2020 founded Standing
notes · obsidian.md
Obsidian
the moat is real
6 years 143 days and counting
Shida Li and Erica Xu, 2020. Young for this list. Already the thing people mean by 'my notes are mine'.
Why it lasted
- Local markdown files. You can leave. Paradoxically that is why people stay.
- The graph and the plugin ecosystem turned a folder into a religion.
- A small company that ships like a tool, not like a Series B.
Times it almost ended
- Roam was the hype. Roam priced like a cult. Obsidian priced like software.
- Every AI notes app wants the vault. The vault is a directory. Good luck.
What would finish it
- A local-first AI notebook that is nicer and still files-on-disk. Possible. Not here yet.
Questions
Is Obsidian still up?
Yes, with a Standing verdict: the moat is real. Founded 2020.
How long has Obsidian been around?
Obsidian has been up since 2020-03-30.
Why did Obsidian survive?
Local markdown files. You can leave. Paradoxically that is why people stay.
Could Obsidian still die?
A local-first AI notebook that is nicer and still files-on-disk. Possible. Not here yet.