SideNote2

For the fuller dependency and architecture notes, see README-dev.md.

SideNote2 is an Obsidian plugin for side comments that stay attached to the note.

It is built for a minimal workflow: humans work in the sidebar, while agents can read the same comments directly from the markdown file. Inspired by mofukuru/SideNote.

Features

• Uses a dedicated sidebar for drafting, editing, resolving, reopening, and deleting comments.
• Supports Obsidian-style [[wikilinks]] inside side comments to link existing notes or create new markdown notes.
• Type # in a side note to search existing tags or add a new one.
• Keeps resolved comments archived instead of removing them.
• Generates SideNote2 index.md as a vault-wide comment index.
• Lets the index sidebar switch between the comment list and a thought-trail graph built from side-note wiki links. The graph follows those links across connected markdown files, so it can show multi-step trails instead of only direct one-hop links.
• Supports agent workflows so Codex, Claude Code, and other assistants can read and update side comments from the note-backed storage format.

How to Get Started

1. Install BRAT settings -> install community plugins -> BRAT
2. Install the SideNote2 beta Open BRAT, enable Auto update if you want, then add the plugin as shown below.

   

3. Optional: use the bundled SideNote2 agent instructions.

Example install for Codex CLI:

python ~/.codex/skills/.system/skill-installer/scripts/install-skill-from-github.py --repo \
  vicky469/SideNote2 --path skills/side-note2-note-comments skills/canvas-design

side-note2-note-comments helps agents read and update SideNote2-backed notes. canvas-design is a bundled Obsidian canvas-layout skill for cleaner spacing, grouping, and board readability. If you use Claude Code or another assistant, adapt the same instructions there.

Workflow

1. Select text in a note.
2. Right-click Add comment to selection. You can use the ribbon button to open the sidebar, or assign your own hotkey in Obsidian.
3. Write the comment in the sidebar. See Writing in Side Notes below for editor shortcuts and formatting behavior.
4. Review it later from the sidebar, from SideNote2 index.md, or from the sidebar thought trail.

Writing in Side Notes

Action	How it works
Save draft	Click Save.
Insert a newline	Press Enter.
Link a note	Type [[ to open note suggestions and insert an Obsidian wikilink.
Add a tag	Type # to open tag suggestions and insert a tag.
Reopen link or tag suggestions	Press Tab while the cursor is inside an unfinished [[... or #... token.
Bold or highlight text	Use the sidebar B and H buttons to wrap the current selection with **bold** or ==highlight==.
Cancel a draft or edit	Press Esc.

For power users:

Agents can read the side notes from markdown.

In Codex CLI, Claude Code, or another assistant, you can ask:

Show me the side comment for "selected text" in "/Users/path/to/note.md".

Or update it:

Update the side comment for "selected text" in "/Users/path/to/note.md" to:
Your new side comment text here.

If multiple side comments in the same note use the same selected text, include a little more nearby context or the comment id.

Settings

• Index header image URL
• Index header image caption
• Debug mode This is not implemented yet.

Command

• SideNote2: Add comment to selection

Storage

For MD files: Each note stores its comments in a trailing hidden <!-- SideNote2 comments --> JSON block inside the same markdown file.

For PDF files: The JSON block is stored in plugin data.

SideNote2 index.md is just a generated index, not separate storage.

Development

Setup, local vault install, debugging, and architecture notes live in README-dev.md.

Changelog

2.0.1 - 2026-04-06

• SideNote2 now auto-migrates older flat note comments to threaded entries[] storage on startup after the upgrade, including vaults coming forward from older 1.x builds such as 1.0.32.
• No manual migration step is required for normal users. Open the vault in SideNote2 2.0.1 and the plugin handles the legacy note-comment upgrade in the background.
• This automatic migration bridge is temporary and will be removed in a later release after the 2.0.1 upgrade window.

2.0.0 - 2026-04-06

• Breaking: SideNote2 introduced threaded note-backed comments with entries[] instead of the older flat comment payload.
• Current versions handle that older note upgrade automatically on startup, so users on 2.0.1+ do not need to run a manual migration command.
• Added append-to-thread comment helpers for agents and repo automation via npm run comment:append and scripts/append-note-comment-entry.mjs.
• Improved note comment rendering and index workflows, including safer CLI writes, better index sidebar behavior, and page-note previews in the generated index note.

License

MIT