Now, when you have to create a regular tree diagram similar to Mind Map using Canvas, it takes a lot of time due to the fact that you have to position all the nodes precisely by hand.
Now there is a Canvas Mind Map plugin, but as mentioned in the topic itself, its usability is far from ideal.
And tools for Canvas that allow you to quickly (Tab, Enter, Shift + Enter) create a tree structure with automatic positioning of nodes with equal distance between them, and with automatic movement of all nodes, if one node is created somewhere in the center, are really lacking.
If Canvas had a feature that allowed users to create nodes at a given distance from each other, users wouldn’t have to put them in order manually, and it would speed up the process of creating Canvases considerably.
But if in some place it is necessary to depart from the usual structure, and, for example, to introduce an additional node with a comment, then the whole order will be broken, and I do not see how the developers can preserve the functionality with such nuances.
That’s why the “Canvas Mind Map” plugin is relevant only in the simplest cases, or as a tool for creating a basis, which will be adjusted later.
For me, the best example of software for creating Mind Maps is XMind, where you can create Mind Maps very quickly, but it lacks the flexibility and freedom that Obsidian Canvas has.
Which is unfortunate, because referring to the comments from the developers, we can conclude that they are just different tools.
Quick and easy creation of Mind Maps is really lacking, as well as automated arrangement of nodes with equal distance between them, to keep the Canvas in order, to read everything better, and better perceive the information on it, and not buried in the chaos of disorder.
But I would like to see this as an improvement of the Canvas functionality, not as a separate solution, simply because, in my opinion, Canvas as a basis is quite suitable for this functionality, and personally I would like to interact with Mind Map as with Canvas, and to be able to perform all those manipulations that are now available for Canvas, and that are requested by users.
But as far as collapsing branches is concerned, this can be a problem, because the structure can be non-linear on the Canvas, and just the whole Canvas can be collapsed.
And from the performance point of view, Canvas is quite laggy now, and collapsing/deploying a large number of nodes may be accompanied by strong lags, which will not be very convenient, so, as an alternative, a Canvas: Visually isolating hovered card and its connected cards with other cards may be suitable for better readability.
And if we’re still talking about a separate solution, I’ve written about something similar too, just not in the context of Mind Maps, but in the context of slightly different visualizations. As a more comfortable and beautiful replacement for Mermaids (which is also sorely lacking).