SnippetBase

A vault-wide database UI for fenced code snippets in Obsidian. Build and maintain a personal code library directly in your notes.

Search, filter, and copy code snippets instantly - perfect for developers who collect code examples, configurations, and reusable patterns across their knowledge base.

What you can do in 10 seconds:

• Open SnippetBase from the ribbon or command palette
• See all your fenced code snippets in one searchable list
• Filter by language, folder, or mark favorites
• Preview syntax-highlighted code and copy to clipboard

Features

• Search & Filter: Find snippets by content, language, or folder
• Live Preview: Syntax-highlighted code preview with copy functionality
• Favorites: Mark and filter favorite snippets
• Incremental Indexing: Automatically updates when you modify markdown files
• Multiple Views: Open in tab or right sidebar
• Fast Performance: Optimized for large vaults with hundreds of snippets
• Template Placeholders: Fill in dynamic values when copying snippets

Template Placeholders

SnippetBase supports dynamic templating with placeholders that get filled in when you copy snippets. Use the "Copy (fill…)" command or button to open the placeholder modal.

Placeholder Types

Text Placeholders

{{name}}                    # Simple text input
{{name=John Doe}}          # Text with default value

Select Placeholders

{{language:JavaScript|Python|TypeScript}}  # Dropdown selection
{{priority:high|medium|low}}              # Choose from options

Date Placeholders

{{date:today}}             # Today's date (YYYY-MM-DD)
{{date:today+7d}}          # 7 days from today
{{date:today-1w}}          # 1 week ago
{{date:2025-12-21}}        # Specific date
{{date:2025-12-21+1m}}     # Specific date + 1 month

Date Expressions

Date placeholders support complex expressions:

• Base dates: today or YYYY-MM-DD format
• Offsets: + or - followed by number and unit
• Units: d (days), w (weeks), m (months), y (years)
• Examples:
  • today+7d - 7 days from today
  • 2025-12-21-1m+3d - Dec 21, 2025 minus 1 month plus 3 days
  • today+1y-6m - Today plus 1 year minus 6 months

Usage in Snippets

// Example: Function template
function {{name}}({{params}}) {
  {{body}}
}

// Example: API endpoint with date
const API_URL = '/api/v1/reports/{{date:today-30d}}/{{language}}';

// Example: Configuration with selection
module.exports = {
  language: '{{language:JavaScript|Python|TypeScript}}',
  priority: '{{priority:high|medium|low}}',
  author: '{{author=Your Name}}',
  created: '{{date:today}}'
};

Screenshots

Main interface with snippet list and syntax-highlighted preview

Filter controls and search functionality

How it works

SnippetBase automatically indexes all fenced code blocks from your markdown files and maintains a searchable database. When you modify, rename, or delete notes, the index updates incrementally to stay current.

All data is stored locally in your vault under .obsidian/plugins/snippetbase/ - nothing is sent to external servers.

Known limitations

• Search uses substring matching (not fuzzy search)
• Preview truncates snippets longer than 200 lines
• Code fences without language tags are treated as plain text
• Desktop-only (not available on mobile)

Installation

Install via Community Plugins (once listed)

1. Open Settings → Community plugins
2. Browse and install "SnippetBase"
3. Enable the plugin

Manual install from Releases (current)

1. Download the latest release from GitHub Releases
2. Extract the files to your vault's .obsidian/plugins/snippetbase/ folder
3. Reload Obsidian and enable "SnippetBase" in Settings → Community plugins

Usage

Opening SnippetBase

• Ribbon Icon: Click the code icon in the left sidebar
• Command Palette: Search for "SnippetBase: Open"
• Commands:
  • Open in new tab - Opens in a new tab
  • Open in right sidebar - Opens in right sidebar

Features

• Search: Type in the search box to filter snippets by content
• Language Filter: Filter by programming language (JavaScript, Python, etc.)
• Folder Filter: Filter by vault folder location
• Favorites: Click the star icon to favorite/unfavorite snippets
• Copy: Click the copy button to copy snippet content to clipboard
• Copy (fill…): Fill template placeholders with custom values before copying
• Preview: Click any snippet to see full syntax-highlighted preview

Commands

• SnippetBase: Rebuild snippet index - Manually rebuild the snippet database
• SnippetBase: Copy (fill…) - Copy selected snippet with placeholder filling

Privacy

SnippetBase is designed with privacy as a core principle:

• No network required: Works completely offline - no internet connection needed
• No telemetry or data collection: Nothing is sent to external servers
• Local storage only: All data stays in your vault's .obsidian/plugins/snippetbase/ folder
• No external dependencies: Uses only built-in Obsidian APIs

FAQ

Can it paste into my terminal automatically?
No, SnippetBase copies to your clipboard for manual pasting. This gives you control over where and how you use the code.

Does it edit my notes?
No, SnippetBase only reads your markdown files to index code snippets - it never modifies your notes.

Where is data stored?
Everything is stored locally in your vault under .obsidian/plugins/snippetbase/.

Changelog

0.1.2

• Added template placeholders with dynamic value filling
• Support for text, select, and date placeholder types
• Date expressions with complex math (today+7d, 2025-12-21+1m, etc.)
• Placeholder history and auto-fill functionality

0.1.0

• Initial release with core functionality
• Search and filter snippets by content, language, and folder
• Live syntax-highlighted preview
• Favorites system
• Incremental indexing on file changes
• Copy snippets to clipboard
• Multiple view modes (tab/sidebar)

Development

This plugin is built with TypeScript and uses the Obsidian Plugin API.

Setup

npm install
npm run dev  # Watch mode
npm run build  # Production build

Architecture

• src/main.ts - Plugin lifecycle and event handling
• src/snippetBase/indexer.ts - Snippet parsing and indexing
• src/ui/SnippetBaseView.ts - Main UI component
• src/settings.ts - Settings and configuration

Support

For maintainers: see RELEASING.md for release instructions.

If you find this plugin useful, consider:

• Starring the repository on GitHub
• Contributing improvements via pull requests
• Buying me a coffee if you'd like to support development

License

MIT License - see LICENSE file for details