# How to Use the obsidian-vault Skill to Manage Notes with Wikilinks

> Master your Obsidian notes with the obsidian-vault skill. This guide shows you how to manage wikilinks, search, create, and link files via the command line without a GUI.

- Repository: [Matt Pocock/skills](https://github.com/mattpocock/skills)
- Tags: how-to-guide
- Published: 2026-04-04

---

**The obsidian-vault skill is a prescriptive markdown guide in the mattpocock/skills repository that enables command-line management of Obsidian notes using wikilinks, providing bash workflows for searching, creating, and linking files without GUI dependency.**

The obsidian-vault skill provides a structured, CLI-driven approach to knowledge management within Obsidian vaults. Located at [`obsidian-vault/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/mattpocock/skills/blob/main/obsidian-vault/SKILL.md) in the mattpocock/skills repository, this self-contained instruction set defines conventions for file naming, wikilink syntax, and vault organization that transform your markdown storage into a searchable, scriptable database.

## What Is the obsidian-vault Skill?

The obsidian-vault skill is not executable code but a **prescriptive markdown specification** designed to work with standard Unix tools. It lives as a single markdown file within the skills repository and follows the generic skill pattern used throughout the project, allowing installation via `npx skills@latest add obsidian-vault`. Once added, the skill provides reproducible bash commands that act on a hard-coded vault path, enabling consistent note management across different projects and users.

## Architecture and Configuration

### Front-matter Metadata

Lines 1-4 of [`obsidian-vault/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/mattpocock/skills/blob/main/obsidian-vault/SKILL.md) contain YAML front-matter declaring the skill's `name` and `description`. This metadata allows the skills CLI to discover and list the skill when users search the repository for available capabilities.

### Vault Location

The skill hard-codes the absolute vault path on line 10:

```bash
/mnt/d/Obsidian Vault/AI Research/

```

This path serves as the target for all subsequent search, create, and link operations described in the workflow sections.

### Naming Conventions

Lines 14-19 define the file organization strategy, specifying how **index files** should be structured and how folder-less organization should handle hierarchical relationships between notes.

### Wikilink Standards

According to lines 20-25, the skill enforces **Obsidian wikilink syntax** (`[[Note Title]]`) and mandates that links appear at the bottom of each note rather than inline. This creates a consistent footer-based reference section that separates content from metadata.

## Command-Line Workflows

The skill provides concrete bash recipes for vault management using `find` and `grep`. All examples assume the vault location specified in line 10 of the skill definition.

### Search Notes by Filename

To locate files by name (lines 31-33):

```bash
find "/mnt/d/Obsidian Vault/AI Research/" -name "*.md" | grep -i "keyword"

```

### Search Notes by Content

To recursively grep through note contents (lines 35-36):

```bash
grep -rl "keyword" "/mnt/d/Obsidian Vault/AI Research/" --include="*.md"

```

### Create New Notes

The creation workflow (lines 42-46) requires four specific steps:

1. Use **Title Case** for the filename
2. Write the note as a **self-contained learning unit**
3. Place `[[wikilinks]]` at the bottom pointing to related notes
4. Apply **hierarchical numbering** (e.g., `1.1`, `1.2`) if the note belongs to a series

### Find Backlinks

To discover which notes link to a specific target (lines 52-53):

```bash
grep -rl "\[\[Note Title\]\]" "/mnt/d/Obsidian Vault/AI Research/"

```

### Locate Index Files

Lines 58-59 provide the command to identify all index notes:

```bash
find "/mnt/d/Obsidian Vault/AI Research/" -name "*Index*"

```

## Summary

- The obsidian-vault skill lives in [`obsidian-vault/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/mattpocock/skills/blob/main/obsidian-vault/SKILL.md) and provides **CLI-based vault management** without custom software
- It enforces **wikilink syntax** (`[[ ]]`) with mandatory placement at note footers (lines 20-25)
- All workflows target the hard-coded path `/mnt/d/Obsidian Vault/AI Research/` defined on line 10
- Standard Unix tools (`find`, `grep`) replace GUI operations for searching filenames, content, and backlinks
- Install via `npx skills@latest add obsidian-vault` to integrate these conventions into your project

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What is the obsidian-vault skill?

The obsidian-vault skill is a markdown-based instruction set that defines workflows for managing Obsidian vaults via the command line. It specifies naming conventions, wikilink formats, and bash commands for searching and creating notes, effectively turning a standard Obsidian vault into a scriptable knowledge base.

### How do I install the obsidian-vault skill?

Add the skill to your project using the skills CLI: `npx skills@latest add obsidian-vault`. This copies the prescriptive workflows from [`obsidian-vault/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/mattpocock/skills/blob/main/obsidian-vault/SKILL.md) into your project knowledge base, making the bash commands and conventions available for immediate use.

### Can I customize the default vault location?

The skill hard-codes the vault path on line 10 as `/mnt/d/Obsidian Vault/AI Research/`. To use a different location, you must either modify this line in your local copy of the skill or adapt the bash commands to reference your specific vault path.

### Why are wikilinks placed at the bottom of notes?

According to lines 20-25 of the skill definition, placing `[[wikilinks]]` at the bottom creates a **dedicated reference section** that separates navigational metadata from learning content. This convention ensures notes remain self-contained reading units while maintaining bi-directional link visibility for graph-based navigation.