# Tracecards: Visual Note-Taking Plugin for Obsidian Transform your Obsidian vault into a visual deck system using plain Markdown files. - **Source:** [Hacker News: Show HN](https://news.ycombinator.com) - **Published:** 2026-11-10 - **Topic:** [technology](https://brifing.si/c/technology) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/ebef89b1-0532-4729-8eb9-7851e24dbdec ## Visualizing Mental Models Tracecards is a new plugin for Obsidian that enables users to organize notes as visual cards. By utilizing a deck-based structure, it allows for the grouping of ideas into folders. Each card functions as a standard Markdown file, ensuring that your mental models remain portable and accessible within your existing vault. ## Core Functionality Features The plugin supports cover images, short descriptions, and integrated bookmarks for links or YouTube videos. Users can manage their cards through a dedicated deck pad or a grid view. It is designed to be keyboard-first, allowing for efficient navigation and card creation without the need for a mouse during standard workflows. ## Technical Vault Integration Tracecards operates by storing data directly within your Obsidian vault as plain text files. A deck is represented by a folder, while individual cards are stored as Markdown files. This structure ensures that any synchronization method used for your vault, such as cloud services, will automatically keep your card collection updated. ## Privacy and Data Control The tool prioritizes user privacy by functioning entirely offline without requiring an account or transmitting telemetry data. Sensitive information, such as API keys for Pixabay or The Game Crafter, is stored securely within Obsidian's local secret storage. The plugin does not read or modify any files outside of its designated folder. ## Physical and Digital Output Beyond digital organization, Tracecards offers flexible output options for users. You can print your decks at home as PDF files for physical reference. Alternatively, the system supports ordering professional-grade printed cards through The Game Crafter. This bridge between digital note-taking and physical media provides a unique way to review information. ## Development and Architecture Built for extensibility, the project uses a modular architecture with distinct packages for core logic, UI, and the Obsidian app integration. The core package is designed to be platform-agnostic, running in Node for testing purposes. Developers can contribute or extend the functionality by following the provided commit conventions and build scripts. ## System Requirements and Setup To utilize Tracecards, users must have Obsidian version 1.13.2 or newer installed on their desktop or mobile device. The plugin is activated via the ribbon or command palette. If the designated folder does not exist, the system automatically prompts the user to create it, ensuring a smooth initial setup process. ## Open Source Licensing The plugin is released under the AGPL-3.0 license, while the underlying vault format and test specifications are available under Apache-2.0. This open approach allows other applications to read and write Tracecards-compatible vaults. By maintaining an open format, the project ensures that user data remains accessible regardless of future software changes. ## Sources covering this story - https://github.com/visualrecall/tracecards — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._