Obsidian for web

+1 big-time, here; willing to pay, also…thanks for even considering it! It would be phenomenally useful.

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+1 big-time, too.

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+1 from me

More than willing to pay a premium for this

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+1 - A high priority feature for me and something that might be able to be conditional on subscribing to Obsidian sync?

For me I’d love to use Obsidian at work but am currently not able to do this due to computer admin restrictions.

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:100:+1. I would also pay if its included in sync fee. I can’t run obsidian in my work computer due to admin. reasons.

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Have you tried the portable version?

https://forum.obsidian.md/t/run-in-portable-mode/915/71?u=alang

I’m chromebook user. And I don’t like an opinionated way to use obsidian only as an installed application. Waiting web support for this beautiful app…

Personally, don’t understand. Obsidian build on top of web technologies, and this thread exists from 2020.

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:100: — Web-based Obsidian would increase access to a whole population of people.

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I agree. To me at least having a web application doesn’t seem to compromise privacy more than the sync feature already does.

I love and stand behind Obsidian’s philosophy of full user ownership of their data and content, but as a paid addon subscription in combination with sync I think there could be room for a web app as well.

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A few note of clarification as to why this is not easy at all.
Obsidian Sync uses end-to-end encryption. It means that Obsidian Server does NOT have access to your notes in plaintext.

To build a web version of obsidian one would have to
Option A:
Download both Obsidian and the Vaults (potentially gigabytes) within the browser. Keep both Obsidian and vaults up to date in an efficient manner when you make changes (not redownload everything all the time).

Option B:
Give up end-to-end encryption, that is let Obsidian Servers have unencrypted access to your notes.
Than Obsidian should be completely reengineered with a frontend that just takes the user inputs and a backend on the server that executes your inputs on the files.

Both these options have pros/cons and both are extremely challenging.

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I think option B would be acceptable for many people. Most services doesn’t use end-to-end encryption and it is accepted because of convenience, for example Gmail, Messenger. I hope that when/if Obsidian becomes more popular there will be resources to implement even such features.

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But then it would make it non-admissible for work-related data in most self-respecting business and it seems there is a strong demand precisely from people who wants to use obsidian at work and can’t because they can’t install software on their machine.

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That information is going on Omnifocus on my iPad at the moment, so what’s the difference in typing it on my computer instead?

I work in Info Sec, I’m not stealing information, just arranging my day and taking notes.

God, please no :grimacing: The whole purpose of Obsidian is local files. Reducing security and encryption to satisfy a small web fringe would be madness.

If you want a web-based option there are so so many! Why would people want to turn the one lovely local app into something web-based…?

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what about a dedicated web client interface so that users can host them locally inside their network?

This will solve both A and B problem as in:

  • A: Files are modified and edited directly from the host machine. There is no need to download or redownload. Modification are applied directly to the vault. The web client interface just providing a tool for users to modify the same vault using different devices.

  • B: no need to give up end-to-end encryption

This solution will benefit user in co-operate as well. They can access the website and modify the vaults directly from their work laptops via a web browser

This is the same as Option A, split Obsidian into front end and back end, with the addition that we should provide the users both of them so they can self host the backend.

Beyond being even more work, it’s not something that addresses this FR, which is essentially asking for more convenience of access (Self-hosting is not convenient).

I think a simpler solution to what you proposing is to remote connect to a computer where you are running Obsidian. (if you search the forum, I have seen people discussing docker instances).

For cooperation, there is Obsidian Sync (which now supports multiple users). There is a FR open to allow self-hosting of obsidian sync servers (mostly for business cases).

Please yes, that may be Obsidian’s model now, but there’s nothing to stop Obsidian offering an option B like Omnifocus has with Task Management.

I’ve not found anything that fulfills the niche of Obsidian on the web except Roam, and that’s massively expensive for what I wish to use it for

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Inside the network is not enough, I want my notes available no matter where they are on any device I can log into, without having the whole dataset reside on the computer I log into.

I’m interested: What do you consider the niche of Obsidian on the web?

The niche of Obsidian is local files, which is by definition not web-based.

If you can define what the niche is that you’re looking for, the community might have some suggestions.

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That’s what you think is it’s niche (you can achieve offline files with markdown and use Dropbox if you wish to sync)

My need is Syncing, automatic backlinking, the graph and automatic daily notes.