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chore: enable canvas, disable bookmarks, document single-tier config

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Enable the canvas core plugin and disable bookmarks in core-plugins.json.
Rewrite the README to describe the collapsed single-tier global config
(the per-vault fork tier and bookmarks.json are retired) and add a
comprehensive git submodule how-to.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01CsXyUHsjzgFfz2EWPrSQ2U
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Brendan Chen
2026-06-27 19:22:48 -04:00
parent a9b8ee5546
commit 313cb2f643
2 changed files with 151 additions and 57 deletions
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204
README.md
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@@ -1,88 +1,182 @@
# Obsidian config — global + per-vault fork model # Obsidian config — shared global config via git submodule
Two-tier Obsidian configuration: A single, shared Obsidian configuration used by **every** vault.
- **Global config** — `ssh://git@gitea.bchen.dev:2222/brendan/obsidian-global-config.git` — Each vault's `.obsidian/` directory is a **git submodule** pointing at one repo —
shared settings (plugins, hotkeys, appearance, theme) used by **every** vault. the global config:
- **Per-vault config** (this repo, e.g. `obsidian-config`) — a *fork* of the global repo:
the global config **plus** files specific to one vault that must sync with that vault
but never be published globally.
Each vault's `.obsidian` is a git submodule pointing at that vault's per-vault repo, which
has the global repo configured as its `upstream` remote.
``` ```
vault/.obsidian ──submodule──► obsidian-config (per-vault, downstream) ssh://git@gitea.bchen.dev:2222/brendan/obsidian-global-config.git (remote: origin)
│ remote: upstream
▼
obsidian-global-config (shared, upstream)
``` ```
```
vault-A/.obsidian ─┐
vault-B/.obsidian ─┼──submodule──► obsidian-global-config (one source of truth)
vault-C/.obsidian ─┘
```
Change a setting once, push it, and pull it down in every other vault. There is no
per-vault tier and no vault-specific fork — everything tracked here is shared
everywhere. Anything that should *not* be shared is machine-local and gitignored.
> **History:** this config used to be two-tier (a per-vault fork with the global repo as
> `upstream`). That has been collapsed — the per-vault repo and its remote are gone, and
> the global repo is now the single `origin`. If you ever need the old vault-specific
> data (e.g. the former `bookmarks.json`), it still lives in the retired
> `obsidian-config` repo's history.
## Tiers ## Tiers
| Tier | Examples | Lives in | | Tier | Examples | Tracked? |
|---|---|---| |---|---|---|
| **Global** (shared everywhere) | `app.json`, `appearance.json`, `hotkeys.json`, `templates.json`, `daily-notes.json`, `core-plugins.json`, `community-plugins.json`, `types.json`, `themes/**`, plugin code, most plugin `data.json` | global upstream → flows to every vault | | **Shared** (everywhere) | `app.json`, `appearance.json`, `hotkeys.json`, `templates.json`, `daily-notes.json`, `core-plugins.json`, `community-plugins.json`, `types.json`, `themes/**`, plugin code, plugin `data.json` | ✅ tracked in this repo → flows to every vault |
| **Vault-specific** (synced, never published) | `bookmarks.json` | per-vault repo only — never pushed upstream | | **Machine-local** (not synced) | `workspace.json`, `workspace-mobile.json`, `workspaces.json`, `.DS_Store` | ❌ gitignored (see `.gitignore`) — stays on the one machine |
| **Machine-local** (not synced) | `workspace.json`, `workspaces.json`, `workspace-mobile.json`, `.DS_Store` | gitignored everywhere |
If a setting starts diverging per-machine, add it to `.gitignore`. There is no longer a
per-vault tier — keep everything tracked truly shareable.
## Daily workflow ## Daily workflow
Run from a vault root (where `.obsidian` is the submodule). Run these from a **vault root** (the directory that contains `.obsidian` as a submodule).
All `git -C .obsidian …` commands operate inside the submodule.
**Change a vault-specific setting** (a bookmark) — stays in this vault: ### Change a setting and publish it to all vaults
```bash ```bash
# 1. Make the change (edit in Obsidian, or edit the JSON directly)
git -C .obsidian add -A git -C .obsidian add -A
git -C .obsidian commit -m "..." git -C .obsidian commit -m "Describe the config change"
git -C .obsidian push git -C .obsidian push # publish to the global repo (origin)
git add .obsidian && git commit -m "bump config" && git push # record the pointer
# 2. Record the new submodule pointer in this vault's repo
git add .obsidian && git commit -m "Bump obsidian config" && git push
``` ```
**Pull global changes down** — conflict-free; never touches your vault-specific files: ### Pull the latest global config into a vault
```bash ```bash
git -C .obsidian fetch upstream git -C .obsidian pull # fast-forward to the latest global config
git -C .obsidian merge upstream/main # or, equivalently, from the vault root:
git -C .obsidian push # save merged result to this vault's repo git submodule update --remote .obsidian
git add .obsidian && git commit -m "pull global config" && git push
git add .obsidian && git commit -m "Bump obsidian config" && git push # record the pointer
``` ```
**Change a global setting** — make it in a clone of the **global** repo, push there, then run > Restart Obsidian (or reload the vault) after pulling config so it re-reads the JSON.
the pull-down above in each vault:
---
# Working with git submodules — comprehensive how-to
`.obsidian` being a submodule means the **vault repo** stores only a *pointer* (a commit
SHA) to the config repo, not its files. The two repos have independent histories. This
section covers everything you'll need.
## Mental model
- The **vault repo** tracks your notes **plus** a pointer entry for `.obsidian`.
- The **config repo** (`obsidian-global-config`) holds the actual `.obsidian` files.
- `git status` in the vault shows `.obsidian` as a single line:
- `modified: .obsidian (new commits)` → the submodule is checked out at a different
commit than the pointer recorded in the vault repo. Fix by committing the pointer
(`git add .obsidian && git commit`) or by resetting the submodule.
- `modified: .obsidian (modified content)` → there are uncommitted edits *inside* the
submodule.
- `.gitmodules` (in the vault root) maps the submodule path → its URL. `git submodule
sync` copies that URL into the vault's `.git/config` for local use.
## Cloning a vault that uses this submodule
```bash ```bash
git -C /path/to/obsidian-global-config add -A # Clone the vault and its submodule in one step:
git -C /path/to/obsidian-global-config commit -m "..." git clone --recurse-submodules <vault-repo-url>
git -C /path/to/obsidian-global-config push
# Already cloned without --recurse-submodules? Initialize after the fact:
git submodule update --init --recursive
``` ```
> Promoting a *global* change you happened to make **inside a vault** isn't a plain push ## Adding the config to a brand-new vault
> (your per-vault history has vault-specific commits in the way) — cherry-pick it onto an
> `upstream`-tracking branch and push that. Editing global settings in the global clone
> avoids this entirely.
## Which files are vault-specific Do this **before opening the vault in Obsidian** — Obsidian auto-creates a default
`.obsidian/` on first open, which blocks `submodule add`. Delete any auto-created one first.
The current list is just `bookmarks.json`. To make a plugin's settings ```bash
vault-specific, add `plugins/<plugin>/data.json` to the denylist and remove it from the cd /path/to/new-vault
global repo. The denylist is enforced by a `pre-receive` hook on the global repo, which rm -rf .obsidian # only if Obsidian already created a default one
rejects any push that touches a vault-specific path (so a stray cherry-pick can't publish git submodule add ssh://git@gitea.bchen.dev:2222/brendan/obsidian-global-config.git .obsidian
private data). See the project notes for the hook script. git commit -m "Add shared obsidian config submodule"
```
## Bootstrapping a new vault On first open the vault starts in **Restricted Mode** — click **Trust author and enable
plugins** to load the configured community plugins.
- **Only needs the global config** → point the submodule straight at the global repo: ## Pulling submodule updates
```bash ```bash
git submodule add ssh://git@gitea.bchen.dev:2222/brendan/obsidian-global-config.git .obsidian # Update this one submodule to the latest commit on its tracked branch:
``` git submodule update --remote .obsidian
- **Needs its own private tracked config** → create an empty gitea repo for it, seed it from # Update every submodule in the repo:
the global repo, add it as the submodule, and set `upstream` to the global repo. (Ask to git submodule update --remote --merge
have this scripted.)
> Do this **before opening the vault in Obsidian** — Obsidian auto-creates a default # Plain `git pull` in the vault updates the *pointer* but NOT the submodule contents.
> `.obsidian/` on first open, which blocks the submodule add. Delete it first if present. # Follow it with this to actually check out the recorded commit:
> On first open the vault starts in **Restricted Mode** — click **Trust author and enable git submodule update --init --recursive
> plugins** to load the configured community plugins. ```
> Tip: `git config --global submodule.recurse true` makes `git pull` / `git checkout`
> update submodules automatically.
## Making and pushing changes from inside the submodule
```bash
cd .obsidian
git checkout main # submodules often land in DETACHED HEAD — see gotchas
# … make changes …
git add -A && git commit -m "…"
git push # to origin (the global config repo)
cd ..
git add .obsidian && git commit -m "Bump obsidian config" # record the new pointer
git push
```
## Changing the submodule's remote URL
```bash
# Edit the URL in .gitmodules (vault root), then sync it into .git/config:
git submodule sync .obsidian
# Verify the submodule's own remotes:
git -C .obsidian remote -v
```
## Inspecting submodule state
```bash
git submodule status # shows SHA + path for each submodule
git -C .obsidian remote -v # the submodule's remotes
git -C .obsidian branch -vv # branch + upstream tracking
git -C .obsidian log --oneline -5
```
## Removing a submodule (de-init)
```bash
git submodule deinit -f .obsidian # unregister + clear working tree
git rm -f .obsidian # remove from index + .gitmodules
rm -rf .git/modules/.obsidian # delete the cached git dir
git commit -m "Remove obsidian config submodule"
```
## Gotchas
- **Detached HEAD:** `git submodule update` checks out a specific commit, leaving the
submodule in detached-HEAD state. Run `git checkout main` inside `.obsidian` before
committing, or your commit won't be on a branch.
- **Pointer vs contents:** committing in the submodule is only half the job — you must
also `git add .obsidian` in the vault to record the new pointer, or other clones won't
get the change.
- **Two pushes:** changes need a push from inside `.obsidian` (to the config repo) **and**
a push of the vault repo (to record the pointer).
- **Restart Obsidian** after pulling config changes so it reloads the JSON.
- **Don't track machine-local files** — keep `workspace*.json` and `.DS_Store` in
`.gitignore` so per-machine state never syncs.

4
core-plugins.json
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@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
"switcher": true, "switcher": true,
"graph": true, "graph": true,
"backlink": true, "backlink": true,
"canvas": false, "canvas": true,
"outgoing-link": true, "outgoing-link": true,
"tag-pane": true, "tag-pane": true,
"footnotes": false, "footnotes": false,
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
"command-palette": true, "command-palette": true,
"slash-command": false, "slash-command": false,
"editor-status": true, "editor-status": true,
"bookmarks": true, "bookmarks": false,
"markdown-importer": false, "markdown-importer": false,
"zk-prefixer": false, "zk-prefixer": false,
"random-note": false, "random-note": false,