Default Template

approved

by raeperd

Automatically apply templates to new notes with user-configurable template selection.

13 stars2,370 downloadsUpdated 2mo ago0BSD
View on GitHub

Default Template Plugin

Obsidian Downloads GitHub Release

Automatically apply your chosen template to every new note. No more manual template insertion—just create notes and get consistent structure instantly.

For minimalists: You don't need the complexity of Templater just for default templates. This plugin does one thing and does it well—fast, simple, no bloat.

Features

  • Set once, forget forever — Choose any template file, never manually insert again
  • Works everywhere — Ctrl+N, clicking non-existent links, any note creation method
  • Folder templates — Different templates for different folders with hierarchy fallback
  • Ignore paths — Skip template application for specific folders
  • Template variables — Processes {{date}}, {{time}}, {{title}} like the official Templates plugin
  • Zero interference — No template selected? Plugin does nothing

Quick Start

  1. Enable the plugin in Settings → Community Plugins
  2. Go to plugin settings and click Select template
  3. Choose any .md file from your vault — done!

Template Variables

VariableOutputDescription
{{title}}My New NoteNote filename
{{date}}2024-01-15Current date (YYYY-MM-DD)
{{time}}14:30Current time (HH:mm)

Format strings supported:

ExampleOutput
{{date:YYYY-MM-DD}}2024-01-15
{{date:dddd, MMMM Do YYYY}}Monday, January 15th 2024
{{time:HH:mm:ss}}14:30:25
{{time:h:mm A}}2:30 PM

Uses Moment.js format tokens — same as Obsidian's official Templates plugin.

Example Template

---
created: {{date:YYYY-MM-DD}}
---

# {{title}}

## Notes

Folder Templates

Assign different templates to specific folders. Notes in Projects/ can use a project template while notes in Journal/ use a daily template.

Hierarchy fallback: If Projects/Work/ClientA/ has no template, it checks Projects/Work/, then Projects/, then falls back to default.

Ignore Paths

Exclude folders where templates shouldn't be applied. Useful for scratch notes, temporary files, or areas where templates would be intrusive.

Installation

Community Plugins (Recommended)

  1. Open Settings → Community Plugins
  2. Click Browse and search for "Default Template"
  3. Click Install then Enable

Manual Installation

Download the latest release and extract files to VaultFolder/.obsidian/plugins/obsidian-default-template/

BRAT (Beta Testing)

Add https://github.com/raeperd/obsidian-default-template in BRAT settings.

References

For plugin developers

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