Wanderloots Obsidian Bases Tutorials

Video 1: Intro To Bases

What Are Bases?

1. a new file format that produces tables (with other types coming in the future)
   1. it's done entirely in YAML, which makes it compatible with markdown
2. data "base"

How To Set Up Bases?

1. Steps:
   1. turn on core plugin (catalyst)
   2. new base
   3. add filters
      1. properties are WAY more important
      2. establish core properties

Key Features of Bases

1. filter by property
2. change views with the same table, based on different filters
   1. export to csv - current view is exported
3. modify properties FROM the table (huge feature)
   1. in the future, will be able to create notes from here too
4. SPEED - bases are WAY faster than dataview or notion for large tables
5. Embed bases in other notes so they can dynamically update as you go
6. functions - making bases as powerful as dataview

Practical Examples of Bases

Books - [[Books Base.base]]

Quotes
1.
[[Creative Act Base.base]]

Maps of Content
Flow
[[Flow Topic.base]]

Digital Garden Update History Code Block
[[Digital Garden Update.base]]

Projects
YouTube Video list.base

Comparing Bases To Dataview & Notion

PRO of bases vs notion

1. bases uses your entire vault and can pull in files from everywhere

Coming Soon

1. Bases API for plugins to add more power through custom functions and new view types.
2. More view types beyond tables, e.g. list, cards, etc.
3. Grouping files and aggregation functions (e.g. sum, average, etc).
4. Obsidian Publish support.

Video 2: New Features (Cards & New Files)

Bases Update 2025-06-26

Key Feature Updates

1. new notes from table (aka Notion)
2. card view (with cover image!)
3. enhanced property handling & migration (i.e., tags)
4. external links supported in tables
5. improved dates & formula (dynamic tables based on time)

List of Examples That Are Now Possible:

1. Visual project boards and dashboards
2. Instant database expansion with new note creation (e.g., tasks, new book, etc.)
   1. template generator within bases
3. Research tables mixing web and local resources (easy filtration and addition)
4. Spaced repetition (days since I last edited this note)
5. Reminders (when time reaches 0)

Example I built: Project Management & Tasks

Tasks.base

Projects.base

Still To Come For Bases:

1. Groupby has been updated as a placeholder for what is coming next

Video 3: Building Project & Task Management Base

Full Example Walkthrough Of New Features: Project Example

1. Enable Obsidian Bases

• Go to Settings → Core Plugins → Enable "Bases"
  I walk through this more in video 1

2. Create the Meta Projects Base

a. Create a New Base

• Use Command Palette (Cmd/Ctrl + P) → “Create new base”35.
• Name it Projects.
  b. Add Properties
• Project Name (text)
• Status (select: Not Started, In Progress, Complete)
• Priority (select: High, Medium, Low)
• Start Date (date)
• Due Date (date)
• Days Remaining (formula: Due Date - today())
• Owner (text or link)
• Cover Image (file/URL)
• Reference Link (URL/link)
• Description (text)

c. Optional: Tag or Property

• In each project note, add a property: type: project (for robust filtering) or tag with #project for quick navigation.

3. Create the Tasks Base

a. Create a New Base

• Command Palette → “Create new base”.
• Name it Project Tasks.
  b. Add Properties
• Task Name (text)
• Project (link to Project note)
• Priority (select: High, Medium, Low)
• Status (select: Not Started, In Progress, Complete)
• Due Date (date)
• Days Remaining (formula: Due Date - today())
• Assigned To (text or link)
• Reference Link (URL/link)
• Description (text)
  c. In Each Task Note
• Add a property: project: [[Project Name]] to link it to its project.

4. Set Up Views & Filters

a. In Tasks Base

• Create filtered views:
  • By Project: Filter “Project” to a specific project.
  • By Priority: Filter “Priority” to High, Medium, or Low.
  • By Deadline: Sort or filter by “Due Date” or “Days Remaining”.

b. In Projects Base

• Add a “Tasks” column (if supported) to show all tasks linked to each project (using the relation property).
• Optionally, embed a Dataview or Bases query in each project note to list all linked tasks.

Result:

• Meta Projects Base: High-level overview of all projects, deadlines, and status.
• Tasks Base: All tasks, filterable by project, priority, or deadline.
• Dynamic Linking: Tasks are always up to date per project with minimal manual effort.