name: obsidian-bases description: 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. slug: obsidian-bases category: operations complexity: complex version: "1.0.0" author: "id8Labs" triggers:

• "obsidian-bases"
• "obsidian bases" tags:
• development
• tool-factory-retrofitted---

Obsidian Bases Skill

Core Workflows

Workflow 1: Primary Action

1. Analyze the input and context
2. Validate prerequisites are met
3. Execute the core operation
4. Verify the output meets expectations
5. Report results

This skill enables skills-compatible agents to create and edit valid Obsidian Bases (

.base

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

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

file.name

file.basename

file.path

file.folder

file.ext

file.size

file.ctime

file.mtime

file.tags

file.links

file.backlinks

file.embeds

file.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

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, "")'

Functions Reference

Global Functions

date()

date(string): date

YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm:ss

duration()

duration(string): duration

now()

now(): date

today()

today(): date

if()

if(condition, trueResult, falseResult?)

min()

min(n1, n2, ...): number

max()

max(n1, n2, ...): number

number()

number(any): number

link()

link(path, display?): Link

list()

list(element): List

file()

file(path): file

image()

image(path): image

icon()

icon(name): icon

html()

html(string): html

escapeHTML()

escapeHTML(string): string

Any Type Functions

isTruthy()

any.isTruthy(): boolean

isType()

any.isType(type): boolean

toString()

any.toString(): string

Date Functions & Fields

Fields:

date.year

date.month

date.day

date.hour

date.minute

date.second

date.millisecond

date()

date.date(): date

format()

date.format(string): string

time()

date.time(): string

relative()

date.relative(): string

isEmpty()

date.isEmpty(): boolean

Duration Type

When subtracting two dates, the result is a Duration type (not a number). Duration has its own properties and methods.

Duration Fields:

duration.days

duration.hours

duration.minutes

duration.seconds

duration.milliseconds

IMPORTANT: Duration does NOT support

.round()

.floor()

.ceil()

.days

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

# CORRECT: Round the numeric result if needed
"(date(due_date) - today()).days.round(0)"           # Rounded days
"(now() - file.ctime).hours.round(0)"                # Rounded hours

# 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

# 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 returns Duration type
"now() - file.ctime"                    # Returns Duration
"(now() - file.ctime).days"             # Get days as number
"(now() - file.ctime).hours"            # Get hours as number

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

String Functions

Field:

string.length

contains()

string.contains(value): boolean

containsAll()

string.containsAll(...values): boolean

containsAny()

string.containsAny(...values): boolean

startsWith()

string.startsWith(query): boolean

endsWith()

string.endsWith(query): boolean

isEmpty()

string.isEmpty(): boolean

lower()

string.lower(): string

title()

string.title(): string

trim()

string.trim(): string

replace()

string.replace(pattern, replacement): string

repeat()

string.repeat(count): string

reverse()

string.reverse(): string

slice()

string.slice(start, end?): string

split()

string.split(separator, n?): list

Number Functions

abs()

number.abs(): number

ceil()

number.ceil(): number

floor()

number.floor(): number

round()

number.round(digits?): number

toFixed()

number.toFixed(precision): string

isEmpty()

number.isEmpty(): boolean

List Functions

Field:

list.length

contains()

list.contains(value): boolean

containsAll()

list.containsAll(...values): boolean

containsAny()

list.containsAny(...values): boolean

filter()

list.filter(expression): list

value

index

map()

list.map(expression): list

value

index

reduce()

list.reduce(expression, initial): any

value

index

acc

flat()

list.flat(): list

join()

list.join(separator): string

reverse()

list.reverse(): list

slice()

list.slice(start, end?): list

sort()

list.sort(): list

unique()

list.unique(): list

isEmpty()

list.isEmpty(): boolean

File Functions

asLink()

file.asLink(display?): Link

hasLink()

file.hasLink(otherFile): boolean

hasTag()

file.hasTag(...tags): boolean

hasProperty()

file.hasProperty(name): boolean

inFolder()

file.inFolder(folder): boolean

Link Functions

asFile()

link.asFile(): file

linksTo()

link.linksTo(file): boolean

Object Functions

isEmpty()

object.isEmpty(): boolean

keys()

object.keys(): list

values()

object.values(): list

Regular Expression Functions

matches()

regexp.matches(string): boolean

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

Average

Min

Max

Sum

Range

Median

Stddev

Earliest

Latest

Range

Checked

Unchecked

Empty

Filled

Unique

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

Project Notes Base

filters:
  and:
    - file.inFolder("Projects")
    - 'file.ext == "md"'

formulas:
  last_updated: 'file.mtime.relative()'
  link_count: 'file.links.length'

summaries:
  avgLinks: 'values.filter(value.isType("number")).mean().round(1)'

properties:
  formula.last_updated:
    displayName: "Updated"
  formula.link_count:
    displayName: "Links"

views:
  - type: table
    name: "All Projects"
    order:
      - file.name
      - status
      - formula.last_updated
      - formula.link_count
    summaries:
      formula.link_count: avgLinks
    groupBy:
      property: status
      direction: ASC

  - type: list
    name: "Quick List"
    order:
      - file.name
      - status

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

Common Patterns

Filter by Tag

filters:
  and:
    - file.hasTag("project")

Filter by Folder

filters:
  and:
    - file.inFolder("Notes")

Filter by Date Range

filters:
  and:
    - 'file.mtime > now() - "7d"'

Filter by Property Value

filters:
  and:
    - 'status == "active"'
    - 'priority >= 3'

Combine Multiple Conditions

filters:
  or:
    - and:
        - file.hasTag("important")
        - 'status != "done"'
    - and:
        - 'priority == 1'
        - 'due != ""'

References

• Bases Syntax
• Functions
• Views
• Formulas