Obsidian Just Got a Secret Weapon (and It’s Called Bases)
Obsidian’s new core plugin, Bases, quietly transforms your notes into fully filterable databases—without any code. But under the surface, it’s doing more than you think. From custom views to AI-ready formulas, this feature might just redefine how you work with your vault.Obs
Copy Link
Share on X
Share on LinkedIn
Share on Facebook
Share via Email
TL;DR
Obsidian Bases is a new, fully customizable database plugin built directly into Obsidian.
But how does it work—and what can it do for your personal productivity?
We’ve pulled together key resources to help you understand how Obsidian Bases functions and what it can unlock for your workflow.
What is Obsidian Bases?
Obsidian Bases is a new core plugin that lets you turn any group of notes in your vault into a flexible, filterable database—similar to Notion or Airtable, but with Obsidian’s local-first approach
“A base becomes a database… a foundation that gives us the footing we need for viewing our ideas in a structured way.” — Nick Milo
1. Filter Anything Instantly
With Bases, you can quickly surface the exact notes you need. Want to see your highest-rated quotes? Or filter projects by deadline? Bases makes that possible in seconds.
“Imagine having every note you’ve ever made instantly filtered to show exactly what you need, right when you need it.” — Nick Milo
2. Work Across Your Entire Vault
Unlike Notion, where notes are siloed in individual databases, Obsidian Bases sees everything in your vault. One big graph, one big database.
“Obsidian has one giganto database… It’s going to be able to look at all of your notes.” — Nick Milo
3. Create Multiple Views
You can create saved views inside a base—like “Top 8 Quotes” or “Active Projects.” These let you switch between different filtered layouts instantly, just like Airtable.
“Now I can quickly switch to a different view… and we can do this really fast.” — Nick Milo
4. Embed Views into Notes
Custom views can be embedded into your daily notes or dashboards using standard Obsidian link syntax. It brings dynamic data directly into your writing flow
“In the middle of whatever note I’m in, I can drop very specific bespoke content.” — Nick Milo
5. Blazing Speed
Even with vaults containing tens of thousands of notes, Bases remains lightning fast—something that Notion and DataView often struggle with.
“These bases are blazing.” — Nick Milo
6. Powerful Filtering with Properties
Bases relies on Obsidian’s properties. You can filter and sort based on fields like rank, author, or status, giving your notes a new layer of structure
“Properties become more important if you want to use Obsidian Bases.” — Nick Milo
7. Early Support for Formulas
Though still early, Bases includes support for formulas and functions—ideal for advanced users who want calculated fields or custom scoring.
Danny's Opinion on Bases
Danny Hatcher calls Obsidian Bases a “game-changing plugin”—especially for users who’ve struggled with previous database-style plugins like DataView.
“Obsidian always struggled… DataView was great, but you needed to understand queries. Bases does it for you.” — Danny Hatcher
He highlights how Bases eliminates the need for complex syntax and coding knowledge:
It brings a clean, easy-to-use interface with drag-and-drop properties and filters.
Users can create custom views, add formulas, and sort/filter data with minimal setup.
It mimics the flexibility of Notion or ClickUp but stays local and fast.
Even non-coders can now build complex, dynamic views across their vault.
Danny also praises the formula system, hotkey integration, and upcoming roadmap (like card/calendar views, grouping, and publish support), saying
“It just works. It’s nice.”
Step-by-Step: How to Get Started
1. Get the Catalyst License
Visit Obsidian.md and purchase the Catalyst license. This gives you early access to Obsidian features in development.
2. Update Obsidian
Ensure you’re on version 1.9.0 or higher. Go to Settings → About → Check for Updates.
3. Enable Bases Plugin
Go to Settings → Core Plugins
Scroll to find Bases
Click to enable it
4. Create Your First Base
Open the command palette (Cmd+P or Ctrl+P)
Type “Create new base” and hit Enter
You’ll see a table view that pulls in all your notes
5. Add Properties and Filters
Use file-level properties (tags, dates, checkboxes, etc.)
Customize columns, views, filters, and even formulas
6. Explore More
Try switching views
Add hotkeys in Settings → Hotkeys → Bases
Embed a filtered base into a note using ![[Base Name#View Name]]
