Obsidian vs Notion: Why I Switched Permanently
Okay, here’s a breakdown of the text, focusing on the key points and the author’s journey with note-taking/database tools. I’ll organize it into sections for clarity.
Overall Theme: The author is discussing their search for the ideal note-taking and organization system, specifically focusing on how to manage data within Obsidian, and how “Bases” (a plugin) solves problems they experienced with both Dataview and Notion.
1. The Problem: Existing Solutions Fall Short
Notion: While easy to use, Notion is cloud-based (data lock-in) and can be laggy, especially with complex databases.
Dataview (Obsidian Plugin): Extremely powerful and can turn Obsidian into a relational database, but has a steep learning curve. Requires technical skill (SQL-like queries) and a lot of tinkering. the author found it to complex.
2. Bases: A Better Approach
Combines the Best of Both Worlds: Bases aims to provide the flexibility of Dataview without the technical complexity, and avoids the cloud dependency/lag of Notion.
Ease of Use: No coding or technical expertise is needed. Filtering, sorting, and grouping are fast and intuitive.
Flexibility: Allows filtering by status, due dates, project, etc.,without code.
3. Natural Properties & Workflow
Notion’s Rigidity: The author felt notion forced them to think in terms of database structure before writing notes, hindering their natural workflow. They had to adapt their writing to fit the database.
Bases’ Approach: Properties are added as metadata within the notes themselves. bases automatically picks them up. This feels more natural and allows the author to focus on content first. You don’t need to pre-define data types (date, checkbox, relation) upfront.
4. Reusability & Embedding
Notion’s Limitations: Notion isolates databases on separate pages, requiring duplication or linking for reuse.
Bases’ Strength: Bases allows for easy reuse and embedding of “bases” (databases) throughout the Obsidian vault. (The text cuts off here, but the implication is that this is a significant advantage.)
In essence, the author is praising bases as a solution that provides the power of a database within Obsidian, but in a way that feels organic, intuitive, and doesn’t compromise on speed or data ownership. They highlight the importance of a tool that adapts to your workflow, rather than forcing you to adapt to it*.