Obsidian Lifecycle

A workflow-based Obsidian vault starter where folders represent stages in a note's development, not topic categories.

The Lifecycle System

Instead of organizing notes by topic (which leads to endless folder debates), this system moves notes through workflow stages:

Collect → Refine → Library → Archive

• Collect/ — Quick capture inbox. Process weekly.
• Refine/ — Notes needing multiple sessions of development.
• Library/ — Permanent knowledge notes (flat, no subfolders).
• Archive/ — Completed and inactive content.

Organization happens through Catalog MOCs (Maps of Content) and Bases (automated queries), not folder hierarchies.

Catalog System

All organization lives in Catalog/:

• Projects/ — Active work with end goals (MOCs)
• Areas/ — Ongoing responsibilities (MOCs)
• Topics/ — Knowledge domains (MOCs)
• Dashboards/ — Dynamic views powered by Bases

Getting Started

1. Clone or download this vault
2. Open the folder in Obsidian
3. When prompted about Restricted Mode, click "Turn on community plugins"
4. Go to Settings → Community plugins → Browse, search for Templater, then click Install and Enable
5. Restart Obsidian — Templater configuration is pre-shipped, no setup needed
6. Start capturing notes in Collect/
7. Read Library/Obsidian - Lifecycle System.md for the full system guide
8. Optionally, read Library/Obsidian - Note-Taking Style Guide.md for writing conventions that support the system

Plugins

Templater is the only required community plugin. It powers the Daily Note template, which includes a custom script (Resources/Scripts/connections.js) that automatically links each daily note to the previous one — even when there are gaps (weekends, holidays, missed days). This is something Obsidian's built-in daily notes can't do.

All other automation (markdown formatting, note organization) is handled by Claude Code skills — no additional Obsidian plugins needed.

Claude Code Integration

This vault includes a CLAUDE.md and skills for use with Claude Code:

• /sort — Processes the Collect folder: classifies notes and moves them to appropriate destinations
• /format — Standardizes note formatting to vault conventions

Recommended Skills

• Obsidian CLI Skill — Manage your vault from the terminal using Obsidian's built-in CLI (v1.12+). Useful for file operations, search, and plugin management without leaving Claude Code.

Key Principles

1. Folders = workflow stages, not categories
2. Flat Library organized through Catalog MOCs
3. Backlinks connect ideas (never content tags)
4. Tags only for durable metadata (#catalog/project, #catalog/area, #catalog/topic)
5. Weekly review keeps the system healthy

License

CC BY 4.0 — Use freely, just give credit.