> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://blog.warrenweb.net/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Obsidian Bases manage knowledge objects - URL: https://blog.warrenweb.net/obsidian-bases-manage-knowledge-objects/ - Published: 2025-08-08T21:48:28.000Z - Updated: 2025-08-09T17:13:26.000Z - Description: Create with templates, capture with shortcuts, and manage properties with Bases. - Author: Doug Warren My writing process in Obsidian uses *Bases*, *Canvas*, and *Maps*. Obsidian Bases helps me organize, categorize, and manage notes and maps. This describes how I use *Bases* for making notes in the *Add* phase of the ACE ideation workflow with support from *templates* and *shortcuts*. I will cover more in subsequent posts on *Canvas* and *Maps* about my workflow to publish and share content with others. ### Bases Obsidian Bases is a core plugin that provides filtered views of selected properties for dynamic queries of note collections similar to a database. It offers a YAML query language and user interface that is more powerful that the community plugins for *Dataview*, *DataviewJS*, or *Datacore*, although they still have their place for special views. ### Table views There are several view layouts available such as Table and Card. The Table view format displays columns for selected properties and rows with values across your notes (like a spreadsheet or database). A *properties* editor provides an interactive interface to design their selection and order; also, you can define *filters* with various conditions for properties that determine which notes are presented in the table view. ### Notes are knowledge objects Bases offer a way to view your Obsidian notes as collections of *objects* based on their properties. Every Markdown note in your Obsidian vault contains a name and content, but it also has metadata properties as key:value pairs in YAML front matter at the beginning of a note. The content in your notes represents knowledge with links for relationships with other notes. This mesh network of connected notes forms a *knowledge graph* of notes (objects) and links (relations). ### Object technology Object technology in software architecture represents subject domains in software with classes (types) and objects (instances). An *instance* is a single object with a unique identity and specific *properties*. A class is a group of multiple instances of the same *type* of object. Templates create different types of notes with certain properties, and Bases helps manage note collections and properties like objects. ### ARC ideation workflow I create knowledge and ideas in my PKM system from sparks and other sources. I develop and relate these linked notes further over time and communicate my ideas by publishing works to share. This post focuses on the *Add* phase of the ARC ideation framework, and the *Notice* & *Explore* elements of my *LYT Pipeline* writing process based on WOW techniques and the *Creator's Codex*. ### Capturing sparks It's critical to quickly capture interesting or important sparks such as ideas, links, text, or recipes. I use a *Capture* shortcut to streamline this process with a prompted interface for consistent formatting and storage in Day notes (or sections) such as Log, Journal, or Actions. ### Add base I have an *Add Base* with multiple views where I can manage properties and workflow for new notes. This supports property maintenance for my notes, where I can: - update *navigation* links for \`up\` and \`related\` - assign *categorization* properties via \`category\`, \`topic\`, \`group\`, and \`rank\` - review/update \`type\`, \`status\`, and \`tags\` for processing *workflow* ### Day base I write thoughts, emotions, meditations, freewrites, and reflections in a *Day Journal*. These are primarily text paragraphs with lists and headings. My *Day Log* records what happened each day. These are timestamped bullet list items for *thoughts* or *questions*, and checklist items for *actions*. I use a *Day Base* with various views for files created and/or modified on each day. This shows the notes I processed each day. ### Creating efforts I also have several *Create* shortcuts to automate creation of linked maps, canvas, and drawing for new apps, efforts, and outputs. ### Making notes I create new notes in the Add (`+`) folder of my Obsidian vault (*Ideaverse*). This makes it easy to find since all new notes are located in the same folder. My Bases offer filtered views of these notes by day, effort, app, or output. ### Processing notes It's very easy to create many notes very quickly, and then it starts becoming more difficult to work with them. So it's critical that I have a regular workflow practice that helps me process these new notes regularly so I manage them more effectively. ### Summary *Templates* define and create different types of notes as objects in my PKM system. *Shortcuts* support my writing process with automation of workflow action steps. *Bases* help me manage properties across note collections. That's a powerful combination when making notes.