas/business, #ideas/creative
   • Projects: #projects/001, #projects/002, #projects/003
   • Learning: #learning/courses, #learning/books, #learning/notes
   • Hobbies: #hobbies/travel, #hobbies/photography, #hobbies/cooking
   • Reference: #reference/tools, #reference/resources, #reference/templates

Step 4: Apply Descriptive Tags

1. Create a note titled Descriptive Tags.
2. List general tags:

   #productivity
   #finance
   #marketing
   #technology
   #creativity
   #psychology
   #wellness
   #education
   #innovation
   

Step 5: Special Tags for Note Types or Status

1. Create a note titled Special Tags.
2. List tags for note types and status:

   #type/meeting-notes
   #type/book-summary
   #type/article-review
   #type/brainstorm
   #status/to-do
   #status/in-progress
   #status/completed
   #status/archived
   

Step 6: Use Nested Tags

1. Create notes for nested tags under relevant main categories.
2. Example for projects:

   #projects/project1/task1
   #projects/project1/task2
   #projects/project2/phase1
   #projects/project2/phase2
   

Step 7: Consistent Naming Conventions

1. Add a note titled Naming Conventions.
2. Describe your rules:

   - Use lowercase letters.
   - Use hyphens or underscores for spaces.
   - Incorporate numbers for sequences or dates (e.g., #project/001, #idea/2023/05/22).
   

Step 8: Combine with Other Obsidian Features

1. Create a note titled Using Tags with Other Features.
2. Outline how to use tags with links, backlinks, queries, and the tag pane.

Step 9: Regular Review and Refinement

1. Set a periodic reminder (monthly, quarterly) to review and refine your tag system.
2. Adjust the hierarchy, merge similar tags, and remove unused ones as needed.

Example Note

Create a sample note to illustrate how to use the tags:

# Meeting with John - Project Update

- Discussed progress on #projects/001
- Identified bottlenecks in #projects/001/task2
- Brainstormed ideas for improving #productivity
- Scheduled follow-up meeting for next week #2023/05/28

#type/meeting-notes #work/meetings #status/completed

Summary of Starting Point Tags

Main Categories

• #personal
• #work
• #research
• #ideas
• #projects
• #learning
• #hobbies
• #reference

Sub-tags

• #personal
  • #personal/journal
  • #personal/goals
  • #personal/health
• #work
  • #work/meetings
  • #work/tasks
  • #work/projects
• #research
  • #research/articles
  • #research/books
  • #research/experiments
• #ideas
  • #ideas/blog
  • #ideas/business
  • #ideas/creative
• #projects
  • #projects/001
  • #projects/002
  • #projects/003
• #learning
  • #learning/courses
  • #learning/books
  • #learning/notes
• #hobbies
  • #hobbies/travel
  • #hobbies/photography
  • #hobbies/cooking
• #reference
  • #reference/tools
  • #reference/resources
  • #reference/templates

Descriptive Tags

• #productivity
• #finance
• #marketing
• #technology
• #creativity
• #psychology
• #wellness
• #education
• #innovation

Special Tags

• #type
  • #type/meeting-notes
  • #type/book-summary
  • #type/article-review
  • #type/brainstorm
• #status
  • #status/to-do
  • #status/in-progress
  • #status/completed
  • #status/archived

This setup will provide a robust, organized structure for your notes, making it easier to manage and navigate your knowledge base.

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Comprehensive Guide to Using a Modular Tag System in Obsidian

Step 1: Identify Main Categories

Define the primary themes or categories that broadly encapsulate your notes. These categories will help you quickly find and organize notes. Examples include:

• #personal
• #work
• #research
• #ideas
• #projects
• #learning
• #hobbies
• #reference (for capturing general reference information)

Step 2: Create Sub-tags

Break down each main category into more specific sub-tags to further organize your notes. Sub-tags should help you pinpoint the exact type of note or context. Examples include:

• #personal
  • #personal/journal
  • #personal/goals
  • #personal/health
• #work
  • #work/meetings
  • #work/tasks
  • #work/projects
• #research
  • #research/articles
  • #research/books
  • #research/experiments
• #ideas
  • #ideas/blog
  • #ideas/business
  • #ideas/creative
• #projects
  • #projects/project1
  • #projects/project2
  • #projects/projectX
• #learning
  • #learning/courses
  • #learning/books
  • #learning/notes
• #hobbies
  • #hobbies/travel
  • #hobbies/photography
  • #hobbies/cooking
• #reference
  • #reference/tools
  • #reference/resources
  • #reference/templates

Step 3: Use Descriptive Tags

Apply specific descriptive tags to capture the content or key concepts of each note. These tags should be general enough to be used across different categories but specific enough to add meaningful context. Examples include:

• #productivity
• #finance
• #marketing
• #technology
• #creativity
• #psychology
• #wellness
• #education
• #innovation

Step 4: Special Tags for Note Types or Status

Add tags to identify the type of note or its status. These can help you track the purpose or progress of a note. Examples include:

• #type
  • #type/meeting-notes
  • #type/book-summary
  • #type/article-review
  • #type/brainstorm
• #status
  • #status/to-do
  • #status/in-progress
  • #status/completed
  • #status/archived

Step 5: Use Nested Tags

Create a hierarchical structure with nested tags to establish relationships and context. Nested tags should logically connect broader categories to more specific details. Examples include:

• #projects
  • #projects/project1
    • #projects/project1/task1
    • #projects/project1/task2
  • #projects/project2
    • #projects/project2/phase1
    • #projects/project2/phase2
• #research
  • #research/articles
    • #research/articles/psychology
    • #research/articles/technology
  • #research/books
    • #research/books/business
    • #research/books/science

Step 6: Consistent Naming Conventions

Maintain consistency in naming tags. Use all lowercase letters, hyphens, or underscores to separate words in a tag. Numbers can also be used in tag names to denote sequences or dates. Examples include:

• Use #work/tasks instead of #Work/Tasks
• Use #personal_goals instead of #Personal Goals
• Use #project/001 or #idea/2023/05/22

Step 7: Combine with Other Obsidian Features

Tags can be used in combination with other powerful Obsidian features to enable even more effective organization and navigation. For example:

• Use links and backlinks to connect related notes.
• Create queries to dynamically collect notes based on tag patterns.
• Set up saved searches for frequently used tag combinations.
• Use the tag pane to quickly access and manage your tags.

Step 8: Regular Review and Refinement

Regularly review and refine your tag system to ensure it remains effective as your knowledge base grows. Merge similar tags, remove unused ones, and adjust your hierarchy as needed.

Example of a Tagged Note

Here's a practical example of how you might tag a note:

# Meeting with John - Project Update

- Discussed progress on #projects/001
- Identified bottlenecks in #projects/001/task2
- Brainstormed ideas for improving #productivity
- Scheduled follow-up meeting for next week #2023/05/28

#type/meeting-notes #work/meetings #status/completed

Summary of Starting Point Tags

Here's a summary list of starting point tags for easy reference:

Main Categories

• #personal
• #work
• #research
• #ideas
• #projects
• #learning
• #hobbies
• #reference

Sub-tags

• #personal
  • #personal/journal
  • #personal/goals
  • #personal/health
• #work
  • #work/meetings
  • #work/tasks
  • #work/projects
• #research
  • #research/articles
  • #research/books
  • #research/experiments
• #ideas
  • #ideas/blog
  • #ideas/business
  • #ideas/creative
• #projects
  • #projects/001
  • #projects/002
  • #projects/003
• #learning
  • #learning/courses
  • #learning/books
  • #learning/notes
• #hobbies
  • #hobbies/travel
  • #hobbies/photography
  • #hobbies/cooking
• #reference
  • #reference/tools
  • #reference/resources
  • #reference/templates

Descriptive Tags

• #productivity
• #finance
• #marketing
• #technology
• #creativity
• #psychology
• #wellness
• #education
• #innovation

Special Tags

• #type
  • #type/meeting-notes
  • #type/book-summary
  • #type/article-review
  • #type/brainstorm
• #status
  • #status/to-do
  • #status/in-progress
  • #status/completed
  • #status/archived

This guide provides a comprehensive, organized approach to using a modular tag system in Obsidian, allowing you to efficiently manage and navigate your notes.