Obsidian Wins Over Tech Journalist with Local-First Note-Taking Approach

Arol Wright, a tech journalist and contributor at How-To Geek, decided to switch from Google Keep to Obsidian as his note-taking app due to concerns about data ownership and privacy.

Google Keep stores notes in the cloud, tied to the user's account, which can be subject to automated systems processing and retention policies. In contrast, Obsidian stores notes locally on the device as plain markdown text files, making it a more private option.

The app's linking system is also a key feature for Wright, allowing notes to reference each other using double bracket syntax and visualizing connections in a graph view. This networked or Zettelkasten-style note-taking approach enables users to build a web of links between ideas over time.

Obsidian's plugin ecosystem is another advantage, with community-built extensions available for features such as spaced-repetition flashcards, Kanban boards, and calendar integrations. Wright notes that this approach gives users more control over their data and allows them to switch away from the app without worrying about export processes or data migration headaches.