Proposal: vault-local JSON configuration

[max-wolf-cpp]

Hi! Would you be open to adding optional vault-local JSON configuration to obsidian.nvim?
I use multiple vaults with different settings for templates, daily notes, attachments, and frontmatter. Keeping these settings in my Neovim configuration means updating and synchronizing it whenever a vault’s configuration changes.
I already have a working implementation in my personal configuration: it reads .obsidian/nvim.json from the vault and passes the settings to the existing workspace overrides mechanism. This allows the configuration to travel with the vault.
I’d be happy to adapt this into a PR with tests and documentation. My initial proposal would be opt-in JSON loading, using the existing configuration validation. Lua callbacks would remain in the Neovim configuration.
Would this fit the project’s direction? What filename and configuration precedence would you prefer?

[neo451]

this is welcomed, have similar on my mind as well

one question:

Keeping these settings in my Neovim configuration means updating and synchronizing it whenever a vault’s configuration changes.

how does putting it in .obsidian/ folder help? not really following, isn't it just pushing your dot files?

Also that might lead to me have some issues with a custom json format. I always had the idea to be compatible with obsidian app's settings in .obsidian folder, and had been moving in the direction to make them compatible, and nvim.json sounds cool, but maybe like these per folder setup can be done via neovim's :h 'exrc' option, and you can just run any setup code per vault (this plugin should in that case only receive some tests in repeated setup calls) in .nvim.lua, instead of inventing a new json format and mapping them to options? just a quick thought.

that said, the direction is welcomed, and also mapping obsidian app's scattered json files's option to vault option and merging them is welcomed if you want to work on that (your current work seems related), we can discuss more if have more ideas.

[max-wolf-cpp]

Thanks for the reply! JSON itself isn’t essential to me — I’m happy to use Lua and existing Neovim mechanisms.

Regarding synchronization, I meant separating editor configuration from the configuration of a particular vault. Currently, changing template or attachment locations, or note creation rules, requires updating my general Neovim config, even though those settings only concern one vault.

Keeping these settings inside the vault means they can be synchronized alongside the notes in the vault’s own repository. On another computer, I could open that vault with the plugin installed without having to copy its settings into my personal Neovim config. It would also allow the same vault to be used with different editor configurations.

I like the idea of reading the Obsidian app’s existing settings. Wherever the options correspond, using them directly would be convenient — for example, template and attachment locations.

However, I also have additional rules for which I’m not aware of equivalent settings in the Obsidian app. For example, notes created from a particular template should go into a specific folder and receive a name generated by a custom rule. Other templates use the usual folder and naming behavior. Currently, I configure this through plugin options and functions.

So a combination of the two mechanisms seems appropriate to me: read shared settings from the Obsidian app’s files, and use local Lua configuration for additional options and functions. Your suggestion of .nvim.lua looks suitable for that part.

When I have some time, I can put together a small prototype in a fork with tests and examples, so we can discuss concrete behavior. I’d pay particular attention to switching between vaults and repeated setup calls. Based on feedback, I could then adjust the approach and prepare a PR.

[max-wolf-cpp]

Hi @neo451! I’ve opened PR #1001 with an implementation for you to review.
Following your suggestion, it uses standard Neovim exrc / .nvim.lua configuration and supports repeated setup() calls. It also reads compatible settings from Obsidian’s native JSON files and adds an explicit command to export shared Lua settings for app users.
The PR includes documentation, examples, tests, and a detailed explanation of the configuration precedence and supported workflows. I’m also following up on cross-platform CI results.
I’d appreciate your feedback on the approach and scope, particularly the settings precedence and export command. Happy to adjust or split the changes based on your suggestions.