A comprehensive Zettelkasten template for Obsidian, designed to simplify note organization and knowledge management. Perfect for researchers, students, writers, and knowledge workers who want a structured yet flexible note-taking system.
🌟 Key Features:
- Flat, folder-free organization - Uses tags instead of rigid folder hierarchies
- Optional MOCs - Maps of Content can be removed entirely
- Rich templates - Notes, journals, meetings, people, references, and visual content
- Automated metadata - Links, dates, and tags inserted automatically
- Habit tracking - Built-in daily habit monitoring
- Visual support - Excalidraw integration for drawings and diagrams
Note: This template uses a flat, folder-free organization system. All MOC (Map of Contents) files are optional and can be removed - the vault's structure is primarily controlled by #tags rather than folders. MOCs provide convenient views but aren't required for organization.
Explore the [[00_Home MOC]] for detailed insights.
Option 1: Download ZIP (Recommended)
- Click the green "Code" button → "Download ZIP"
- Extract to a folder (rename as desired, e.g.,
my-zettelkasten)
Option 2: Git Clone
git clone https://github.com/kulapoo/obsidian-template.git my-zettelkastenNext Steps:
- Open Obsidian app
- Create new vault → "Open folder as vault"
- Select your extracted/cloned folder
- The vault will auto-configure with plugins and settings
- Restart Obsidian to ensure all plugins load correctly
If the above steps fail, follow these manual setup instructions to ensure proper configuration.
- Open Obsidian.
- Navigate to
Settings > Community plugins > Browse. - Enable community plugins if they are turned off (this is the default behavior).
- Search for and install the following plugins:
- Dataview
- Templater
- Commander - This plugin allows you to swipe down from the top on a mobile device to display the "Create from template" option.
- Excalidraw - sketch / drawing
- Change the Template folder location to "templater/templates".
- Change the Script files folder location to "scripts/templates".
This should be automatically configured when you open the vault, but if it's not working:
- Go to
Settings > Files and links > Default location for new notes. - In the dropdown menu, select "In the folder specified below".
- Set the "Folder to create new notes in" setting to notes.
Note: This setting is pre-configured in the template, but verify it's set correctly if new notes aren't being created in the
notesfolder.
You might want to check out the scripts under the
scriptsfolder that contain constants for formatting dates and other similar purposes.
Utilize the convenient shortcut ctrl + N on Windows or cmd + N on Mac to create a new note and choose from a variety of templates:
- note - Creates a note with
#inputtag - daily - Daily journal template with
#log/journaltag - event - Event documentation with
#log/eventtag - book - Book template with
#source/booktag - meeting - Meeting notes with
#log/meetingtag - people - People profiles with
#persontag - reference - Reference material with
#info/referencetag - excalidraw - Visual content with
#inputand#excalidraw/notetags
To learn more about using templates, please refer to the Templater documentation
/templater/macros/z_init.md- This file is used in each template to insert metadata such as links, creation date, ordinal numbers, and tags.
/templater/macros/z_habit.md- This file is used in each journal or daily template, recommended for tracking frequent habits or tasks you usually do, especially those that may change unexpectedly
The vault uses a structured tagging system to organize content without folders:
#input- Unprocessed notes and excalidraw drawings that need review
#source/book- Books as reference material
#info/reference- Reference materials and documentation
#log/journal- Daily journal entries#log/event- Event records#log/meeting- Meeting notes
#status/todo- General tasks to be done#status/overdue- Overdue tasks (high priority)#status/backlog- Future/someday items#delegate- Tasks delegated to others
#person- People and contact information#excalidraw/note- Visual drawings and diagrams#maps- MOC (Map of Contents) files
For a structured daily journal, update templates under /templater/macros/z_daily_task_start.md and /templater/macros/z_daily_task_end.md.
For daily habit tracking, use the /templater/macros/z_habit.md template. This template helps you monitor and maintain daily habits by providing a checklist section in your journal.
Note: This template provides manual habit tracking through checklists - it doesn't automatically track habits.
Make your Zettelkasten uniquely yours by personalizing templates found in templater/templates. Tailor the system to match your distinctive style and preferences.
Most of the MOC files utilize the Dataview plugin. To customize them, please refer to the Dataview documentation.
You can customize the appearance of your Obsidian notes by using the Style Settings plugin or exploring other style settings options.
- [[Zettelkasten study from Youtube]]
- [[Digital Zettelkasten- Principles, Methods, & Examples]]
- Linking Your Thinking
We welcome contributions! Please feel free to:
- Star ⭐ this repository if you find it useful
- Fork and create pull requests for improvements
- Report issues or suggest new features
- Share with others who might benefit
- GitHub Issues: Report bugs or request features
- Discussions: Share your setup and get help from the community
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Feel free to suggest improvements. Enjoy a seamless and efficient note-taking journey! 🚀