properties

# Obsidian Properties Management ## When to Use This Skill | Use this skill when... | Use the alternative instead when... | |---|---| | Reading, setting, or removing a single YAML property on a live note via the running CLI | Doing offline bulk frontmatter rewrites across many files — use `vault-frontmatter` | | Updating `status:`, `aliases:`, or a date property on a note Obsidian currently has open | Editing note body content rather than frontmatter — use `vault-files` | | Auditing which property names exist across the vault, and how often | Listing or counting **tags** — use `search-discovery` (`tags`, `tag`) | | Confirming a property change is reflected in Obsidian's metadata cache | Repairing broken wikilinks after a rename — use `vault-wikilinks` | Read, set, and remove YAML frontmatter properties on Obsidian notes using the official CLI. ## Prerequisites - Obsidian desktop 1.12.7+ installer with CLI enabled - Obsidian must be running ## Command Shape Property commands are **singular** (`property:set`, `property:remove`, `property:read`) and address the property by `name=`, not by a `key=value` pair. The plural `properties` command is the vault-wide listing/inspection view. | Command | Purpose | |---------|---------| | `properties` | List property names across the vault, or on one file | | `property:read` | Read one property's value | | `property:set` | Set one property (optionally typed) | | `property:remove` | Remove one property | | `aliases` | List aliases across the vault, or on one file | All four file-scoped commands default to the **active file** when neither `file=` nor `path=` is given. ## List / Inspect Properties ```bash # Every property name used in the vault (default format: yaml) obsidian properties # With occurrence counts, sorted by frequency obsidian properties counts sort=count # Count of distinct property names obsidian properties total # Occurrence count for one property name obsidian properties name=status # Properties on a specific file, or the active file obsidian properties file="Project Spec" obsidian properties path="Projects/Spec.md" obsidian properties active # Structured output obsidian properties file="Project Spec" format=json obsidian properties format=tsv ``` ## Read a Property ```bash obsidian property:read name=status obsidian property:read name=status file="Project Spec" obsidian property:read name=due path="Projects/Spec.md" ``` ## Set a Property `name=` and `value=` are both required; `type=` is optional and tells Obsidian how to store the value. ```bash # Text (default type) on the active file obsidian property:set name=status value=active # On a specific file obsidian property:set name=status value=draft file="Post" # Typed values obsidian property:set name=due value=2026-03-15 type=date obsidian property:set name=reviewed value="2026-03-15T09:00" type=datetime obsidian property:set name=priority value=1 type=number obsidian property:set name=published value=true type=checkbox obsidian property:set name=aliases value="JS,ECMAScript" type=list ``` Setting multiple properties is one invocation per property — there is no multi-property form. ## Remove a Property ```bash obsidian property:remove name=draft obsidian property:remove name=old_field file="Note" ``` ## Aliases ```bash # All aliases in the vault obsidian aliases # Count, or with the owning file paths obsidian aliases total obsidian aliases verbose # Aliases on the active file, or a specific one obsidian aliases active obsidian aliases file="JavaScript" ``` To *add* an alias, set the `aliases` property as a list: ```bash obsidian property:set name=aliases value="JS,js,ECMAScript" type=list file="JavaScript" ``` ## Property Types | `type=` | Example value | Notes | |---------|---------------|-------| | `text` | `active` | Default when `type=` is omitted | | `list` | `"a,b,c"` | Comma-separated; use for `aliases`, `tags` | | `number` | `1` | Numeric | | `checkbox` | `true` | Boolean | | `date` | `2026-03-15` | ISO 8601 date | | `datetime` | `2026-03-15T09:00` | ISO 8601 date + time | ## Common Patterns ### Status workflow ```bash obsidian property:set name=status value=draft file="Post" obsidian property:set name=status value=review file="Post" obsidian property:set name=status value=published file="Post" obsidian property:set name=published value=true type=checkbox file="Post" ``` ### Audit property usage before a schema change ```bash # Which property names exist, and how heavily used obsidian properties counts sort=count # How many notes carry the one you're about to rename obsidian properties name=status ``` ### Confirm a write landed ```bash obsidian property:set name=status value=active file="Note" obsidian property:read name=status file="Note" ``` ## Agentic Optimizations | Context | Command | |---------|---------| | Property names + counts | `obsidian properties counts sort=count` | | Properties on one file (structured) | `obsidian properties file=X format=json` | | Read one property | `obsidian property:read name=K file=X` | | Set a property | `obsidian property:set name=K value=V file=X` | | Set a typed property | `obsidian property:set name=K value=V type=date` | | Remove a property | `obsidian property:remove name=K file=X` | | Usage count for a name | `obsidian properties name=K` | | List aliases with paths | `obsidian aliases verbose` | ## Related Skills - **vault-files** — Read and create notes - **search-discovery** — Search by property values with `[key:value]` syntax; tag listing (`tags`, `tag`) - **bases** — Base views filter on the properties set here