obsidian-canvas-creator

Obsidian Canvas Creator

Transform text content into structured Obsidian Canvas files with support for MindMap and freeform layouts.

When to Use This Skill

• User requests to create a canvas, mind map, or visual diagram from text
• User wants to organize information spatially
• User mentions "Obsidian Canvas" or similar visualization tools
• Converting structured content (articles, notes, outlines) into visual format

Core Workflow

1. Analyze Content

Read and understand the input content:

• Identify main topics and hierarchical relationships
• Extract key points, facts, and supporting details
• Note any existing structure (headings, lists, sections)

2. Determine Layout Type

Ask user to choose or infer from context:

MindMap Layout:

• Radial structure from center
• Parent-child relationships
• Clear hierarchy
• Good for: brainstorming, topic exploration, hierarchical content

Freeform Layout:

• Custom positioning
• Flexible relationships
• Multiple connection types
• Good for: complex networks, non-hierarchical content, custom arrangements

3. Plan Structure

For MindMap:

• Identify central concept (root node)
• Map primary branches (main topics)
• Organize secondary branches (subtopics)
• Position leaf nodes (details)

For Freeform:

• Group related concepts
• Identify connection patterns
• Plan spatial zones
• Consider visual flow

4. Generate Canvas

Create JSON following the Canvas specification:

Node Creation:

• Assign unique 16-character lowercase hex IDs
• Set appropriate dimensions based on content length
• Apply consistent color schemes
• Ensure no coordinate overlaps

Edge Creation:

• Connect parent-child relationships
• Use appropriate arrow styles
• Add labels for complex relationships
• Choose line styles (straight for hierarchy, curved for cross-references)

Grouping (Optional):

• Create visual containers for related nodes
• Use subtle background colors
• Add descriptive labels

5. Apply Layout Algorithm

MindMap Layout Calculations:

Refer to references/layout-algorithms.md for detailed algorithms. Key principles:

• Center root at (0, 0)
• Distribute primary nodes radially
• Space secondary nodes based on sibling count
• Maintain minimum spacing: 320px horizontal, 200px vertical

Freeform Layout Principles:

• Start with logical groupings
• Position groups with clear separation
• Connect across groups with curved edges
• Balance visual weight across canvas

6. Validate and Output

Before outputting:

Validation Checklist:

• All nodes have unique IDs
• No coordinate overlaps (check distance > node dimensions + spacing)
• All edges reference valid node IDs
• Groups (if any) have labels
• Colors use consistent format (hex or preset numbers)
• JSON is properly escaped (Chinese quotes: 『』 for double, 「」 for single)

Output Format:

• Complete, valid JSON Canvas file
• No additional explanation text
• Directly importable into Obsidian

Editing Existing Canvases

Add a Node to an Existing Canvas

1. Read and parse the existing .canvas file
2. Generate a unique 16-char hex ID that does not collide with existing node or edge IDs
3. Choose position (x, y) that avoids overlapping existing nodes (leave 50-100px spacing)
4. Append the new node object to the nodes array
5. Optionally add edges connecting the new node to existing nodes
6. Validate: Confirm all IDs are unique and all edge references resolve to existing nodes

Connect Two Existing Nodes

1. Identify the source and target node IDs
2. Generate a unique 16-char hex edge ID
3. Set fromNode and toNode to the source and target IDs
4. Optionally set fromSide/toSide (top, right, bottom, left) for anchor points
5. Optionally set label for descriptive text on the edge
6. Append the edge to the edges array
7. Validate: Confirm both fromNode and toNode reference existing node IDs

Edit Canvas Content

1. Read and parse the .canvas file as JSON
2. Locate the target node or edge by id
3. Modify the desired attributes (text, position, color, etc.)
4. Write the updated JSON back to the file
5. Validate: Re-check all ID uniqueness and edge reference integrity after editing

Node Sizing Guidelines

By Text Length:

• Short text (<30 chars): 220 × 100 px
• Medium text (30-60 chars): 260 × 120 px
• Long text (60-100 chars): 320 × 140 px
• Very long text (>100 chars): 320 × 180 px

By Node Type:

Node Type	Suggested Width	Suggested Height
Small text	200-300	80-150
Medium text	300-450	150-300
Large text	400-600	300-500
File preview	300-500	200-400
Link preview	250-400	100-200

Color Schemes

Preset Colors (Recommended):

• "1" - Red (warnings, important)
• "2" - Orange (action items)
• "3" - Yellow (questions, notes)
• "4" - Green (positive, completed)
• "5" - Cyan (information, details)
• "6" - Purple (concepts, abstract)

Custom Hex Colors: Use for brand consistency or specific themes. Always use uppercase format: "#4A90E2"

Critical Rules

1. Quote Handling:

   • Chinese double quotes → 『』
   • Chinese single quotes → 「」
   • English double quotes → \"

2. Newline Handling:

   • Use \n for line breaks in JSON strings
   • Do not use the literal \\n — Obsidian renders that as the characters \ and n

3. ID Generation:

   • 16-character lowercase hexadecimal strings (e.g., 6f0ad84f44ce9c17)
   • Must be unique across all nodes and edges

4. Z-Index Order:

   • Output groups first (bottom layer)
   • Then subgroups
   • Finally text/link nodes (top layer)

5. Spacing Requirements:

   • Minimum horizontal: 320px between node centers
   • Minimum vertical: 200px between node centers
   • Account for node dimensions when calculating

6. JSON Structure:

   • Top level contains only nodes and edges arrays
   • No extra wrapping objects
   • No comments in output

7. No Emoji:

   • Do not use any Emoji symbols in node text
   • Use color coding or text labels for visual distinction instead

Examples

Simple MindMap Request

User: "Create a mind map about solar system planets"

Process:

1. Identify center: "Solar System"
2. Primary branches: Inner Planets, Outer Planets, Dwarf Planets
3. Secondary nodes: Individual planets with key facts
4. Apply radial layout
5. Generate JSON with proper spacing

Freeform Content Request

User: "Turn this article into a canvas" + [article text]

Process:

1. Extract article structure (intro, body sections, conclusion)
2. Identify key concepts and relationships
3. Group related sections spatially
4. Connect with labeled edges
5. Apply freeform layout with clear zones

Reference Documents

• Canvas Specification: references/canvas-spec.md - Complete JSON Canvas format specification
• Layout Algorithms: references/layout-algorithms.md - Detailed positioning algorithms for both layout types
• Complete Examples: references/EXAMPLES.md - Full canvas examples (mind maps, project boards, research canvases, flowcharts)
• JSON Canvas Spec 1.0: https://jsoncanvas.org/spec/1.0/ — Official specification
• JSON Canvas GitHub: https://github.com/obsidianmd/jsoncanvas

Load these references when:

• Need specification details for edge cases
• Implementing complex layout calculations
• Troubleshooting validation errors

Tips for Quality Canvases

1. Keep text concise: Each node should be scannable (<2 lines preferred)
2. Use hierarchy: Group by importance and relationship
3. Balance the canvas: Distribute nodes to avoid clustering
4. Strategic colors: Use colors to encode meaning, not just decoration
5. Meaningful connections: Only add edges that clarify relationships
6. Test in Obsidian: Verify the output opens correctly

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Overlapping nodes (always check distances)
• Inconsistent quote escaping (breaks JSON parsing)
• Missing group labels (causes sidebar navigation issues)
• Too much text in nodes (use file nodes for long content)
• Duplicate IDs (each must be unique)
• Unconnected nodes (unless intentional islands)