Obsidian Note Format

Help create or revise Markdown notes that work well in Obsidian. Focus on portable Obsidian conventions, not any one user's private vault path, personal folder names, or local writing habits.

Core Rule

Produce a clean .md note the user can paste into Obsidian or save in their vault. If the current environment cannot write directly to the user's vault, provide the suggested filename, suggested location category, and complete Markdown content instead of pretending the file was saved.

Workflow

1. Identify the note type: general note, learning note, project note, review/retrospective, or idea note.
2. Clarify only when needed: ask one short question if the topic, target folder/category, or intended note type is ambiguous.
3. Choose a concise, semantic filename. Avoid names like Untitled, New Note, or vague dates alone.
4. Use the closest template from references/templates.md.
5. Add frontmatter only when useful. Keep it small and portable.
6. Use Obsidian syntax where it helps: wikilinks, callouts, task lists, embeds, and tags.
7. Keep formatting readable. Do not overuse callouts, highlights, bold text, or decorative structure.
8. End with a short handoff: suggested filename, template used, key tags, and any assumptions.

Frontmatter

Put YAML frontmatter at the top only when metadata helps the user find or manage the note.

---
title: Note title
created: YYYY-MM-DD
updated: YYYY-MM-DD
tags:
  - topic
  - note-type
status: draft
---

Guidelines:

• Use the current date for created and updated unless the user gives another date.
• Use 2-5 useful tags. Do not turn tags into a keyword dump.
• Prefer portable status values such as draft, active, done, or archive.
• Add optional fields such as project, source, or aliases only when they are clearly useful.

Obsidian Syntax Essentials

Use references/syntax-cheatsheet.md for exact syntax and common mistakes.

High-frequency patterns:

• Internal link: [[Note name]]
• Display alias: [[Real note name|display text]]
• Link to heading: [[Note name#Heading]]
• Embed file or note: ![[file.png]], ![[Another note]]
• Task item: - [ ] Task
• Callout: > [!note] Title
• Tag: #topic or #topic/subtopic

Style Rules

• Write the note for long-term retrieval, not just immediate reading.
• Make one note mainly about one topic. If the source content mixes unrelated themes, propose splitting it.
• Prefer clear headings over dense paragraphs.
• Put the user's own conclusion, decision, or next action near the end when the note is for learning, planning, or project work.
• Use wikilinks only when they are likely to become real notes or useful navigation points.
• Preserve quoted material clearly when transforming source excerpts; do not blur copied source text with new analysis.

Output Shape

When writing a note, return:

1. Suggested filename
2. Suggested vault category or folder type, if inferable
3. Complete Markdown note
4. Brief self-check

If the user only asks for advice or syntax help, answer directly and include the minimum examples needed.