Create a graph based on the folder structure

Feature requests
51

Use case or problem

I organize my vault using a meaningful folder hierarchy (e.g., /Projects/AI Ethics/, /Areas/Psychology/Cognition/). When I place a note inside a folder, I’m expressing a semantic relationship: “this note belongs to this category or domain.”

However, this intentional structure is invisible in Graph View. The graph only shows [[wikilinks]] and tags — not the folder-based relationships I’ve carefully built. This creates a disconnect: my physical organization (folders) and semantic network (graph) don’t align, making the graph feel incomplete or misleading.

I want Graph View to reflect the full spectrum of how I relate ideas — including the humble, powerful act of placing a note in a folder.

Proposed solution

Add an optional toggle in Graph View Settings:

:check_box_with_check: Show folder hierarchy as relationships
Style: Dashed line + :file_folder: icon (e.g., note.md —📁→ FolderName)
Optional: Limit depth / Filter by path / Exclude certain folders

This would visualize:

  • note.md → parent folder
  • parent folder → grandparent folder (optional)

Example:
Attention.md → (:file_folder:) → Cognition → (:file_folder:) → Psychology

This feature should be off by default to avoid overwhelming new users. Power users can enable it to enrich their graph with structural context.

Current workaround (optional)

I currently use a Python script to manually insert folder relationships into note frontmatter:

---
belongs: "[[Cognition]]"
---

This works, but it’s static — if I move the file, I must rerun the script. It’s a brittle, manual hack for something that should be native.

Plugins like “Folder Notes” or “ExcaliBrain” do not solve this — they serve different purposes (clickable folders / canvas-based mind maps).

Related feature requests (optional)