Add support for link types

New-timer to this discussion, though I relate to your concerns. Perhaps this will help to disambiguate that which is not inherently ambiguous, reveal that which is extant in each note, etc. and ease your saltiness!
GraphLinkTypeDemo

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I’ve been working on this - let me know what y’all think!

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I followed the link but it seems to only affect the visual representation in the node graph. I for one don’t use that graph at all. I really want the note model itself used by obsidian to associate links with an optional type/attributes, so that those can used in queries, in search, or any other plugin via the obsidian API.

Even if a plugin were to implement all those features, it would still not live in the core and so other plugins won’t be able to use those informations. So unless it makes its way into the core, it will belong to the realm of metadatas.

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Yeah, I get what you mean - it would be awesome if they were to implement them into the core.

For anyone looking for anything resembling the OP idea - that is, naming relationships between notes, here’s a dataviewJS script that does something resembling that.

It lists all notes that link to this note, while also stating their relationship.

var list = dv.pages('[[]]').sort(p => p.file.path, 'desc').map(p => p.file.link + " _" + p.file.outlinks.filter(
	outlink => outlink.path == dv.current().file.path
).map(link => dv.func.default(link.subpath, 'no annotation')) + "_")

dv.header(2, "Related")
dv.list(list)

image

To use this feature, link your notes like this:
[[note#your-relationship]]

For example:
[[concept#disproves]]

P.S I do not think I have to explain that it overrides the standard use-case of using # as linking to specific headers in a note. It’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make for myself at least.

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How to Make Personal Knowledge Graph in Obsidian | by Volodymyr Pavlyshyn | Mar, 2024 | Medium now it is possible with graph type links plugin

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@vop super interesting graph view!, an excellent example of how link types can improve the general experience.

As food for thought or inspiration for a plugin, I leave this video about graph exploration:

It makes use of link-types. For example, a link type that describes a Category, shows concepts on the left, and so on…

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I’d love to have at least basic link typing, just a way to make a note point toward another as parent or as child, this would greatly simplifies the note taking process.

Hello. Just bumping because this is the absolute most important feature that would change my life if implemented into core.
And I have been wishing for this since I started using Obsidian in early 2023 (I just don’t use the forums here - I just also visited the forums just to write this).

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Without “filter by link type”, Obsidian is unusable.

All that’s needed is for the “Graph Link Types” extinction to implement “filter by link type” functionality somehow.

Ideally, Obsidian should have had this feature natively from day one. Without this, the graph-view is just a fancy scam designed by people who in no wise actually mind-map their thoughts.

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Obsidian is not a mind-mapping software. This isn’t to say this feature request itself is doomed in the long run, but it does mean your outrage and feeling scammed is absurd. Even if this is implemented, it will not become a mind-mapping software. It will still be a note-taking app with easy linking, but with some nifty features to present those links in the graph.

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As I understand it, that’s exactly @christ-is-real’s point: Obsidian is no mind-map software and a simple graph view as it is currently implemented makes the graph view less useful and more like a mind-map tool (but with notes instead of thoughts). At least, there is the linking direction. But a logical connection between notes would make it much more useful semantically. I understand that this would diverge from the markdown standard but one could think of an additional semantification of links in the metadata (aka »properties«).

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I’ve been implementing my own graph-link solution that uses inline dataview tags. Then you can query these from a dataview perspective to see the structured metadata/properties for each incoming edge/link. Granted, this doesn’t integrate with the graph view at all.

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Hey everyone, new user here (so please be nice)! I’d also love to see this feature.

Here’s my use case: I’m learning a new language, and I was looking for a tool to help me organize new words I come across so I could learn them more easily.

There’s various properties I want to record for each word (such as different forms), but also related words (think “to sing” → “song”, “voice”, “music”, …) and (crucially) meta-information such as word class, inflectional paradigm and so on.

For related words, “plain” links are fine, but for meta-information I’d like typed links.

(BTW: some of you might say “Obsidian is not intended for this”. If so, fair enough; I’m open for alternate suggestions. That said I also don’t believe in overly narrow pre-conceived ideas of what a tool should be.)

Thanks, @vop! That’s perfect!