New plugin: Collapse backlinks by default

Share & showcase
1

I love the in-document backlinks, but I hate the expanded view. I want them as a simple list just like the sidebar. So I made a plugin to do exactly that.

It’s incredibly simple, it effectively just clicks the collapse button whenever a new document is opened.

image
image1294×510 30.7 KB

How to install

  1. Install the BRAT plugin from the Community Plugins.
  2. Open the Settings page for BRAT.
  3. Click “Add Beta Plugin”.
  4. Paste in this address: https://github.com/alangrainger/obsidian-collapse-backlinks
  5. Click “Add Plugin”.

I won’t be submitting it to the plugin store because it’s just a single line of code.

Hopefully this helps you if you’re annoyed by the same thing I am.

8 Likes
2

Fascinating little plugin, which I reckon could be used for similar trigger of actions to execute at file opening.

Might I ask what code base you used? Or in other words, what’s the minimal base to use for such a simple plugin thingy?

3

I use this base, which is my own version of Obsidian’s sample plugin:

2 Likes
4

I’m baffled as to why collapsed backlinks (at the bottom of a note) this isn’t already an option in the Backlinks core plugin. It appears to be commonly requested.

5

Having them expanded by default adds a lot of visual clutter to the note.