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Obsidian Bases

Steph Ango (Obsidian)CommunityCreated by Steph Ango (Obsidian)

  • Skill
  • Tool integration
  • Automation and integrations
  • MIT
  • No issues found

From the author

Create and edit Obsidian Bases (.base files) with views, filters, formulas, and summaries. Use when working with .base files, creating database-like views of notes, or when the user mentions Bases, table views, card views, filters, or formulas in Obsidian.
— the description by Steph Ango (Obsidian)

AutoGineer summary

Written by AutoGineer from the skill’s own files, not by the author

The Obsidian Bases skill provides a structured way to organize and display note collections within Obsidian. By creating .base files, users can define global filters, computed properties via formulas, and multiple view types such as tables, cards, lists, or maps. This tool allows for dynamic data management, enabling users to transform their vault into a powerful database-driven workspace.

What it does

  • Creates database-like views for Obsidian notes using .base files.
  • Supports multiple view formats including table, card, list, and map.
  • Enables complex data filtering using logical operators and nested conditions.
  • Provides a formula engine for computing custom properties from note metadata.
  • Allows for property configuration and display name customization.
  • Supports embedding specific views directly into Markdown files.

When to use it

  • When you need to organize notes into structured tables or galleries.
  • When you want to perform calculations on note metadata, such as task deadlines or reading times.
  • When you need to filter notes based on tags, folders, or specific property values.
  • When you want to create dynamic dashboards or indices within your vault.

Advantages

  • Native integration with Obsidian's file system and metadata.
  • Flexible view configuration allows for diverse data presentation.
  • Powerful formula syntax for advanced data manipulation.
  • Supports global and view-specific filtering for granular control.

Usage examples

“Create a table view of all my active tasks.”
The agent generates a .base file with a filter for 'status != "done"' and a table view displaying task names, statuses, and due dates.
“How do I calculate the number of days until a task is due?”
The agent provides a formula snippet using 'if(due, (date(due) - today()).days, "")' to compute the remaining days.
“Show me a gallery of my book notes.”
The agent creates a .base file with a 'cards' view, filtering for notes tagged with 'book' and ordering by cover image and title.

Install

  1. Download the skill as a ZIP:

    https://mp-staging.autogineer.com/agent-skills/kepano/obsidian-bases/download
  2. Unzip it into the cross-client skills folder of your project:

    mkdir -p .agents/skills && unzip obsidian-bases.zip -d .agents/skills

Documentation by Steph Ango (Obsidian)

Obsidian Bases Skill

Workflow

  1. Create the file: Create a .base file in the vault with valid YAML content

  2. Define scope: Add filters to select which notes appear (by tag, folder, property, or date)

  3. Add formulas (optional): Define computed properties in the formulas section

  4. Configure views: Add one or more views (table, cards, list, or map) with order specifying which properties to display

  5. Validate: Verify the file is valid YAML with no syntax errors. Check that all referenced properties and formulas exist. Common issues: unquoted strings containing special YAML characters, mismatched quotes in formula expressions, referencing formula.X without defining X in formulas

  6. Test in Obsidian: Open the .base file in Obsidian to confirm the view renders correctly. If it shows a YAML error, check quoting rules below

Schema

Base files use the .base extension and contain valid YAML.

# Global filters apply to ALL views in the base
filters:
  # Can be a single filter string
  # OR a recursive filter object with exactly ONE key: and, or, or not
  and:
    - 'status == "active"'
    - not:
        - 'file.hasTag("archived")'

# Define formula properties that can be used across all views
formulas:
  formula_name: 'expression'

# Configure display names and settings for properties
properties:
  property_name:
    displayName: "Display Name"
  formula.formula_name:
    displayName: "Formula Display Name"
  file.ext:
    displayName: "Extension"

# Define custom summary formulas
summaries:
  custom_summary_name: 'values.mean().round(3)'

# Define one or more views
views:
  - type: table | cards | list | map
    name: "View Name"
    limit: 10                    # Optional: limit results
    groupBy:                     # Optional: group results
      property: property_name
      direction: ASC | DESC
    filters:                     # View-specific filters follow the same rules
      and:
        - 'status == "active"'
    order:                       # Properties to display in order
      - file.name
      - property_name
      - formula.formula_name
    summaries:                   # Map properties to summary formulas
      property_name: Average

Filter Syntax

Filters narrow down results. They can be applied globally or per-view.

Filter Structure
# Single filter
filters: 'status == "done"'

# AND - all conditions must be true
filters:
  and:
    - 'status == "done"'
    - 'priority > 3'

# OR - any condition can be true
filters:
  or:
    - 'file.hasTag("book")'
    - 'file.hasTag("article")'

# NOT - exclude matching items
filters:
  not:
    - 'file.hasTag("archived")'

# Nested filters
filters:
  or:
    - file.hasTag("tag")
    - and:
        - file.hasTag("book")
        - file.hasLink("Textbook")
    - not:
        - file.hasTag("book")
        - file.inFolder("Required Reading")
Filter Operators
OperatorDescription
==equals
!=not equal
>greater than
<less than
>=greater than or equal
<=less than or equal
&&logical and
||logical or
<code>!</code>logical not

Properties

Three Types of Properties
  1. Note properties - From frontmatter: note.author or just author

  2. File properties - File metadata: file.name, file.mtime, etc.

  3. Formula properties - Computed values: formula.my_formula

File Properties Reference
PropertyTypeDescription
file.nameStringFile name
file.basenameStringFile name without extension
file.pathStringFull path to file
file.folderStringParent folder path
file.extStringFile extension
file.sizeNumberFile size in bytes
file.ctimeDateCreated time
file.mtimeDateModified time
file.tagsListAll tags in file
file.linksListInternal links in file
file.backlinksListFiles linking to this file
file.embedsListEmbeds in the note
file.propertiesObjectAll frontmatter properties
The this Keyword
  • In main content area: refers to the base file itself

  • When embedded: refers to the embedding file

  • In sidebar: refers to the active file in main content

Formula Syntax

Formulas compute values from properties. Defined in the formulas section.

formulas:
  # Simple arithmetic
  total: "price * quantity"

  # Conditional logic
  status_icon: 'if(done, "✅", "⏳")'

  # String formatting
  formatted_price: 'if(price, price.toFixed(2) + " dollars")'

  # Date formatting
  created: 'file.ctime.format("YYYY-MM-DD")'

  # Calculate days since created (use .days for Duration)
  days_old: '(now() - file.ctime).days'

  # Calculate days until due date
  days_until_due: 'if(due_date, (date(due_date) - today()).days, "")'

Key Functions

Most commonly used functions. For the complete reference of all types (Date, String, Number, List, File, Link, Object, RegExp), see FUNCTIONS_REFERENCE.md.

FunctionSignatureDescription
date()date(string): dateParse string to date (YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm:ss)
now()now(): dateCurrent date and time
today()today(): dateCurrent date (time = 00:00:00)
if()if(condition, trueResult, falseResult?)Conditional
duration()duration(string): durationParse duration string
file()file(path): fileGet file object
link()link(path, display?): LinkCreate a link
Duration Type

When subtracting two dates, the result is a Duration type (not a number).

Duration Fields: duration.days, duration.hours, duration.minutes, duration.seconds, duration.milliseconds

IMPORTANT: Duration does NOT support .round(), .floor(), .ceil() directly. Access a numeric field first (like .days), then apply number functions.

# CORRECT: Calculate days between dates
"(date(due_date) - today()).days"                    # Returns number of days
"(now() - file.ctime).days"                          # Days since created
"(date(due_date) - today()).days.round(0)"           # Rounded days

# WRONG - will cause error:
# "((date(due) - today()) / 86400000).round(0)"      # Duration doesn't support division then round
Date Arithmetic
# Duration units: y/year/years, M/month/months, d/day/days,
#                 w/week/weeks, h/hour/hours, m/minute/minutes, s/second/seconds
"now() + \"1 day\""       # Tomorrow
"today() + \"7d\""        # A week from today
"now() - file.ctime"      # Returns Duration
"(now() - file.ctime).days"  # Get days as number

View Types

Table View
views:
  - type: table
    name: "My Table"
    order:
      - file.name
      - status
      - due_date
    summaries:
      price: Sum
      count: Average
Cards View
views:
  - type: cards
    name: "Gallery"
    order:
      - file.name
      - cover_image
      - description
List View
views:
  - type: list
    name: "Simple List"
    order:
      - file.name
      - status
Map View

Requires latitude/longitude properties and the Maps community plugin.

views:
  - type: map
    name: "Locations"
    # Map-specific settings for lat/lng properties

Default Summary Formulas

NameInput TypeDescription
AverageNumberMathematical mean
MinNumberSmallest number
MaxNumberLargest number
SumNumberSum of all numbers
RangeNumberMax - Min
MedianNumberMathematical median
StddevNumberStandard deviation
EarliestDateEarliest date
LatestDateLatest date
RangeDateLatest - Earliest
CheckedBooleanCount of true values
UncheckedBooleanCount of false values
EmptyAnyCount of empty values
FilledAnyCount of non-empty values
UniqueAnyCount of unique values

Complete Examples

Task Tracker Base
filters:
  and:
    - file.hasTag("task")
    - 'file.ext == "md"'

formulas:
  days_until_due: 'if(due, (date(due) - today()).days, "")'
  is_overdue: 'if(due, date(due) < today() && status != "done", false)'
  priority_label: 'if(priority == 1, "🔴 High", if(priority == 2, "🟡 Medium", "🟢 Low"))'

properties:
  status:
    displayName: Status
  formula.days_until_due:
    displayName: "Days Until Due"
  formula.priority_label:
    displayName: Priority

views:
  - type: table
    name: "Active Tasks"
    filters:
      and:
        - 'status != "done"'
    order:
      - file.name
      - status
      - formula.priority_label
      - due
      - formula.days_until_due
    groupBy:
      property: status
      direction: ASC
    summaries:
      formula.days_until_due: Average

  - type: table
    name: "Completed"
    filters:
      and:
        - 'status == "done"'
    order:
      - file.name
      - completed_date
Reading List Base
filters:
  or:
    - file.hasTag("book")
    - file.hasTag("article")

formulas:
  reading_time: 'if(pages, (pages * 2).toString() + " min", "")'
  status_icon: 'if(status == "reading", "📖", if(status == "done", "✅", "📚"))'
  year_read: 'if(finished_date, date(finished_date).year, "")'

properties:
  author:
    displayName: Author
  formula.status_icon:
    displayName: ""
  formula.reading_time:
    displayName: "Est. Time"

views:
  - type: cards
    name: "Library"
    order:
      - cover
      - file.name
      - author
      - formula.status_icon
    filters:
      not:
        - 'status == "dropped"'

  - type: table
    name: "Reading List"
    filters:
      and:
        - 'status == "to-read"'
    order:
      - file.name
      - author
      - pages
      - formula.reading_time
Daily Notes Index
filters:
  and:
    - file.inFolder("Daily Notes")
    - '/^\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}$/.matches(file.basename)'

formulas:
  word_estimate: '(file.size / 5).round(0)'
  day_of_week: 'date(file.basename).format("dddd")'

properties:
  formula.day_of_week:
    displayName: "Day"
  formula.word_estimate:
    displayName: "~Words"

views:
  - type: table
    name: "Recent Notes"
    limit: 30
    order:
      - file.name
      - formula.day_of_week
      - formula.word_estimate
      - file.mtime

Embedding Bases

Embed in Markdown files:

![[MyBase.base]]

<!-- Specific view -->
![[MyBase.base#View Name]]

YAML Quoting Rules

  • Use single quotes for formulas containing double quotes: 'if(done, "Yes", "No")'

  • Use double quotes for simple strings: "My View Name"

  • Escape nested quotes properly in complex expressions

Troubleshooting

YAML Syntax Errors

Unquoted special characters: Strings containing :, {, }, [, ], ,, &, *, #, ?, |, -, <, >, =, !, %, @, ` must be quoted.

# WRONG - colon in unquoted string
displayName: Status: Active

# CORRECT
displayName: "Status: Active"

Mismatched quotes in formulas: When a formula contains double quotes, wrap the entire formula in single quotes.

# WRONG - double quotes inside double quotes
formulas:
  label: "if(done, "Yes", "No")"

# CORRECT - single quotes wrapping double quotes
formulas:
  label: 'if(done, "Yes", "No")'
Common Formula Errors

Duration math without field access: Subtracting dates returns a Duration, not a number. Always access .days, .hours, etc.

# WRONG - Duration is not a number
"(now() - file.ctime).round(0)"

# CORRECT - access .days first, then round
"(now() - file.ctime).days.round(0)"

Missing null checks: Properties may not exist on all notes. Use if() to guard.

# WRONG - crashes if due_date is empty
"(date(due_date) - today()).days"

# CORRECT - guard with if()
'if(due_date, (date(due_date) - today()).days, "")'

Referencing undefined formulas: Ensure every formula.X in order or properties has a matching entry in formulas.

# This will fail silently if 'total' is not defined in formulas
order:
  - formula.total

# Fix: define it
formulas:
  total: "price * quantity"

References

Files

LICENSE

MIT License

Copyright (c) 2026 Steph Ango (@kepano)

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.

Requirements and compatibility

Works with: Claude Code, Claude apps, OpenAI Codex, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Gemini CLI, Kiro, OpenCode, Goose, Amp, Roo Code, JetBrains Junie, Factory Droid, Devin (ex-Windsurf), Mistral Vibe, OpenHands, Letta

“Works with” means the tool reads the open Agent Skills format; a skill written for one tool may use features others lack.

Security

No issues found by our static scan· No issues found

A static scan is not a guarantee. Skills are third-party content: review a skill before you let an agent use it.

Attribution and licence

Created by
Steph Ango (Obsidian)
Publisher
Steph Ango (Obsidian) (Community)
Source
kepano/obsidian-skills · skills/obsidian-bases · commit 3ccff53
Licence
MIT License (redistribution allowed)
  • LICENSE (added by AutoGineer from LICENSE)
  • ATTRIBUTION.md (written by AutoGineer)
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Download ZIP

The ZIP holds the skill’s files, its licence files and an ATTRIBUTION.md. Download obsidian-bases.zip