Available in: English • Deutsch • Español • Français • Polski • 日本語 • 中文 • 한국어
[](https://discord.gg/6eeSUvzEJr)
Notebook Navigator is a plugin for [Obsidian](https://obsidian.md) that replaces the default file explorer with a Notes-style interface with a dual-pane layout.
If you love using Notebook Navigator, please consider [buying me a coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/johansan) or [Sponsor on GitHub ❤️](https://github.com/sponsors/johansan).
## Read in Your Language
Choose your preferred language below to view the documentation on our website:
🇺🇸 [English](https://notebooknavigator.com/docs.html) •
🇩🇪 [Deutsch](https://notebooknavigator.com/de/docs.html) •
🇪🇸 [Español](https://notebooknavigator.com/es/docs.html) •
🇫🇷 [Français](https://notebooknavigator.com/fr/docs.html) •
🇵🇱 [Polski](https://notebooknavigator.com/pl/docs.html) •
🇯🇵 [日本語](https://notebooknavigator.com/ja/docs.html) •
🇨🇳 [中文](https://notebooknavigator.com/zh/docs.html) •
🇰🇷 [한국어](https://notebooknavigator.com/ko/docs.html)
## Getting started
1. **Install Obsidian** - Download and install from [obsidian.md](https://obsidian.md/)
2. **Enable community plugins** - Go to Settings → Community plugins → Turn on community plugins
3. **Install Notebook Navigator** - Click "Browse" → Search for "Notebook Navigator" → Install
4. **Install Featured Image** - For automatic thumbnail generation, install [Featured Image](https://github.com/johansan/obsidian-featured-image) plugin to create optimized thumbnails for all your documents
For precise image management, consider also installing [Pixel Perfect Image](https://github.com/johansan/pixel-perfect-image) which lets you resize images to exact pixel dimensions and perform advanced image operations.
## Features
### Interface
- **Dual-pane layout** - Navigation pane on the left (folders and tags), list pane on right (files)
- **Single-pane layout** - Default on mobile, optional on desktop. Switch between navigation and file list
- **Mobile optimized** - Touch-friendly interface with properly sized buttons for Android, iOS and iPadOS
- **Multi-language support** - English, Deutsch, Español, Français, Polski, 日本語, 中文, 한국어
- **RTL language support** - Right-to-left languages with proper layout mirroring (e.g., العربية)
- **Resizable panes** - Adjust the split between navigation and list pane
### Navigation
- **Hierarchical folder tree** - Browse nested folders with expand/collapse controls
- **Hierarchical tag tree** - Browse nested tags with parent/child relationships (e.g., `projects/work/urgent`)
- **Auto-reveal active file** - Automatically expand folders and scroll to current file
- **Breadcrumb navigation** - Click any segment in the header path to jump to parent folders or tags
- **Keyboard navigation** - Full navigation with arrow keys, Tab, Page Up/Down, Home/End
- **Multi-selection** - Select multiple files with Cmd/Ctrl+Click and Shift+Click
### Organization
- **Pin notes** - Keep important notes at the top of folders and tags
- **Folder notes** - Turn folders into clickable links with associated notes
- **Custom colors and backgrounds** - Set text colors and background colors for folders and tags
- **Custom icons** - Choose Lucide icons or emojis for folders and tags
- **Custom sort order** - Override global sort settings per folder or tag
- **Custom appearances** - Configure display settings per folder or tag (title rows, preview rows, slim mode)
- **Favorite tags** - Pin frequently used tags to a dedicated section
- **Hidden tags** - Hide tags by prefix or name wildcards
- **Toggle hidden items** - Show or hide excluded folders and hidden tags with toolbar button
- **Untagged notes** - Find and organize notes without tags
### File display
- **Note previews** - Display 1-5 lines of text from each note
- **Feature images** - Display thumbnail images from frontmatter or first embedded image
- **Date grouping** - Group notes by Today, Yesterday, This Week when sorted by date
- **Frontmatter support** - Read note names and timestamps from frontmatter fields
- **Note metadata** - Show modification date and tags in the file list
- **Slim mode** - Compact display when preview, date, and images are disabled
- **Clickable tags** - Tags in file list navigate directly to that tag
### Productivity
- **Quick actions** - Hover buttons for open in new tab, pin, and reveal in folder
- **Quick search** - File name filter for notes in the current folder or tag with instant results
- **Omnisearch integration** - Full-text search with real-time results when [Omnisearch](https://github.com/scambier/obsidian-omnisearch) plugin is installed
- **Drag & drop** - Move files between folders, drag to tags to add tags, drag to Untagged to remove tags
- **Tag operations** - Add, remove, or clear tags via context menu and commands
- **File operations** - Create, rename, delete, duplicate, move files and folders
- **Filtering** - Exclude folders and notes with patterns, wildcards, and frontmatter properties
- **Search commands** - Quick navigation to any folder or tag via command palette
### Advanced theming support on GitHub
- **Style Settings integration** - Full support for the [Style Settings](https://github.com/mgmeyers/obsidian-style-settings) plugin
- **80+ CSS variables** - Complete set of `--nn-theme-*` variables for colors, backgrounds, and visual elements
- **Light/dark mode support** - Separate theming for light and dark modes
- **[Complete theming guide](docs/theming-guide.md)** - Detailed documentation with examples
### Developer API on GitHub
- **Public API for JavaScript/TypeScript** - API for plugins and scripts to interact with Notebook Navigator
- **Metadata control** - Set folder/tag colors, icons, and manage pinned notes programmatically
- **Navigation & selection** - Navigate to files and query current selections
- **Event subscriptions** - Subscribe to Notebook Navigator events
- **Full type definitions** - Complete TypeScript support
- **[Complete API documentation](docs/api-reference.md)** - Detailed reference with examples
## Code quality & compliance
- **Obsidian ESLint Plugin** - Full compliance with [Obsidian's official ESLint plugin](https://github.com/obsidianmd/eslint-plugin)
- **Zero-Tolerance Build Process** - Build aborts on any error or warning
- **Zero-Tolerance Code Quality** - Strict ESLint configuration with `no-explicit-any` enforced. 0 errors, 0 warnings across 35,000+ lines of TypeScript
- **Comprehensive Validation** - TypeScript, ESLint, Knip (dead code detection), and Prettier
## Architecture & performance
- **React + TanStack Virtual** - React architecture with virtualized rendering. Handles 100,000+ notes
- **IndexedDB + RAM Cache** - Dual-layer caching with metadata mirrored in RAM for synchronous access
- **Batch Processing Engine** - Content generation with parallel processing, debounced queuing, and cancellation
- **Unified Cleanup System** - Validates metadata (folders, tags, pins) in single pass during startup
## Documentation
- [**API Reference**](docs/api-reference.md) - Public API documentation. Covers metadata management, navigation control and event subscriptions for JavaScript/TypeScript developers.
- [**Theming Guide**](docs/theming-guide.md) - Guide for theme developers. Includes CSS class reference, custom
properties, and theme examples for light and dark modes.
- [**Startup Process**](docs/startup-process.md) - Plugin initialization sequence. Cold boot vs warm boot flows,
metadata cache resolution, deferred cleanup, and content generation pipeline. Includes Mermaid diagrams.
- [**Storage Architecture**](docs/storage-architecture.md) - Guide to storage containers (IndexedDB, Local Storage,
Memory Cache, Settings). Data flow patterns and usage guidelines.
- [**Rendering Architecture**](docs/rendering-architecture.md) - React component hierarchy, virtual scrolling with
TanStack Virtual, performance optimizations, and data flow.
- [**Scroll Orchestration**](docs/scroll-orchestration.md) - How the plugin ensures accurate scrolling when tree structures change (tag visibility, settings, etc.)
- [**Service Architecture**](docs/service-architecture.md) - Business logic layer: MetadataService, FileSystemOperations, ContentProviderRegistry. Dependency injection patterns and service data flow.
## How to use
1. Install the plugin from Obsidian's Community Plugins
2. The navigator will replace your default file explorer
3. Navigate using:
- **Click** to select folders, tags, and notes
- **Cmd/Ctrl+Click** to add notes to selection
- **Shift+Click** to select a range of notes
- **Double-click** folders and tags to expand/collapse
- **Option/Alt+Click** on chevrons to expand/collapse all descendants (desktop)
- **Arrow keys** for navigation
- **Tab** to switch between navigation pane and list pane
- **Delete/Backspace** to delete (with optional confirmation)
4. Right-click for context menus:
- Pin/unpin notes
- Create new notes, folders, canvas, or drawings
- Open notes in new tabs or windows
- Rename, delete, or duplicate items
- Move files to another folder
- Add tag - Add tags to selected files
- Remove tag - Remove specific tags from selected files
- Remove all tags - Clear all tags from selected files
- Change or remove folder/tag colors and icons
- Create or delete folder notes
- Open version history or reveal in system explorer
- Reveal in folder - switches to the file's containing folder (useful when viewing notes from descendants or tags)
5. Drag and drop notes between folders to organize, drag to tags to add tags, or drag to Untagged to remove all tags.
For more precise tag management, use the right-click context menu options
**Note:** Use the ribbon icon (folder tree icon) in the left sidebar to reopen Notebook Navigator if closed, or use the command `Notebook Navigator: Open`.
## Keyboard shortcuts
| Key | Action |
| ------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| ↑/↓ | Navigate up/down in current pane |
| ← | In navigation pane: collapse or go to parent
In list pane: switch to navigation pane |
| → | In navigation pane: expand or switch to list pane
In list pane: switch to editor |
| Tab | In navigation pane: switch to list pane
In list pane: switch to editor
In search field: switch to list pane |
| Shift+Tab | In list pane: switch to navigation pane
In search field: switch to navigation pane |
| Enter | In search field: switch to list pane |
| Escape | In search field: close search and focus list pane |
| PageUp/PageDown | Scroll up/down in navigation pane and list pane |
| Home/End | Jump to first/last item in current pane |
| Delete (Windows/Linux)
Backspace (macOS) | Delete selected item |
| Cmd/Ctrl+A | Select all notes in current folder |
| Cmd/Ctrl+Click | Toggle notes selection |
| Shift+Click | Select a range of notes |
| Shift+Home/End | Select from current position to first/last item |
| Shift+↑/↓ | Extend selection up/down |
## Commands
Set custom hotkeys for these commands in Obsidian's Hotkeys settings:
**View & navigation**
- `Notebook Navigator: Open` Opens Notebook Navigator in left sidebar. If already open, focuses the file list pane. **Suggestion:** Bind to a shortcut key like `Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+E` to move keyboard focus to the list pane - **this is essential for full keyboard navigation**
- `Notebook Navigator: Open homepage` Opens the Notebook Navigator view and loads the homepage file configured in settings
- `Notebook Navigator: Reveal file` Reveals current file in navigator. Expands parent folders and scrolls to file. This command is useful if you have the setting `Auto-reveal active note` switched off and want to reveal notes manually
- `Notebook Navigator: Navigate to folder` Search dialog to jump to any folder
- `Notebook Navigator: Navigate to tag` Search dialog to jump to any tag
- `Notebook Navigator: Search` Opens quick search field or focuses it if already open. Search persists between sessions. **Suggestion:** Bind to a shortcut key like `Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+F` for quick file filtering
**Layout & display**
- `Notebook Navigator: Toggle dual pane layout` Toggle single/dual-pane layout (desktop)
- `Notebook Navigator: Toggle descendants` Toggle descendants notes display for both folders and tags. **Suggestion:** Bind to a shortcut key like `Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+S` to quickly toggle display of notes from descendants
- `Notebook Navigator: Toggle hidden items` Show or hide excluded folders and hidden tags
- `Notebook Navigator: Collapse / expand all items` Collapse or expand all items based on the current state. When `Keep selected item expanded` is enabled (default on), all folders except the current one will be collapsed. This is super handy to keep the navigation tree tidy when searching for documents. **Suggestion:** Bind to a shortcut key like `Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+C` to quickly collapse non-selected items
**File operations**
**Note:** When creating new notes in Obsidian you can choose the `Default location for new notes` in Obsidian settings. This can be the the root folder, same folder as current file, or a specific folder. When working with Notebook Navigator, especially with the setting `Show notes from descendants` enabled, none of these options are preferred. Instead you always want to create new notes in the currently selected folder (for example if you have `Show notes from descendants` on, and have a note in a descendant folder selected, you do not want the new note to appear in the descendant folder). The same also applies to moving and deleting files. This is why you should use these commands instead of the built-in Obsidian commands when using Notebook Navigator.
- `Notebook Navigator: Create new note` Create note in currently selected folder. **Suggestion:** Bind `Cmd/Ctrl+N` to this command (unbind from Obsidian's default "Create new note" first)
- `Notebook Navigator: Move files` Move selected files to another folder. Selects next file in current folder
- `Notebook Navigator: Delete files` Delete selected files. Selects next file in current folder
**Tag operations**
- `Notebook Navigator: Add tag to selected files` Dialog to add tag to selected files. Supports creating new tags
- `Notebook Navigator: Remove tag from selected files` Dialog to remove specific tag. Removes immediately if only one tag
- `Notebook Navigator: Remove all tags from selected files` Clear all tags from selected files with confirmation
**Maintenance**
- `Notebook Navigator: Rebuild cache` Rebuilds the local Notebook Navigator cache. Use this if you experience missing tags, incorrect previews or missing feature images
### Command IDs
| Command ID | Command name |
| --------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- |
| `notebook-navigator:open` | Notebook Navigator: Open |
| `notebook-navigator:open-homepage` | Notebook Navigator: Open homepage |
| `notebook-navigator:reveal-file` | Notebook Navigator: Reveal file |
| `notebook-navigator:navigate-to-folder` | Notebook Navigator: Navigate to folder |
| `notebook-navigator:navigate-to-tag` | Notebook Navigator: Navigate to tag |
| `notebook-navigator:search` | Notebook Navigator: Search |
| `notebook-navigator:toggle-dual-pane` | Notebook Navigator: Toggle dual pane layout |
| `notebook-navigator:toggle-descendants` | Notebook Navigator: Toggle descendants |
| `notebook-navigator:toggle-hidden` | Notebook Navigator: Toggle hidden items |
| `notebook-navigator:collapse-expand` | Notebook Navigator: Collapse / expand all items |
| `notebook-navigator:new-note` | Notebook Navigator: Create new note |
| `notebook-navigator:move-files` | Notebook Navigator: Move files |
| `notebook-navigator:delete-files` | Notebook Navigator: Delete files |
| `notebook-navigator:add-tag` | Notebook Navigator: Add tag to selected files |
| `notebook-navigator:remove-tag` | Notebook Navigator: Remove tag from selected files |
| `notebook-navigator:remove-all-tags` | Notebook Navigator: Remove all tags from selected files |
| `notebook-navigator:rebuild-cache` | Notebook Navigator: Rebuild cache |
## Settings
### Top level settings
- **Dual pane layout (desktop only):** Show navigation and list panes side by side
- **Auto-reveal active note:** Automatically reveal notes when opened from Quick Switcher, links, or search
- **Ignore right sidebar:** Disable auto-reveal from right sidebar
- **Show tooltips (desktop only):** Display hover tooltips for notes and folders
- **Show file types:** Choose file types to display. Non-Obsidian files open in system's default application. `Markdown only`, `Supported files`, `All files`
- **Hide folders:** Comma-separated list of folders to hide. Pattern types:
- **Name patterns:** `archive` excludes all "archive" folders
- **Path patterns:** `/archive` excludes root archive folder, `/projects/secret` excludes specific path
- **Wildcards:** `temp*` (starts with), `*_old` (ends with), `/projects/*` (all descendants)
- Right-click folders to add to exclusion list
- **Hide notes:** Comma-separated frontmatter properties. Notes containing any of these properties will be hidden (e.g., draft, private, archived)
### Navigation pane
- **Auto-select first note (desktop only):** Automatically open the first note when switching folders or tags
- **Auto-expand folders and tags:** Automatically expand folders and tags when they are selected
- **Collapse items:** What expand/collapse all button affects. `All folders and tags`, `Folders only`, `Tags only`
- **Keep selected item expanded:** When collapsing, keep the currently selected folder or tag and its parents expanded
- **Show icons:** Display icons next to folders and tags
- **Show note count:** Display the number of notes next to each folder and tag
- **Tree indentation:** Adjust the indentation width for nested folders and tags
- **Item height:** Adjust the height of folders and tags in the navigation pane
- **Scale text with item height:** Reduce navigation text when item height is decreased
### Icon packs
- **External icon providers:** Optional feature to download additional icon packs to expand available icons
- **Bootstrap Icons:** Over 2,000 icons - [icons.getbootstrap.com](https://icons.getbootstrap.com/)
- **Font Awesome (Regular):** Classic icon set - [fontawesome.com](https://fontawesome.com/v6/search?f=classic&s=solid&ic=free&o=r)
- **Material Icons:** Google's Material Design icons - [fonts.google.com/icons](https://fonts.google.com/icons)
- **Phosphor:** Flexible icon family - [phosphoricons.com](https://phosphoricons.com/)
- **RPG Awesome:** Fantasy and RPG-themed icons - [nagoshiashumari.github.io/Rpg-Awesome](https://nagoshiashumari.github.io/Rpg-Awesome/)
**How it works:** Icon packs are downloaded on-demand when you enable them in settings. Downloads occur from GitHub (`github.com/johansan/notebook-navigator`) and are cached locally for offline use. No automatic downloads or updates occur - you have full control over when icon packs are installed or removed.
**Note:** Downloaded icon packs sync installation state across devices. Icons stay in the local database on each device; sync only tracks whether to download or remove them.
### Folders
- **Show root folder:** Display the vault name as the root folder in the tree
- **Inherit folder colors:** Child folders inherit color from parent folders
- **Enable folder notes:** When enabled, folders with associated notes are displayed as clickable links
- **Folder note name:** Name of the folder note without extension. Leave empty to use the same name as the folder
- **Folder note properties:** Frontmatter properties to add to newly created folder notes (comma-separated)
- **Hide folder notes in list:** Hide the folder note from appearing in the folder's note list
### Tags
- **Show tags (\*):** Display tags section below folders in the navigator
- **Show tags above folders:** Display tags section before folders in the navigator
- **Show favorites folder:** Display "Favorites" as collapsible folder when favorite tags are configured
- **Show tags folder:** Display "Tags" as collapsible folder
- **Show untagged notes:** Display "Untagged" item for notes without any tags
- **Show untagged notes in favorites section:** Display untagged notes in the favorites section, either inside the folder or directly below favorites
- **Favorite tags:** Comma-separated list of tag prefixes. Adding a tag includes all its sub-tags (e.g., "photo" includes "photo/camera/fuji")
- **Hidden tags:** Comma-separated list of tag prefixes or name wildcards. Use `tag*` or `*tag` to match tag names. Hiding a tag also hides all its sub-tags (e.g., "archive" hides "archive/2024/docs")
### List pane
- **Sort notes by:** Choose how notes are sorted in the note list. `Date edited (newest/oldest first)`, `Date created (newest/oldest first)`, `Title (A-Z first)`
- **Multi-select modifier:** Choose which modifier key toggles multi-selection. When Option/Alt is selected, Cmd/Ctrl click opens notes in a new tab. `Cmd/Ctrl click`, `Option/Alt click`
- **Group notes by date:** When sorted by date, group notes under date headers
- **Optimize note height:** Reduce height for pinned notes and notes without preview text
- **Show quick actions (desktop only):** Show hover actions on file items
- **Reveal in folder:** Quick action: Reveal note in its parent folder. Only visible when viewing notes from subfolders or in tags (not shown in the note's actual folder)
- **Pin note:** Quick action: Pin or unpin note at top of list
- **Open in new tab:** Quick action: Open note in new tab
- **Date format:** Format for displaying dates (uses date-fns format)
- **Time format:** Format for displaying times (uses date-fns format)
### Notes
- **Read metadata from frontmatter (\*):** Read note names and timestamps from frontmatter when available, falling back to file system values
- **Name field:** Frontmatter field to use as the note display name. Leave empty to use the file name
- **Created timestamp field:** Frontmatter field name for the created timestamp. Leave empty to only use file system date
- **Modified timestamp field:** Frontmatter field name for the modified timestamp. Leave empty to only use file system date
- **Timestamp format:** Format used to parse timestamps in frontmatter. Leave empty to use ISO 8601 format
- **Title rows:** Number of rows to display for note titles. `1` or `2`
- **Show date:** Display the date below note names
- **Show file tags:** Display clickable tags in file items. Use tag colors to visually distinguish different tag types
- **Show file tags in slim mode:** Display tags when date, preview, and image are hidden
- **Show parent folder names:** Display the parent folder name for notes in subfolders or tags
- **Show note preview (\*):** Display preview text beneath note names
- **Preview rows:** Number of rows to display for preview text. `1-5`
- **Skip headings in preview:** Skip heading lines when generating preview text
- **Skip code blocks in preview:** Skip code blocks when generating preview text
- **Preview properties:** Comma-separated list of frontmatter properties to check for preview text. The first property with text will be used
- **Show feature image (\*):** Display thumbnail images from frontmatter. Tip: Use the "Featured Image" plugin to automatically set feature images for all your documents
- **Image properties:** Comma-separated list of frontmatter properties to check for thumbnail images. The first property with an image will be used. If empty and the fallback setting is enabled, the first embedded image will be used
- **Use embedded image fallback:** Use the first embedded image in the document as a fallback when no thumbnail is found in frontmatter properties (requires Obsidian 1.9.4+). Disable this to verify that thumbnails are properly configured
**Note:** When date, preview, and feature image are disabled, list pane displays in compact "slim mode" with only note names.
### Search
- **Search provider:** Choose between quick file name search or full-text search with Omnisearch plugin
- **Filter search (default):** Fast, lightweight search that filters files by name and tags within the current folder and subfolders. Supports tag filtering with # prefix (e.g., #project), exclusion with ! prefix (e.g., !draft, !#archived), and finding untagged notes with !#. Ideal for quick navigation within your current context
- **Omnisearch:** Full-text search that searches your entire vault, then filters the results to show only files from the current folder, subfolders, or selected tags. Requires the [Omnisearch](https://github.com/scambier/obsidian-omnisearch) plugin to be installed - if not available, search will automatically fall back to Filter search
- **Known limitations:**
- Performance can be slow, especially when searching for less than 3 characters in large vaults
- Cannot search in paths with non-ASCII characters and does not search subpaths correctly
- Since Omnisearch searches the entire vault and returns a limited number of results before filtering, relevant files from your current folder may not appear if too many matches exist elsewhere
- Note previews are replaced with Omnisearch result excerpts, which may not show the actual search match highlight
### Advanced
- **Confirm before deleting:** Show confirmation dialog when deleting notes or folders
- **Clean up metadata:** Removes orphaned metadata left behind when files, folders, or tags are deleted, moved, or renamed outside of Obsidian. This only affects the Notebook Navigator settings file
- **Rebuild cache:** Use this if you experience missing tags, incorrect previews or missing feature images. This can happen after sync conflicts or unexpected closures
_(\*) These settings store data to a local cache database. You can see the total size of the database at the bottom of the Settings pane. Uncheck each item to remove its data from the cache._
## Style settings
Notebook Navigator integrates with the [Style Settings](https://github.com/mgmeyers/obsidian-style-settings) plugin for visual customization.
- **Colors** - All interface colors including backgrounds, text, icons, and selection states
- **Borders & corners** - Border radius for items, badges, and panels
- **Font weights** - Text weights for folders, tags, files, and various UI elements
- **Mobile styles** - Separate customizations for mobile interface
For theme developers who want to style Notebook Navigator, see the [Theming Guide](docs/theming-guide.md).
## Tips and tricks
### Display thumbnails with featured image plugin
Combine with the [Featured Image plugin](https://github.com/johansan/obsidian-featured-image) for thumbnail previews:
1. Install the Featured Image plugin
2. Enable "Show feature image" in Notebook Navigator settings
3. Notes display thumbnails from the first image
For best performance and quality, use 128px thumbnails.
### Folder notes
1. Enable "Enable folder notes" in settings
2. Right-click a folder and select "Create folder note"
3. Folders with notes appear as clickable links (underlined)
4. Click the folder name to open its note
5. Click elsewhere on the folder row to view the folder's note list
6. Right-click and select "Delete folder note" to remove
Use cases:
- Project overviews
- Category descriptions
- Table of contents
- Meeting notes by folder
**Configuration:**
- Set custom folder note name like "index" or "readme" in settings
- Hide folder notes from note lists
- Folder notes auto-rename when folder is renamed (if using folder name)
- Folders without notes work normally
### Customizing folders and tags
1. Right-click any folder or tag
2. Select "Change color" or "Change icon"
3. Colors: Choose from palette
4. Icons: Browse Lucide icons or paste emoji
5. Remove: Right-click and select "Remove color/icon"
### Custom sort order per folder/tag
1. Select a folder or tag
2. Click the sort button above the list pane
3. Toggle between:
- **Default**: Uses global sort setting
- **Custom**: Specific sort order for this folder/tag
4. Sort preference is remembered per folder and tag
### Custom appearances per folder/tag
1. Select a folder or tag
2. Click "Change appearance" in list pane header
3. Customize display:
- **Title rows**: 1 or 2 rows or default
- **Preview rows**: 1-5 rows or default
4. Presets:
- **Default appearance**: Reset to global settings
- **Slim mode**: Disable date, preview, and images
Use cases:
- **Slim mode**: Maximum file density
- **5 preview rows**: Folders where preview text matters
- **1-2 preview rows**: Quick scanning
### Tag management
- **Hierarchical tags:** Use nested tags like `#project/work/urgent`
- **Quick filtering:** Click tags to see notes with that tag and subtags
- **Untagged notes:** Find notes without tags via "Untagged"
- **Drag to tag:** Drag notes to tags to add tags
- **Remove tags:** Drag notes to "Untagged" to remove all tags
- **Context menu:** Right-click to add, remove, or clear tags
### Hiding notes with frontmatter
Use "Excluded notes" setting to hide notes with specific frontmatter:
1. Add properties like `private, archived` to excluded notes list
2. Add frontmatter to notes:
```yaml
---
private: true
---
```
3. Notes are hidden from navigator
Use cases:
- Personal/sensitive content
- Archived notes
- Template files with `template: true`
### Navigation shortcuts
- **Breadcrumb navigation:** Click segments in header path to jump to parent folders/tags
- **Scrollable paths on mobile:** Swipe long paths horizontally in mobile header
- **Middle-click:** Open files in new tab without switching focus (desktop)
## Questions or issues?
**[Join our Discord](https://discord.gg/6eeSUvzEJr)** for support and discussions, or open an issue on the
[GitHub repository](https://github.com/johansan/notebook-navigator).
## About
Notebook Navigator is built and maintained by [Johan Sanneblad](https://www.linkedin.com/in/johansan/). Johan has a PhD
in Software Development and has worked with innovation development for companies such as Apple, Electronic Arts, Google, Microsoft, Lego, SKF, Volvo Cars, Volvo Group and Yamaha.
Feel free to connect with me on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/johansan/).
## Network Usage Disclosure
**Optional Network Access:** This plugin includes an **optional** feature to download additional icon packs. Network access is only used when you explicitly choose to download icon packs through the plugin settings.
- **What is downloaded:** Icon font files and metadata for additional icon packs (Bootstrap Icons, Font Awesome, Material Icons, Phosphor, RPG Awesome)
- **Source:** All icon assets are downloaded from GitHub repositories (`https://raw.githubusercontent.com/johansan/notebook-navigator/main/icon-assets/`)
- **When it happens:** Only when you manually enable icon packs in the settings - no automatic downloads occur
- **Storage:** Downloaded icons are cached locally in your vault for offline use
- **Privacy:** No telemetry or user data is collected or transmitted
## License
This project is licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0 (GPL-3.0) - see the [LICENSE](https://github.com/johansan/notebook-navigator/blob/main/LICENSE) file for
details.