Hybrid Line Numbers

Relative and hybrid line numbers for Obsidian's editor, for anyone who moves with Vim counts such as 5j or 12dd, or just wants to see how far away a line is.

 3  ## Method
 2  First step
 1  Second step
14  The cursor is on this line
 1  Third step
 2  ## Results      (folded: counts as one line)
 3  Next paragraph

The cursor is on line 12. Every other line shows how far away it is, and the folded "Day one" section counts as one line, so 3k lands on it.

What it does

• Hybrid (the default): the real line number on the cursor line, the distance to the cursor on every other line.
• Relative: 0 on the cursor line, the distance everywhere else.
• Absolute: plain line numbers.
• A folded section counts as one line, which is how Vim counts a jump, so the number next to a line is always the count that reaches it.
• Absolute numbers in Vim insert mode (optional): relative numbers while you move around, line numbers while you type, like Vim's popular "number toggle" setup.
• In a Vim visual selection the numbers follow the cursor, not the other end of the selection.
• Select lines from the numbers, like a code editor: see below.

The plugin draws its own column of numbers and hides Obsidian's while it is on, so it works whether or not Settings → Editor → Show line numbers is enabled, and you never get two columns.

Selecting lines from the numbers

The numbers work like the line numbers of a code editor:

• Click a number to select that whole line, line break included, so Backspace or Cut takes the line out cleanly. On the last line the selection runs to the end of the note.
• Drag over the numbers to select line by line. Drag above or below the editor and the note scrolls along.
• Shift-click a number to extend the selection to that line.
• Alt-click (Option-click on a Mac) to add the line as another selection, for editing several places at once.
• A folded section's number selects the whole section, the hidden lines too, and the section stays folded.

With Vim key bindings, a selected line works like a Vim visual selection, so d, y or c act on it. Turn this off with Select lines by clicking the numbers if you prefer the numbers to ignore clicks.

Commands

Command	What it does
Toggle line numbers	Shows or hides the numbers. Obsidian's own line numbers come back while they are hidden, if you have them switched on.
Switch to the next numbering mode	Hybrid → relative → absolute → hybrid.
Go to relative line…	Type +12 to move 12 lines down, -5 to move 5 up, or 42 to go to line 42.

Go to relative line counts the way the numbers do, so typing the number you see next to a line, with + or -, takes you there, and a folded section counts as one line. A line hidden inside a fold takes you to the fold, which stays closed. The cursor lands on the first character of the line that is not a space, as in Vim.

None has a hotkey by default; assign one in Settings → Hotkeys.

Vim's :set number and :set relativenumber

With Vim key bindings on, the numbers answer to Vim's own options, typed on the : command line or put in a vimrc (for example with the Vimrc Support plugin):

Vim	Here
:set nu rnu	Hybrid
:set rnu nonu	Relative
:set nu nornu	Absolute
:set nonu nornu	Hidden

The short names, inv…, …! and :set nu? work as in Vim, and a change is saved like one made in the settings.

Settings

Setting	Default
Show line numbers	On	The same as the toggle command.
Numbering	Hybrid	Hybrid, relative or absolute.
Absolute numbers in Vim insert mode	Off	Needs Settings → Editor → Vim key bindings.
Select lines by clicking the numbers	On	Click, drag, Shift-click and Alt-click on the numbers select lines.

Coming from Relative Line Numbers

This plugin does the same job as Relative Line Numbers, which has not had a release since 2023. Differences you will notice:

• It works without switching on Obsidian's own line numbers first.
• In a Vim visual selection, or any selection made upwards, the numbers count from the cursor. The older plugin counts from the end of the selection, so after Vkk its numbers still count from the line where the selection started.
• The column only redraws when a number actually changes (the cursor moves, the note changes, a section folds or unfolds, or the Vim mode changes), instead of reconfiguring the editor on every cursor move.
• Hybrid mode, the insert-mode option and the mode command are new.

Disable the old plugin before enabling this one, or you will see two columns of numbers.

Installing

Once the plugin is in the community directory: Settings → Community plugins → Browse, search for "Hybrid Line Numbers", then install and enable it.

Until then, download main.js, manifest.json and styles.css from the latest release into <vault>/.obsidian/plugins/hybrid-line-numbers/, reload Obsidian and enable the plugin under Settings → Community plugins.

Development

npm ci
npm run lint
npm test          # needs Node 22.18 or later
npm run build

The numbering itself is plain arithmetic in src/numbers.ts, and the line ranges a click selects and the line +12 reaches are in src/select.ts, both tested under Node; src/extension.ts is the CodeMirror gutter that draws the numbers and handles the clicks.

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License

MIT