Zettel Note Links

An Obsidian plugin that streamlines Zettelkasten-style note-taking by creating new notes with automatic backlinks to the note you were viewing. Perfect for building interconnected knowledge graphs and maintaining context as your ideas evolve.

Overview

When practicing the Zettelkasten method, every new idea should connect to existing knowledge. This plugin makes that effortless: press a hotkey, name your new note, and start writing—a link back to the source note is automatically added, preserving the context and creating bidirectional connections in your knowledge graph.

Features

• One-key note creation: Press Ctrl+N (or your custom hotkey) to instantly create a linked note
• Automatic context preservation: Every new note includes a backlink to the note you were viewing
• Smart naming: Immediately prompted to give your note a meaningful title—no timestamp clutter
• Seamless integration: Respects your Obsidian settings for default note locations
• Customizable layout: Configure spacing between your writing area and the backlink (default: 5 blank lines)
• Lightweight: No dependencies, minimal overhead

Installation

Manual Installation

1. Download the latest release from the releases page (or clone this repository)
2. Extract the plugin files to your vault's plugins folder:

   <your-vault>/.obsidian/plugins/zettel-note-links/
   

3. The folder should contain at least: main.js, manifest.json, and styles.css
4. Restart Obsidian or reload the vault

Enable the Plugin

1. Open Obsidian Settings (gear icon or Ctrl+,)
2. Navigate to Community Plugins
3. If necessary, disable Safe Mode by clicking "Turn on community plugins"
4. Find Zettel Note Links in the installed plugins list
5. Toggle the switch to enable the plugin

Configure Hotkey

⚠️ Important: Obsidian's built-in "Create new note" command uses Ctrl+N by default, which will conflict with this plugin.

Option 1: Replace the default hotkey (recommended)

1. Open Settings → Hotkeys
2. Search for "Create new note" (the core Obsidian command)
3. Click the X next to Ctrl+N to remove it
4. The plugin's Ctrl+N hotkey will now work

Option 2: Use a different hotkey

1. Open Settings → Hotkeys
2. Search for "Create new note with link to current note"
3. Click the + icon and assign your preferred hotkey (e.g., Ctrl+Shift+N)

Usage

Basic Workflow

1. Open any note in your vault (e.g., "Understanding Cognitive Load")
2. Press Ctrl+N (or your configured hotkey)
3. A rename dialog appears—type a title for your new note (e.g., "Working Memory Capacity")
4. Press Enter to confirm
5. Your new note opens with:
   • The cursor positioned at the top for immediate writing
   • Several blank lines for your content
   • A link to the source note at the bottom: [[Understanding Cognitive Load]]

Example: Building a Knowledge Chain

You're reading a note called Database Normalization and realize you need to explore third normal form in depth:

1. Press Ctrl+N
2. Type: Third Normal Form - Deep Dive
3. Start writing your exploration
4. The backlink [[Database Normalization]] is automatically added

Later, while writing that note, you have another insight:

1. Press Ctrl+N again
2. Type: Transitive Dependencies Explained
3. Continue your thought chain
4. The link [[Third Normal Form - Deep Dive]] connects it back

This creates a traceable path through your thinking: Database Normalization → Third Normal Form - Deep Dive → Transitive Dependencies Explained

Configuration

Plugin Settings

Access the settings panel: Settings → Community Plugins → Zettel Note Links

Number of newlines (default: 5)

• Controls how many blank lines appear before the backlink
• Higher values = more writing space before you see the link
• Lower values = backlink appears sooner as you scroll
• Set to 0 for the link to appear immediately after the cursor

Note Location Behavior

The plugin respects your existing Obsidian configuration:

Settings → Files & Links → Default location for new notes

• "Vault folder": New notes created in the root of your vault
• "Same folder as current file": New notes appear alongside the source note
• "In the folder specified below": New notes go to your designated folder (e.g., Zettelkasten/ or Notes/)

Use Cases

Zettelkasten Method

Build a network of atomic ideas where each note represents a single concept and links preserve the conceptual relationships. The automatic backlink ensures you never lose the thread of thought.

Research Trails

Create sequential "trail notes" that document your exploration of a topic. Each note in the trail links back to the previous one, forming a narrative of discovery.

Idea Capture

Quickly capture fleeting thoughts while preserving their source context. The backlink reminds you later why the idea was relevant and where it came from.

Learning Journeys

Document your learning process by creating linked notes as you progress through material. The backlink chain becomes a map of your learning path.

Troubleshooting

The hotkey doesn't work

Solution: Remove Ctrl+N from Obsidian's built-in "Create new note" command (see Installation → Configure Hotkey)

Notes appear in the wrong folder

Solution: Check Settings → Files & Links → Default location for new notes

The rename dialog doesn't appear

Solution:

• Verify the plugin is enabled in Settings → Community Plugins
• Reload Obsidian (Ctrl+R or restart the application)
• Check the console (Ctrl+Shift+I) for error messages

I can't find the backlink in new notes

Solution:

• Scroll down—the link appears after the configured number of blank lines
• Check your "Number of newlines" setting and reduce it if needed
• Try setting it to 0 temporarily to see the link immediately

The plugin creates "Untitled" notes that I can't rename

Solution: This usually indicates the rename dialog is being blocked. Disable other plugins temporarily to identify conflicts, or check for Obsidian updates.

Development

Want to modify or contribute to this plugin?

Setup

cd .obsidian/plugins/zettel-note-links
npm install

Build

npm run build        # Production build
npm run dev          # Development build with watch mode

Testing

After building, reload the plugin in Obsidian:

• Press Ctrl+R to reload Obsidian
• Or disable and re-enable the plugin in Settings → Community Plugins

Project Structure

• main.ts - Core plugin logic
• manifest.json - Plugin metadata
• styles.css - Styling (if any)
• esbuild.config.mjs - Build configuration

License

MIT License - feel free to use, modify, and distribute this plugin.

Support

If you encounter issues or have suggestions:

• Check the Troubleshooting section above
• Review existing issues in the repository
• Open a new issue with details about your setup and the problem

Credits

Designed for Zettelkasten practitioners who value seamless note creation and automatic context preservation.