I use Obsidian without necessarily being a vocal advocate of it but if asked I would certainly recommend it.
It’s a nice piece of software not because it’s exceptional in a very noticeable fashion but because it gets out of your way. It’s a markdown note taking app using text files in a folder of your choosing, supporting internal links, tags, and flexible metadata when you need them, with a fairly light UI, good plugins support and ecosystem, and which works on mobile and desktop.
Did it fundamentally change the way I work? Of course no, it’s a note taking app. But it does what I need so I’m happy.
I used to wonder why Obsidian had all that hype if it just seemed like yet another note-taking app. I was happy with Joplin and when I asked, no one could point to something concrete that I would need and that was possible in Obsidian and not in Joplin.
But at some point I tried it out of curiosity, and I became hooked.
Does it do anything I wouldn't be able to do in Joplin? For my usage, no (disclaimer: I don't use fancy plugins. I don't even ever look at the graph view, or make any diagrams or things like that). But it's just very good software, neatly executed. Boots up faster than 90% of programs I use, the UI has zero noticeable lag, it's simple and intuitive and has everything I need. I also like the fact that it stores Markdown in plain files without a database (contrary to e.g. Joplin) and that even though I use very few and basic plugins, if I have some complex need in the future, there will surely be one that covers it.
In an era where almost all software feels too bloated, it's a breath of fresh air. Honestly, just not having visible UI lag is something that can easily make me switch from one product to another on its own. It's so rare nowadays in any software more complex than Notepad or Calculator. Add the rest of things I mentioned, and it's a no-brainer.
It’s a nice piece of software not because it’s exceptional in a very noticeable fashion but because it gets out of your way. It’s a markdown note taking app using text files in a folder of your choosing, supporting internal links, tags, and flexible metadata when you need them, with a fairly light UI, good plugins support and ecosystem, and which works on mobile and desktop.
Did it fundamentally change the way I work? Of course no, it’s a note taking app. But it does what I need so I’m happy.