I started using Obsidian as a complete beginner and now I understand why people switch and never go back

Key Points:

• Obsidian is praised as a convivial note-taking tool that promotes user autonomy and creativity by offering a flexible, non-prescriptive environment for organizing notes using plain Markdown files.
• Unlike many note-taking apps that encourage specific workflows, Obsidian provides a blank slate that users can adapt freely, supporting multiple organizational methods such as Vaults, Folders, and interlinked notes without locking users into proprietary formats.
• The app encourages discovery and experimentation through features like easy note linking with [[ ]], Graph View for visualizing connections, customizable templates to streamline repetitive tasks, and a wide range of Community Plugins to extend functionality.
• Obsidian’s open file format and local storage options facilitate easy syncing and data portability, contrasting with proprietary systems like Notion and Evernote that often complicate data export and migration.
• Despite a reputation for complexity due to advanced user setups and plugins, Obsidian has a manageable learning curve and can be effectively used by building simple systems first, avoiding overwhelm from the broader community discourse.