Obsidian Bases - Database Views for Notes

Create database-like views to organize, filter, and visualize notes by their properties.

Creating Bases

Standalone file (.base extension): ![[filename.base]] or ![[filename.base#ViewName]]

Embedded code block:

markdown

```base
filters:
  file.hasTag("example")
views:
  - type: table
    name: Table
```

Minimal Example

yaml

views:
  - type: table
    name: All Files

Core Structure

yaml

filters:           # Optional - global file filters
  and/or/not: ...

formulas:          # Optional - computed properties
  name: "expression"

properties:        # Optional - display config
  prop:
    displayName: "Name"

views:             # Required - at least one
  - type: table    # table, list, cards, map
    name: "View"
    filters: ...   # View-specific filters
    order: [prop1, prop2]
    groupBy:
      property: status
      direction: ASC
    summaries:
      prop: Sum
    limit: 50

Property Types

Properties come from three sources:

•status, author - note frontmatter (no prefix)
•file.name, file.mtime - file metadata (file. prefix)
•formula.days_old - computed in base definition (formula. prefix)

File properties: file.name (name without extension), file.path, file.folder, file.ctime (created), file.mtime (modified), file.size, file.tags, file.links

Filters

yaml

filters:
  and:                           # All must match
    - file.hasTag("project")
    - 'status != "done"'
  or:                            # Any must match
    - file.inFolder("Work")
    - file.hasLink("Important")
  not:                           # Exclude
    - file.hasTag("archived")

Operators: ==, !=, >, <, >=, <=, &&, ||, !

Common patterns:

yaml

file.hasTag("tag")              # Has tag
file.inFolder("Path")           # In folder
file.hasLink("Note")            # Links to note
file.mtime > now() - "7d"       # Modified in last week
'property != null'              # Has property value

Context reference: Use this.file to reference the containing note (useful for backlinks view).

Formulas

yaml

formulas:
  # Age tracking - days since creation/modification
  days_old: '(now() - file.ctime) / (1000 * 60 * 60 * 24)'
  days_since_update: 'Math.floor((now() - file.mtime) / (1000*60*60*24))'

  # Deadline tracking
  days_until_due: '(due - now()) / (1000 * 60 * 60 * 24)'
  is_overdue: 'due < now()'

  # Visual status - adapt values to your workflow
  status_icon: 'if(status == "done", "✅", if(status == "in-progress", "🔄", "⏳"))'

  # Display helpers
  rating_stars: 'if(rating, "⭐".repeat(rating), "")'
  formatted_date: 'file.mtime.format("YYYY-MM-DD")'

  # Calculations
  total: 'price * quantity'
  backlink_count: 'file.backlinks.length'

Date Arithmetic

yaml

now() + "1d"                    # Tomorrow
today() - "1M"                  # One month ago
file.mtime > now() - "7d"       # Within last week

# Units: y/year, M/month, w/week, d/day, h/hour, m/minute, s/second

Summaries

Built-in: Average, Sum, Min, Max, Median, Earliest, Latest, Unique, Filled, Empty

yaml

views:
  - type: table
    summaries:
      file.name: Unique
      estimate: Sum
      due: Earliest

Complete Template

Adapt this template for different use cases by changing the tag filter and properties.

yaml

# Note frontmatter should include:
# - Tasks: status, priority, due, assignee, tags: [project]
# - Reading: type, author, rating, status, tags: [reading]
# - Notes: topic, stage, tags: [notes]

filters:
  and:
    - file.hasTag("project")    # Change tag: project, reading, notes, etc.
    - 'status != "done"'

formulas:
  days_until_due: '(due - now()) / (1000 * 60 * 60 * 24)'
  is_overdue: 'due < now()'
  status_icon: 'if(status == "done", "✅", if(status == "in-progress", "🔄", "⏳"))'

properties:
  formula.status_icon:
    displayName: ""
  formula.days_until_due:
    displayName: Days Left

views:
  - type: table
    name: Active Tasks
    order: [priority, due]
    groupBy:
      property: status
      direction: ASC
    summaries:
      file.name: Unique

  - type: cards
    name: Board
    groupBy:
      property: status

For embedded use: Remove formulas and properties sections, keep just filters and views.

Functions

File functions: file.hasTag("t"), file.hasLink("n"), file.inFolder("p")

String: .length, .toUpperCase(), .toLowerCase(), .contains("x")

Number: .toFixed(2), Math.floor(), Math.ceil(), Math.round()

Date: now(), today(), date("2025-01-15"), .format("YYYY-MM-DD"), .date()

Array: .length, .contains(v), .join(", "), .filter(v => ...), .mean()

Logic: if(cond, trueVal, falseVal), link("file"), icon("name")

Full reference: https://help.obsidian.md/bases/functions

Performance Tips

•Prefer file.links over file.backlinks (faster)
•Filter at global level when possible
•Avoid file.properties in large vaults
•Use limit: for large result sets