Obsidian Bases: Turn Notes Into a Database (2026)
Obsidian's new Bases core plugin builds no-code table, card, and list views from the YAML properties already in your notes, with your data staying in local Markdown.
If you have ever kept a reading list, a project tracker, or a contact log as a folder full of Markdown notes, you have quietly built a database without the database. Obsidian's Bases plugin, shipped as a core feature in early 2026, finally lets you see those notes as one.
Quick answer
Bases is an official Obsidian core plugin, released in early 2026, that turns the YAML properties already in your notes into editable, filterable database views. It reads your notes' properties and presents them as a table, card gallery, or list, with all data staying in your local Markdown files. There is no separate license or subscription; you just enable it under Settings then Core Plugins.
Key takeaways
- Bases is a core plugin built by the Obsidian team, so no third-party install is needed.
- It reads the YAML properties already in your notes and shows them as a database.
- You get Table, Card, and List views you can sort and filter.
- Your data stays in local Markdown files with no vendor lock-in.
- It ships free with Obsidian; enable it under Settings then Core Plugins.
What Bases actually is
Obsidian has stored structured metadata in note "properties" (the YAML block at the top of a note) for a while. What it lacked was a way to view many notes' properties together. Bases closes that gap. It reads the properties living in your notes and presents them as an editable, filterable table, card gallery, or list.
The key word is "already." Bases does not ask you to re-enter your data into a new format. If your project notes have status, due, and owner properties, Bases can show all of them as columns in a table you can sort by due date or filter by owner. Change a value in the table and it writes back to the note's Markdown.
That design is what makes it different from bolting a spreadsheet onto your vault. The notes remain the source of truth. The base is just a lens over them.
The three views
Bases ships with three built-in view types, each suited to a different kind of data.
| View | Best for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Table | Structured records you sort and filter | Project tracker, CRM-style contact list |
| Card | Visual collections with a cover or image | Book library, recipe box, media log |
| List | Lightweight, scannable groupings | Reading queue, task backlog |
A table view behaves like the grid you would expect: columns per property, sortable headers, and filters. A card view is closer to a gallery, useful when each note has an image or you want a more visual layout. A list view is the simplest, good for quick scanning.
You can build multiple bases over the same notes, each with its own filters and view, so the same folder of project notes can appear as a table for planning and a card gallery for review.
Why local Markdown matters
Every value a base shows lives in a plain-text Markdown file on your disk. There is no proprietary database format and nothing to export if you leave. That is the pitch a lot of people are making when they move project tracking off cloud tools: your notes, and the structured data inside them, stay in a format you fully own.
This is the practical reason Bases has drawn comparisons to Notion. Notion's databases are excellent, but they live in Notion. Bases gives you a similar structured view without handing your data to a hosted service. If you also want AI features layered on top, our guide to Notion 3.0 AI agents covers where the hosted approach still pulls ahead.
Setting it up
Because Bases is a core plugin, you do not install anything from the community catalog. Open Settings, go to Core Plugins, and toggle Bases on. From there you create a new base and point it at the notes you want, usually by folder or by a property they share.
- Open Settings then Core Plugins and enable Bases.
- Add properties to the notes you want to track (for example
status,tags,rating). - Create a new base and choose the notes to include, by folder or shared property.
- Pick a view type: Table, Card, or List.
- Add filters and sorting to shape what the base shows.
The one prerequisite is consistent properties. Bases can only show what your notes contain, so a tracker only works if the relevant notes actually carry the properties you want as columns. Adding properties is quick, but it is the step people skip and then wonder why their table is empty.
The roadmap
Bases is a first release, and Obsidian has published a roadmap for it. Expected additions include richer view types and more capable filtering as the feature matures. For now, treat Table, Card, and List as the stable foundation and check the official roadmap before assuming a given feature exists.
Because it is a core plugin, updates arrive with Obsidian itself rather than as separate downloads, so keeping the app current is all you need to do to get new Bases capabilities.
What to do right now
- Update Obsidian to a current version so you have Bases.
- Enable it under Settings then Core Plugins.
- Pick one use case (reading list, project tracker) and add consistent properties to those notes.
- Create a base and try a Table view first, then experiment with Card.
- Add a filter (for example, status is not done) to see the live database behavior.
- Check the official Bases roadmap before relying on a feature that may still be planned.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need Obsidian Sync or a paid plan for Bases?
No. Bases is a free core plugin that ships with Obsidian. There is no separate license, add-on, or subscription required to use it, and your data stays in local files.
Where is the data stored?
In your notes. Every value a base displays comes from the YAML properties in your Markdown files, and editing a base writes back to those files. Nothing is stored in a hidden proprietary database.
Can Bases replace Notion?
For structured, note-backed data it comes close, and many users have moved trackers and libraries over to keep everything local. Notion still leads on hosted collaboration and AI features, so the right choice depends on whether local ownership or cloud collaboration matters more to you.
Why is my base empty?
Almost always because the included notes lack the properties you are trying to show. Bases can only display metadata that exists in your notes, so add the relevant properties to those notes first.
What view types does Bases support?
At release it supports Table, Card, and List views, each of which you can filter and sort. Obsidian's published roadmap indicates more view types and filtering options are planned over time.
