# Nested Vaults (vault within a vault) **URL:** \ **Category:** Feature requests\ **Created:** [October 21, 2020, 2:05pm UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/nested-vaults-vault-within-a-vault/7366 "2020-10-21T14:05:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![joeshirley](https://forum.obsidian.md/user_avatar/forum.obsidian.md/joeshirley/32/3417_2.png) [@joeshirley](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/joeshirley)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2020, 3:27pm UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/nested-vaults-vault-within-a-vault/7366/21 "2020-10-27T15:27:53Z")
> [@Dor](#): > > Even sometimes on the same file. Good to hear! Also, your advice for robust backup routines seems important. ---
**Author:** ![santi](https://forum.obsidian.md/user_avatar/forum.obsidian.md/santi/32/93240_2.png) [@santi](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/santi)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2020, 3:28pm UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/nested-vaults-vault-within-a-vault/7366/22 "2020-10-27T15:28:13Z")
yep @joeshirley I found that if you keep @Dor’s advice in mind you should be fine at least with the current versions of obsidian. I keep version control of my vaults with git, highly recommend doing so, I use gitlab for my private vaults. That way if you ever break things you have a history of back ups. ---
**Author:** ![Daedren](https://forum.obsidian.md/user_avatar/forum.obsidian.md/daedren/32/5986_2.png) [@Daedren](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/Daedren)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2020, 11:46am UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/nested-vaults-vault-within-a-vault/7366/23 "2020-10-29T11:46:24Z")
+1 on this feature request. I suggest devs read what is going on here and in the threads linked in the OP so they can formalize nested vaults and don’t break this possibility of workflow with future updates. I also agree with @santi - there is no need to change anything as it is right now, just make sure nested vaults keep working in all future releases! Love your work, by the way \<3 ---
**Author:** ![santi](https://forum.obsidian.md/user_avatar/forum.obsidian.md/santi/32/93240_2.png) [@santi](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/santi)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2020, 1:52pm UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/nested-vaults-vault-within-a-vault/7366/24 "2020-10-29T13:52:46Z")
Awesome happy to see that between this post and [this one](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/nested-vaults-usage-and-risks/6360) we’ve started crreating our little nested vault army! Appreciate the support, and thanks for contributing to our nested vault cause @Daedren! ---
**Author:** ![jacklaing](https://forum.obsidian.md/user_avatar/forum.obsidian.md/jacklaing/32/2804_2.png) [@jacklaing](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/jacklaing)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2020, 1:17am UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/nested-vaults-vault-within-a-vault/7366/25 "2020-11-23T01:17:44Z")
Some ideas for features that can help to enforce best practices: - If Obsidian detects a .obsidian folder in a sub-folder, it should present a warning if you try to link to a parent vault note from a nested vault note. - It should also do this if you try to move a parent vault note into a nested vault note, where the parent vault note contains links to other parent vault notes. - Unlinked references pane should not present options from outside of the nested vault, even when viewing from the parent vault. And some quality of life features: - Enable us to target points on the graph based on the folder they’re in, so that we can give different vaults different colors (not sure if this is already possible with current CSS) ---
**Author:** ![Mocca](https://forum.obsidian.md/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mocca](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/Mocca)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2021, 11:09am UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/nested-vaults-vault-within-a-vault/7366/26 "2021-01-02T11:09:02Z")
+1 or similar (maybe clos to what @timj wrote) I think this could be achieved with nested vaults, but I think it’d be great if it could be achieved otherwise as well: **I’d like to be able to link to notes from different vaults.** For that I think it’d be cool if I could: Add external folders to a vault/link them to a vault. That way I’d be able to put notes that I want to share between vaults inside of it and then reference/edit it from mutliple vaults. For Example my personal and uni Vault, or another vault which I collaborate on with other people. ---
**Author:** ![broskees](https://forum.obsidian.md/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/ed655f/32.png) [@broskees](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/broskees)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2021, 4:40pm UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/nested-vaults-vault-within-a-vault/7366/27 "2021-02-16T16:40:14Z")
+1 Another huge reason for nested vaults, is for times you want to only allow “downlinking” (basically allow linking to nested directories). Here’s a few of reasons why you may want this: - You want to implement some strict rules for parts of your system - You want to create a exportable/stand alone part of your system (this is a huge feature for Obsidian Publish. For instance, I may want to make my programming knowledge or my folder of checklists available to my team, but I still want it accessible in my main “second brain”) ---
**Author:** ![I-d-as](https://forum.obsidian.md/user_avatar/forum.obsidian.md/i-d-as/32/59965_2.png) [@I-d-as](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/I-d-as)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2021, 3:42am UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/nested-vaults-vault-within-a-vault/7366/28 "2021-02-17T03:42:21Z")
Now that it so easy to link to notes outside of a vault, I thought it might be cool if Obsidian would be able to intelligently update note names and paths within multiple vaults in cases where you are linking to a file within another vault. This idea probably should be a separate request, but is very relevant in this discussion so I started here. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![santi](https://forum.obsidian.md/user_avatar/forum.obsidian.md/santi/32/93240_2.png) [@santi](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/santi)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2021, 2:05pm UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/nested-vaults-vault-within-a-vault/7366/29 "2021-02-17T14:05:49Z")
that’s very well explained. > [@broskees](#): > > ou want to create a exportable/stand alone part of your system (this is a huge feature for Obsidian Publish That’s the exact use I have for nested vaults when it comes to Obsidian Publish Great points ---
**Author:** ![santi](https://forum.obsidian.md/user_avatar/forum.obsidian.md/santi/32/93240_2.png) [@santi](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/santi)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2021, 2:07pm UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/nested-vaults-vault-within-a-vault/7366/30 "2021-02-17T14:07:55Z")
it’s an interesting request, I don’t ever link from one vault to another, in this case I just create nested vaults, but I assume you mean using paths with URI to link from different notes. I havn’t had the need to linking between vaults, but it’s definitely interesting ---
**Author:** ![gberthiaume](https://forum.obsidian.md/user_avatar/forum.obsidian.md/gberthiaume/32/96633_2.png) [@gberthiaume](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/gberthiaume)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2021, 8:55pm UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/nested-vaults-vault-within-a-vault/7366/31 "2021-03-28T20:55:03Z")
+1 I hope this suggestion is considered seriously by the dev. Nesting vaults seems to be the best solution for those common problems: > I want my “at work” vault to be part of my notes, but I don’t want to see my other notes at work. > I want to share some part of my vault with other peoples. Great thread everybody. ---
**Author:** ![davecan](https://forum.obsidian.md/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@davecan](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/davecan)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2021, 5:16pm UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/nested-vaults-vault-within-a-vault/7366/32 "2021-04-05T17:16:29Z")
If this were to be supported then perhaps nested vaults should be made a first-class feature in the app. For example, clicking a button in the file browser (`New vault` alongside `New folder` with a globe icon or safe icon perhaps) to create a new named vault, then creating files and folders underneath it. Notes inside a vault can only reference notes within the same vault, while notes in a parent vault can reference _down_ to notes in a child vault. It creates a sense of direction in links. Encryption could be added as a feature on a per-vault basis, so you can right-click the vault name in the sidebar and configure it. Etc. Vaults then become essentially “named groups of folders” from the app view. And it keeps app configurations (themes, CSS, plugins, etc) consistent across sets of notes. (although I am currently finding a benefit in having a vault for zettelkasten and one for project management, with the same themes/CSS but different plugins to meet the needs of each – so perhaps workspaces can help out here?) ---
**Author:** ![I-d-as](https://forum.obsidian.md/user_avatar/forum.obsidian.md/i-d-as/32/59965_2.png) [@I-d-as](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/I-d-as)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2021, 3:24am UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/nested-vaults-vault-within-a-vault/7366/33 "2021-04-06T03:24:06Z")
Agreed. I would love this feature. I think you are onto something here, especially with the encryption part. I may have been onto a similar something in this request: [Internal vaults](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/internal-vaults/6824) As usual, I think my description could have been clearer, but the idea of the internal vaults being separate comes through. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![davecan](https://forum.obsidian.md/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@davecan](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/davecan)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2021, 12:43pm UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/nested-vaults-vault-within-a-vault/7366/34 "2021-04-06T12:43:26Z")
Ah ok cool. So that’s essentially an ability to “zoom in” on a single vault. This is also a feature of Omnifocus and its quite powerful, letting you “zoom in” on a given perspective to focus and then “zoom out” to see the larger picture. ---
**Author:** ![santi](https://forum.obsidian.md/user_avatar/forum.obsidian.md/santi/32/93240_2.png) [@santi](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/santi)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2021, 4:09pm UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/nested-vaults-vault-within-a-vault/7366/35 "2021-04-06T16:09:20Z")
happy to see you also look value into this @davecan@I-d-as and @davecan > [@davecan](#): > > nested vaults should be made a first-class feature in the app. > > For example, clicking a button in the file browser (`New vault` alongside `New folder` with a globe icon or safe icon perhaps) I agree that’d be awesome > [@I-d-as](#): > > I may have been onto a similar something in this request: [Internal vaults](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/internal-vaults/6824) I think it captures the same concept! 😃 > [@davecan](#): > > essentially an ability to “zoom in” on a single vault. That’s a great way to put it, that’d be even better than what I described ---
**Author:** ![davecan](https://forum.obsidian.md/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@davecan](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/davecan)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2021, 7:00pm UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/nested-vaults-vault-within-a-vault/7366/36 "2021-04-06T19:00:57Z")
I will confess to being conflicted on this though. Right now I’m in the process of setting up a second vault, separate from my main notes/zettelkasten, specifically to track daily work activities, projects etc. These are two very different concerns and are resulting in not only different layouts but different plugins active in each vault. For example, in my zettelkasten I have no use for daily notes and am extremely spare in how I use tags. Meanwhile in my projects vault I expect to use tags and backlinks quite heavily. My projects vault is a knowledge _management_ system where I need to mostly reference and strategize and plan. Meanwhile, my zettelkasten is a knowledge _development_ system where I need to zone in and think deeply without being distracted. Two different concerns. Two different needs. Perhaps it is correct to keep them as completely standalone independently-configurable instances, so I’m not wrestling with the app configuration each time I switch contexts? 🤔 ---
**Author:** ![Dor](https://forum.obsidian.md/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/5fc32e/32.png) [@Dor](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/Dor)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2021, 7:51pm UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/nested-vaults-vault-within-a-vault/7366/37 "2021-04-06T19:51:44Z")
> [@davecan](#): > > I will confess to being conflicted on this though. Right now I’m in the process of setting up a second vault, separate from my main notes/zettelkasten Why is that a conflict? I have most vaults nested, but others separate. > [@davecan](#): > > Perhaps it is correct to keep them as completely standalone independently-configurable instances, so I’m not wrestling with the app configuration each time I switch contexts My nested vaults tend to have different settings depending on their need. No reason they have to share a configuration. ---
**Author:** ![santi](https://forum.obsidian.md/user_avatar/forum.obsidian.md/santi/32/93240_2.png) [@santi](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/santi)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2021, 1:23am UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/nested-vaults-vault-within-a-vault/7366/38 "2021-04-07T01:23:21Z")
Hey @davecan I agree with @Dor Nested vaults (and potential implementation of features to facilitate it) wouldn’t remove the ability to create separate unlined vaults. It’s an additional process rather than a replacement of how things already are ---
**Author:** ![davecan](https://forum.obsidian.md/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@davecan](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/davecan)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2021, 2:12pm UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/nested-vaults-vault-within-a-vault/7366/39 "2021-04-07T14:12:26Z")
My point is that there is a tradeoff. Remember my point was that if this is to be officially supported then perhaps nested vaults should be made a first class feature, with a section in the sidebar showing the “tree” of nested vaults as a superset of the folder browser. You could expand/collapse vaults from the parent, and (for example) double click a vault to “zoom in” so it appears to be the only open vault. (with presumably a “back” button to “zoom out” back to the parent) Assume you have one parent vault P and two child vaults C1 and C2. Assume there is a component in the sidebar that allows you to switch views between P, C1, and C2. When in P you can see all content for C1 and C2, but when “zoomed in” to C1 you can only see C1, and same for C2. When you are in P and install a plugin, is it installed in only P, or is it installed in C1 and C2 also? If it is in P only and then you “zoom in” on either C1 or C2 (e.g. by double-clicking one of them in the sidebar) then you lose access to that plugin because it isn’t installed in C1 or C2. This creates inconsistent behavior – imagine the UX complaints if you have different themes and “I double clicked a vault and _Obsidian lost all my colors!_” etc. But if it is also installed in C1 or C2 then you lose the ability to operate them independently as I described before, because every plugin you install in P is forcibly installed in both C1 and C2. ---
**Author:** ![Dor](https://forum.obsidian.md/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/5fc32e/32.png) [@Dor](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/Dor)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2021, 3:31pm UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/nested-vaults-vault-within-a-vault/7366/40 "2021-04-07T15:31:08Z")
The whole principle of vaults is that they are shut off from each other. And those barriers produce much of the value of nesting, otherwise they may as well simply be folders. Having nesting allows access with different settings without changing settings. [Previous page](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/nested-vaults-vault-within-a-vault/7366.md?page=1) [Next page](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/nested-vaults-vault-within-a-vault/7366.md?page=3)