New Obsidian Plugins That You Need to Check Out
Based on Prakash Joshi Pax's video on YouTube. If you like this content, support the original creators by watching, liking and subscribing to their content.
Dashboard Navigator adds a Vault dashboard with categorized file stats, recent items, and in-dashboard search/jump navigation.
Briefing
A cluster of new Obsidian plugins is pushing the app beyond note-taking into analytics, richer navigation, AI-assisted writing, media presentation, and even real-time collaboration. The most practical “quality of life” upgrade is Dashboard Navigator, which adds a live dashboard for quickly seeing what’s inside a Vault—file counts by category, recent items, and a built-in way to search and jump to notes without hunting through the sidebar.
For people who want to understand how their Vault is evolving, Bsize History adds a graph that tracks Vault growth over time by counting files. It’s intentionally narrow in scope: the plugin doesn’t change workflows or automate organization, it simply visualizes growth. In the demo, the chart reflects markdown file counts and shows data beginning in 2022, even though the Vault was used earlier—highlighting that the visualization depends on what’s available in the Vault’s history.
AI features get a major boost from Carrot, an “AI workbench” that brings chat-style interactions and LLM-powered tools directly into Obsidian. It supports multiple LLM providers—OpenAI, Anthropic, Gro, OpenRouter—and can also work with local models. After adding an API key in the plugin options, a chat interface appears in the Obsidian command menu. A standout workflow feature lets users convert selected chat responses into new markdown notes, effectively turning Q&A into draft content. Carrot also supports canvas-based interactions, where prompts and system/role settings can be configured and responses generated as cards.
For TTRPG fans, Iron Vault turns Obsidian into a virtual tabletop for Star Force family of games, positioning the notes system as a game-running hub. Another utility-focused plugin, Light Gallery, creates carousel-style image galleries inside notes using a simple code block format; images can be referenced by name, links, or full paths, and the preview renders the gallery.
Navigation and interface management are addressed with Vertical Tabs, which replaces cluttered horizontal tab bars with a vertical, file-explorer-like list of open tabs. It supports hotkeys, sorting (by title ascending/descending), pin tabs, and multiple tab groups that can be rearranged via drag-and-drop.
Collaboration is handled by Relay, which enables real-time syncing of shared folders between Vaults. The setup requires signing up, adding a share key, creating or selecting a folder to share, and then joining from another Vault using the same key. Once connected, edits propagate live, and access can be removed by destroying the Relay.
Finally, Popkit (for Obsidian on Mac) adds a Pop Clip-like toolbar system for selected text. It includes actions like formatting, converting selections into block code, finding/replacing, searching across all files, translating via Google, and a dynamic calculator that evaluates expressions and can open Google results for selected calculations. Users can customize which toolbar actions appear and add additional tools through the Source plugin command system.
Cornell Notes
The core takeaway is that Obsidian can be extended far beyond writing notes: plugins now deliver Vault analytics, faster navigation, AI-assisted drafting, better media viewing, and even real-time teamwork. Dashboard Navigator provides an always-available overview of file counts by category plus recent items and search/jump tools. Bsize History adds a simple growth chart that visualizes how many files accumulate over time. Carrot brings chat and LLM features into both the editor and canvas, including a key workflow step that converts selected AI responses into new markdown notes. Relay enables shared folders with live syncing across Vaults, while Vertical Tabs and Popkit improve day-to-day usability.
What does Bsize History actually measure, and what limitation shows up in the demo?
How does Dashboard Navigator improve day-to-day navigation inside a Vault?
What workflow feature makes Carrot more than just an AI chat box?
How does Carrot handle LLM providers and where does configuration happen?
What does Relay require to share and sync folders between two Vaults?
How do Vertical Tabs and Popkit each change the Obsidian interface for productivity?
Review Questions
- Which plugin would you use if you wanted a graph of how your markdown file count changes over time, and what does that graph not do?
- Describe how you would turn an AI answer into a new note using Carrot.
- What setup steps are required for Relay to sync a shared folder between two different Vaults?
Key Points
- 1
Dashboard Navigator adds a Vault dashboard with categorized file stats, recent items, and in-dashboard search/jump navigation.
- 2
Bsize History provides a graph of Vault growth by counting files over time, with no added automation beyond visualization.
- 3
Carrot integrates LLM chat into Obsidian and supports multiple providers (including Gro) via API keys, plus canvas-based AI interactions.
- 4
Carrot can convert selected AI responses into new markdown notes, turning chat output into editable drafts.
- 5
Iron Vault repurposes Obsidian as a virtual tabletop for Star Force family of games for TTRPG workflows.
- 6
Relay enables real-time collaboration by sharing folders between Vaults using a share key and live syncing of edits.
- 7
Popkit adds a selection toolbar for quick actions like formatting, translation, search, and a dynamic calculator, with customizable toolbar items.