Obsidian Bases Skill

This skill enables Claude Code to create and edit valid Obsidian Bases (.base files) including views, filters, formulas, and all related configurations.

Overview

Obsidian Bases are YAML-based files that define dynamic views of notes in an Obsidian vault. A Base file can contain multiple views, global filters, formulas, property configurations, and custom summaries.

File Format

Base files use the .base extension and contain valid YAML. They can also be embedded in Markdown code blocks.

Complete Schema

# Global filters apply to ALL views in the base
filters:
  # Can be a single filter string
  # OR a recursive filter object with and/or/not
  and: []
  or: []
  not: []

# 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
      and: []
    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

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

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")'
  
  # Complex expressions
  days_old: '((now() - file.ctime) / 86400000).round(0)'

Functions Reference

Global Functions

Any Type Functions

Date Functions & Fields

Fields: date.year, date.month, date.day, date.hour, date.minute, date.second, date.millisecond

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

# Add/subtract durations
"date + \"1M\""           # Add 1 month
"date - \"2h\""           # Subtract 2 hours
"now() + \"1 day\""       # Tomorrow
"today() + \"7d\""        # A week from today

# Subtract dates for millisecond difference
"now() - file.ctime"

# Complex duration arithmetic
"now() + (duration('1d') * 2)"

String Functions

Field: string.length

Number Functions

List Functions

Field: list.length

File Functions