JSON Canvas vs Obsidian CLI

JSON Canvas

By Steph Ango (Kepano / Obsidian)

Create visual knowledge maps, mind maps, and flowcharts for Obsidian without any code.

Obsidian CLI

By Steph Ango (Kepano / Obsidian)

Control your Obsidian notes from anywhere — create, search, and organize without opening the app.

JSON Canvas

• Creates visual canvases with text boxes, images, links, and grouped elements
• Connects ideas with labeled arrows and color-coded relationships
• Generates mind maps, flowcharts, project boards, and research diagrams
• Organizes complex information spatially so you can see the big picture
• Saves files that open directly in Obsidian's canvas view

Obsidian CLI

• Creates and reads notes in your Obsidian vault
• Searches across all your notes and finds backlinks
• Appends content to notes including daily notes and tasks
• Updates note properties and manages tags
• Captures screenshots and inspects vault structure for developers

Reach for JSON Canvas when…

• You're brainstorming a new project and want to map out all the moving pieces
• You need to visualize how different ideas or documents connect to each other
• You're planning a workflow or process and want to see it as a flowchart
• You want to turn scattered notes into an organized visual knowledge map

Reach for Obsidian CLI when…

• You want to quickly add something to your daily note without opening Obsidian
• You need to search your entire knowledge base for a specific topic
• You're organizing research and want to create multiple linked notes at once
• You need to bulk-update properties or tags across notes