# Tidy YAML

Tidy YAML is a simple Obsidian community plugin for hiding or collapsing YAML frontmatter without changing note contents.

- Click the left-ribbon eye to hide or unhide YAML in the current file.
- Click the `YAML` strip above a note's frontmatter to collapse or expand that file.
- Use six direct commands for current-file toggles or deterministic vault-wide actions.

The plugin works in Source mode, Live Preview, and Reading view. It leaves Obsidian's separate Properties sidebar unchanged.

## How it works

Every valid leading YAML block has one of three display states:

- **Shown:** YAML is visible and the strip points down.
- **Collapsed:** YAML is replaced visually by the strip, which points right.
- **Hidden:** Both the YAML and strip are hidden.

Hiding remembers whether the file was Shown or Collapsed and restores that state when it is unhidden. File states are saved by vault-relative path, moved when files or folders are renamed, and removed when they are deleted.

The interface deliberately has only two visible controls:

| Control | Scope | Action |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Left-ribbon indicator | Current file | Hide or show YAML; clearly reports visible, hidden, or absent YAML |
| `YAML` strip | Current file | Collapse or expand YAML |

The strip is a full-width keyboard-accessible button with a clear hover state, focus outline, tooltip, and expanded/collapsed ARIA state.

## Commands

Open the command palette with **Command/Ctrl + P**. These six commands are always available and can be assigned hotkeys:

- **Tidy YAML: Hide all**
- **Tidy YAML: Show all**
- **Tidy YAML: Collapse all**
- **Tidy YAML: Expand all**
- **Tidy YAML: Collapse/expand this file**
- **Tidy YAML: Hide/show this file**

The four `all` commands set a definite vault state and clear saved file states so every note follows the command. The two current-file commands save only that file's state.

## Source safety

Tidy YAML never edits YAML or Markdown. It uses CodeMirror decorations and view-scoped CSS to change presentation only. Notes with absent, malformed, unclosed, or non-leading YAML are left untouched, and current-file commands show a notice when there is no valid frontmatter.

Shown mode respects Obsidian's **Settings → Editor → Properties in document** setting. Select **Visible** or **Source** there if Obsidian's own Hidden setting prevents frontmatter from appearing. See [Obsidian's Properties documentation](https://obsidian.md/help/properties).

## Installation

### Community Plugins

After the plugin is accepted into the Obsidian community directory:

1. Open **Settings → Community plugins → Browse**.
2. Search for **Tidy YAML**.
3. Select **Install**, then **Enable**.

### Manual installation

1. Download or build `main.js`, `manifest.json`, and `styles.css`.
2. Create `<vault>/.obsidian/plugins/frontmatter-visibility/`.
3. Copy those three files into the new folder.
4. Reload Obsidian and enable **Tidy YAML** under Community plugins.

For a local build:

```bash
npm ci
npm run build:release
```

The three ready-to-copy files will be in `release/`.

## Settings

The settings page contains only:

- The vault default: Shown, Collapsed, or Hidden.
- The number of saved file states and a confirmed reset action.
- Obsidian Properties compatibility guidance.

Upgrading from 1.x preserves the vault default and valid per-file states. Removed ribbon, status-bar, and editor-chevron settings are discarded automatically.

## Development

Node.js 20 or newer is required.

```bash
npm ci
npm run dev
```

| Command | Purpose |
| --- | --- |
| `npm run typecheck` | Check TypeScript without emitting files |
| `npm run lint` | Run ESLint and Obsidian plugin rules |
| `npm test` | Run the Vitest/JSDOM suite |
| `npm run build` | Typecheck and create a production `main.js` |
| `npm run verify` | Run typecheck, lint, tests, build, and metadata checks |
| `npm run build:release` | Refresh exactly three files in `release/` |

See [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md) and the [manual testing checklist](docs/manual-testing.md).

## Releasing

Tags must exactly match `manifest.json` without a `v` prefix.

```bash
npm version patch --no-git-tag-version   # or minor / major
# Update CHANGELOG.md before committing the release.
npm run verify
npm run build:release
git add package.json package-lock.json manifest.json versions.json CHANGELOG.md
git commit -m "chore: prepare version 2.1.1"
git tag 2.1.1
git push origin main
git push origin 2.1.1
```

Replace `2.1.1` with the version produced by the bump. The version lifecycle updates `manifest.json` and `versions.json`. A matching tag without a `v` prefix runs verification and creates a GitHub release containing exactly `main.js`, `manifest.json`, and `styles.css`.

For repository details, commit-message examples, and ready-to-copy 2.1.0 release notes, see [GITHUB_RELEASE.md](GITHUB_RELEASE.md).

For the first Community Plugins submission, publish a GitHub release, then sign in at [community.obsidian.md](https://community.obsidian.md), connect your GitHub account, and add the repository under **Plugins → New plugin**. Follow the official [submission and release requirements](https://docs.obsidian.md/plugins/releasing/submit-plugin).

## Privacy and safety

The plugin works locally, makes no network requests, and never edits frontmatter or note contents. Its `data.json` stores only the vault display preference and path-based file states.

## License

[MIT](LICENSE)