Obsidian-kanban vs Obsidian-excalidraw-plugin

Pros of Dataview

• Powerful querying and data manipulation capabilities for Obsidian notes
• Flexible syntax for creating custom views and reports
• Integrates seamlessly with existing Obsidian markdown files

Cons of Dataview

• Steeper learning curve compared to visual tools like Kanban and Excalidraw
• Requires understanding of query language and data structures
• Less intuitive for users who prefer graphical interfaces

Code Comparison

Dataview:

TABLE file.ctime AS "Created", file.mtime AS "Modified"
FROM "Projects"
SORT file.mtime DESC

Kanban:

---
kanban-plugin: basic
---

## To-Do

- [ ] Task 1
- [ ] Task 2

## In Progress

- [ ] Task 3

Excalidraw:

{
  "type": "excalidraw",
  "version": 2,
  "source": "https://excalidraw.com",
  "elements": [
    {
      "type": "rectangle",
      "x": 100,
      "y": 100,
      "width": 200,
      "height": 100
    }
  ]
}

Dataview offers powerful data querying capabilities, while Kanban provides a visual task management interface, and Excalidraw enables freeform drawing and diagramming. Each plugin serves different purposes within Obsidian, catering to various user needs and preferences.

Pros of Templater

• Offers powerful templating capabilities with JavaScript integration
• Highly customizable and extensible for complex note-taking workflows
• Supports dynamic content generation based on various factors (date, time, file metadata)

Cons of Templater

• Steeper learning curve compared to Kanban and Excalidraw
• Requires some programming knowledge to fully utilize its features
• Less visual and interactive compared to the other plugins

Code Comparison

Templater:

<%*
let title = tp.file.title
let date = tp.date.now("YYYY-MM-DD")
tR += `# ${title}\nCreated on: ${date}`
%>

Kanban:

// No direct code comparison available as Kanban is primarily GUI-based

Excalidraw:

// Excalidraw uses a JSON-based format for drawings, not directly comparable

Summary

Templater excels in creating dynamic and customizable note templates, offering powerful scripting capabilities. However, it requires more technical knowledge compared to Kanban and Excalidraw. Kanban provides a visual task management system, while Excalidraw focuses on creating hand-drawn style diagrams. Each plugin serves different purposes within Obsidian, catering to various note-taking and organization needs.

Pros of Calendar Plugin

• Provides a visual calendar interface for managing daily notes and events
• Integrates seamlessly with Obsidian's daily notes feature
• Lightweight and focused on date-based organization

Cons of Calendar Plugin

• Limited functionality compared to Kanban's task management capabilities
• Lacks the drawing and diagramming features of Excalidraw Plugin
• May not be as useful for non-date-centric note-taking workflows

Code Comparison

Calendar Plugin:

export function getWeeklyNoteSettings(cache: CachedMetadata): WeeklyNoteSettings {
  return {
    format: cache.format || DEFAULT_WEEKLY_FORMAT,
    folder: cache.folder || "",
    template: cache.template || "",
  };
}

Kanban:

export function createBoard(vault: Vault, path: string): Promise<TFile> {
  return vault.create(
    path,
    `---\n\nkanban-plugin: basic\n\n---\n\n## To Do\n\n## In Progress\n\n## Done\n\n`
  );
}

Excalidraw Plugin:

export async function createExcalidrawFile(
  vault: Vault,
  fileName: string,
  folder: TFolder
): Promise<TFile> {
  const file = await vault.create(
    `${folder.path}/${fileName}.md`,
    EXCALIDRAW_TEMPLATE
  );
  return file;
}

Pros of Advanced Tables Obsidian

• Focused functionality for creating and managing tables within Obsidian notes
• Lightweight and efficient, with minimal impact on overall Obsidian performance
• Easy-to-use keyboard shortcuts for quick table manipulation

Cons of Advanced Tables Obsidian

• Limited to table functionality, lacking the visual organization of Kanban or drawing capabilities of Excalidraw
• May require more manual input compared to drag-and-drop interfaces in other plugins
• Less versatile for complex project management or visual brainstorming

Code Comparison

Advanced Tables Obsidian:

export function formatTable(table: string[][]): string {
  const columnWidths = table[0].map((_, columnIndex) =>
    Math.max(...table.map(row => row[columnIndex].length))
  );
  // ... (additional formatting logic)
}

Obsidian Kanban:

export function createKanbanBoard(data: KanbanData): HTMLElement {
  const board = document.createElement('div');
  board.className = 'kanban-board';
  // ... (board creation logic)
  return board;
}

Obsidian Excalidraw Plugin:

export function createExcalidrawElement(): HTMLElement {
  const container = document.createElement('div');
  container.className = 'excalidraw-container';
  // ... (Excalidraw initialization)
  return container;
}

Pros of Admonition

• Enhances note-taking with customizable callouts and info boxes
• Supports Markdown syntax within admonitions for rich formatting
• Offers a wide range of pre-defined styles and icons

Cons of Admonition

• Limited visual organization compared to Kanban's board-style layout
• Lacks drawing capabilities found in Excalidraw
• May require more manual setup than drag-and-drop interfaces

Code Comparison

Admonition:

```ad-note
title: Example Note
This is an example admonition.

Kanban:
```markdown
- [ ] Task 1
- [ ] Task 2
- [x] Completed Task

Excalidraw:

app.createExcalidrawWidget(el, {
  width: 500,
  height: 300,
  theme: "light"
});

Summary

Admonition excels in creating structured, visually appealing notes with callouts and info boxes. It's ideal for users who want to enhance their note-taking with clear, customizable sections. However, it lacks the task management features of Kanban and the freeform drawing capabilities of Excalidraw. While Admonition focuses on text-based enhancements, Kanban offers a more visual approach to organizing tasks, and Excalidraw provides a platform for creating diagrams and sketches directly within Obsidian.

Pros of Tasks

• Offers advanced task management features like due dates, priorities, and recurring tasks
• Integrates seamlessly with Obsidian's markdown syntax
• Provides powerful filtering and sorting options for task lists

Cons of Tasks

• Lacks visual organization capabilities found in Kanban boards
• Does not offer drawing or diagramming features like Excalidraw
• May have a steeper learning curve for users new to task management systems

Code Comparison

Tasks:

- [ ] Buy groceries #task @due(2023-05-15) @priority(high)
- [ ] Write report #task @due(2023-05-20) @recurring(weekly)

Kanban:

---

kanban-plugin: basic

---

## To-Do

- [ ] Buy groceries
- [ ] Write report

## In Progress

## Done

Excalidraw:

{
  "type": "excalidraw",
  "version": 2,
  "source": "https://excalidraw.com",
  "elements": [
    {
      "type": "rectangle",
      "x": 100,
      "y": 100,
      "width": 200,
      "height": 100
    }
  ]
}