SKILL.md
$27
nodes(optional): Array of node objects
edges(optional): Array of edge objects connecting nodes
Nodes
Nodes are objects placed on the canvas. There are four node types:
text- Text content with Markdown
file- Reference to files/attachments
link- External URL
group- Visual container for other nodes
Z-Index Ordering
Nodes are ordered by z-index in the array:
- First node = bottom layer (displayed below others)
- Last node = top layer (displayed above others)
Generic Node Attributes
All nodes share these attributes:
Attribute
Required
Type
Description
id
Yes
string
Unique identifier for the node
type
Yes
string
Node type: text, file, link, or group
x
Yes
integer
X position in pixels
y
Yes
integer
Y position in pixels
width
Yes
integer
Width in pixels
height
Yes
integer
Height in pixels
color
No
canvasColor
Node color (see Color section)
Text Nodes
Text nodes contain Markdown content.
{
"id": "6f0ad84f44ce9c17",
"type": "text",
"x": 0,
"y": 0,
"width": 400,
"height": 200,
"text": "# Hello World\n\nThis is **Markdown** content."
}Attribute
Required
Type
Description
text
Yes
string
Plain text with Markdown syntax
File Nodes
File nodes reference files or attachments (images, videos, PDFs, notes, etc.).
{
"id": "a1b2c3d4e5f67890",
"type": "file",
"x": 500,
"y": 0,
"width": 400,
"height": 300,
"file": "Attachments/diagram.png"
}{
"id": "b2c3d4e5f6789012",
"type": "file",
"x": 500,
"y": 400,
"width": 400,
"height": 300,
"file": "Notes/Project Overview.md",
"subpath": "#Implementation"
}Attribute
Required
Type
Description
file
Yes
string
Path to file within the system
subpath
No
string
Link to heading or block (starts with #)
Link Nodes
Link nodes display external URLs.
{
"id": "c3d4e5f678901234",
"type": "link",
"x": 1000,
"y": 0,
"width": 400,
"height": 200,
"url": "https://obsidian.md"
}Attribute
Required
Type
Description
url
Yes
string
External URL
Group Nodes
Group nodes are visual containers for organizing other nodes.
{
"id": "d4e5f6789012345a",
"type": "group",
"x": -50,
"y": -50,
"width": 1000,
"height": 600,
"label": "Project Overview",
"color": "4"
}{
"id": "e5f67890123456ab",
"type": "group",
"x": 0,
"y": 700,
"width": 800,
"height": 500,
"label": "Resources",
"background": "Attachments/background.png",
"backgroundStyle": "cover"
}Attribute
Required
Type
Description
label
No
string
Text label for the group
background
No
string
Path to background image
backgroundStyle
No
string
Background rendering style
#### Background Styles
Value
Description
cover
Fills entire width and height of node
ratio
Maintains aspect ratio of background image
repeat
Repeats image as pattern in both directions
Edges
Edges are lines connecting nodes.
{
"id": "f67890123456789a",
"fromNode": "6f0ad84f44ce9c17",
"toNode": "a1b2c3d4e5f67890"
}{
"id": "0123456789abcdef",
"fromNode": "6f0ad84f44ce9c17",
"fromSide": "right",
"fromEnd": "none",
"toNode": "b2c3d4e5f6789012",
"toSide": "left",
"toEnd": "arrow",
"color": "1",
"label": "leads to"
}Attribute
Required
Type
Default
Description
id
Yes
string
-
Unique identifier for the edge
fromNode
Yes
string
-
Node ID where connection starts
fromSide
No
string
-
Side where edge starts
fromEnd
No
string
none
Shape at edge start
toNode
Yes
string
-
Node ID where connection ends
toSide
No
string
-
Side where edge ends
toEnd
No
string
arrow
Shape at edge end
color
No
canvasColor
-
Line color
label
No
string
-
Text label for the edge
Side Values
Value
Description
top
Top edge of node
right
Right edge of node
bottom
Bottom edge of node
left
Left edge of node
End Shapes
Value
Description
none
No endpoint shape
arrow
Arrow endpoint
Colors
The canvasColor type can be specified in two ways:
Hex Colors
{
"color": "#FF0000"
}Preset Colors
{
"color": "1"
}Preset
Color
"1"
Red
"2"
Orange
"3"
Yellow
"4"
Green
"5"
Cyan
"6"
Purple
Note: Specific color values for presets are intentionally undefined, allowing applications to use their own brand colors.
Complete Examples
Simple Canvas with Text and Connections
{
"nodes": [
{
"id": "8a9b0c1d2e3f4a5b",
"type": "text",
"x": 0,
"y": 0,
"width": 300,
"height": 150,
"text": "# Main Idea\n\nThis is the central concept."
},
{
"id": "1a2b3c4d5e6f7a8b",
"type": "text",
"x": 400,
"y": -100,
"width": 250,
"height": 100,
"text": "## Supporting Point A\n\nDetails here."
},
{
"id": "2b3c4d5e6f7a8b9c",
"type": "text",
"x": 400,
"y": 100,
"width": 250,
"height": 100,
"text": "## Supporting Point B\n\nMore details."
}
],
"edges": [
{
"id": "3c4d5e6f7a8b9c0d",
"fromNode": "8a9b0c1d2e3f4a5b",
"fromSide": "right",
"toNode": "1a2b3c4d5e6f7a8b",
"toSide": "left"
},
{
"id": "4d5e6f7a8b9c0d1e",
"fromNode": "8a9b0c1d2e3f4a5b",
"fromSide": "right",
"toNode": "2b3c4d5e6f7a8b9c",
"toSide": "left"
}
]
}Project Board with Groups
{
"nodes": [
{
"id": "5e6f7a8b9c0d1e2f",
"type": "group",
"x": 0,
"y": 0,
"width": 300,
"height": 500,
"label": "To Do",
"color": "1"
},
{
"id": "6f7a8b9c0d1e2f3a",
"type": "group",
"x": 350,
"y": 0,
"width": 300,
"height": 500,
"label": "In Progress",
"color": "3"
},
{
"id": "7a8b9c0d1e2f3a4b",
"type": "group",
"x": 700,
"y": 0,
"width": 300,
"height": 500,
"label": "Done",
"color": "4"
},
{
"id": "8b9c0d1e2f3a4b5c",
"type": "text",
"x": 20,
"y": 50,
"width": 260,
"height": 80,
"text": "## Task 1\n\nImplement feature X"
},
{
"id": "9c0d1e2f3a4b5c6d",
"type": "text",
"x": 370,
"y": 50,
"width": 260,
"height": 80,
"text": "## Task 2\n\nReview PR #123",
"color": "2"
},
{
"id": "0d1e2f3a4b5c6d7e",
"type": "text",
"x": 720,
"y": 50,
"width": 260,
"height": 80,
"text": "## Task 3\n\n~~Setup CI/CD~~"
}
],
"edges": []
}Research Canvas with Files and Links
{
"nodes": [
{
"id": "1e2f3a4b5c6d7e8f",
"type": "text",
"x": 300,
"y": 200,
"width": 400,
"height": 200,
"text": "# Research Topic\n\n## Key Questions\n\n- How does X affect Y?\n- What are the implications?",
"color": "5"
},
{
"id": "2f3a4b5c6d7e8f9a",
"type": "file",
"x": 0,
"y": 0,
"width": 250,
"height": 150,
"file": "Literature/Paper A.pdf"
},
{
"id": "3a4b5c6d7e8f9a0b",
"type": "file",
"x": 0,
"y": 200,
"width": 250,
"height": 150,
"file": "Notes/Meeting Notes.md",
"subpath": "#Key Insights"
},
{
"id": "4b5c6d7e8f9a0b1c",
"type": "link",
"x": 0,
"y": 400,
"width": 250,
"height": 100,
"url": "https://example.com/research"
},
{
"id": "5c6d7e8f9a0b1c2d",
"type": "file",
"x": 750,
"y": 150,
"width": 300,
"height": 250,
"file": "Attachments/diagram.png"
}
],
"edges": [
{
"id": "6d7e8f9a0b1c2d3e",
"fromNode": "2f3a4b5c6d7e8f9a",
"fromSide": "right",
"toNode": "1e2f3a4b5c6d7e8f",
"toSide": "left",
"label": "supports"
},
{
"id": "7e8f9a0b1c2d3e4f",
"fromNode": "3a4b5c6d7e8f9a0b",
"fromSide": "right",
"toNode": "1e2f3a4b5c6d7e8f",
"toSide": "left",
"label": "informs"
},
{
"id": "8f9a0b1c2d3e4f5a",
"fromNode": "4b5c6d7e8f9a0b1c",
"fromSide": "right",
"toNode": "1e2f3a4b5c6d7e8f",
"toSide": "left",
"toEnd": "arrow",
"color": "6"
},
{
"id": "9a0b1c2d3e4f5a6b",
"fromNode": "1e2f3a4b5c6d7e8f",
"fromSide": "right",
"toNode": "5c6d7e8f9a0b1c2d",
"toSide": "left",
"label": "visualized by"
}
]
}Flowchart
{
"nodes": [
{
"id": "a0b1c2d3e4f5a6b7",
"type": "text",
"x": 200,
"y": 0,
"width": 150,
"height": 60,
"text": "**Start**",
"color": "4"
},
{
"id": "b1c2d3e4f5a6b7c8",
"type": "text",
"x": 200,
"y": 100,
"width": 150,
"height": 60,
"text": "Step 1:\nGather data"
},
{
"id": "c2d3e4f5a6b7c8d9",
"type": "text",
"x": 200,
"y": 200,
"width": 150,
"height": 80,
"text": "**Decision**\n\nIs data valid?",
"color": "3"
},
{
"id": "d3e4f5a6b7c8d9e0",
"type": "text",
"x": 400,
"y": 200,
"width": 150,
"height": 60,
"text": "Process data"
},
{
"id": "e4f5a6b7c8d9e0f1",
"type": "text",
"x": 0,
"y": 200,
"width": 150,
"height": 60,
"text": "Request new data",
"color": "1"
},
{
"id": "f5a6b7c8d9e0f1a2",
"type": "text",
"x": 400,
"y": 320,
"width": 150,
"height": 60,
"text": "**End**",
"color": "4"
}
],
"edges": [
{
"id": "a6b7c8d9e0f1a2b3",
"fromNode": "a0b1c2d3e4f5a6b7",
"fromSide": "bottom",
"toNode": "b1c2d3e4f5a6b7c8",
"toSide": "top"
},
{
"id": "b7c8d9e0f1a2b3c4",
"fromNode": "b1c2d3e4f5a6b7c8",
"fromSide": "bottom",
"toNode": "c2d3e4f5a6b7c8d9",
"toSide": "top"
},
{
"id": "c8d9e0f1a2b3c4d5",
"fromNode": "c2d3e4f5a6b7c8d9",
"fromSide": "right",
"toNode": "d3e4f5a6b7c8d9e0",
"toSide": "left",
"label": "Yes",
"color": "4"
},
{
"id": "d9e0f1a2b3c4d5e6",
"fromNode": "c2d3e4f5a6b7c8d9",
"fromSide": "left",
"toNode": "e4f5a6b7c8d9e0f1",
"toSide": "right",
"label": "No",
"color": "1"
},
{
"id": "e0f1a2b3c4d5e6f7",
"fromNode": "e4f5a6b7c8d9e0f1",
"fromSide": "top",
"fromEnd": "none",
"toNode": "b1c2d3e4f5a6b7c8",
"toSide": "left",
"toEnd": "arrow"
},
{
"id": "f1a2b3c4d5e6f7a8",
"fromNode": "d3e4f5a6b7c8d9e0",
"fromSide": "bottom",
"toNode": "f5a6b7c8d9e0f1a2",
"toSide": "top"
}
]
}ID Generation
Node and edge IDs must be unique strings. Obsidian generates 16-character hexadecimal IDs:
"id": "6f0ad84f44ce9c17"
"id": "a3b2c1d0e9f8g7h6"
"id": "1234567890abcdef"This format is a 16-character lowercase hex string (64-bit random value).
Layout Guidelines
Positioning
- Coordinates can be negative (canvas extends infinitely)
xincreases to the right
yincreases downward
- Position refers to top-left corner of node
Recommended Sizes
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
Group
Varies
Varies
Spacing
- Leave 20-50px padding inside groups
- Space nodes 50-100px apart for readability
- Align nodes to grid (multiples of 10 or 20) for cleaner layouts
Validation Rules
- All
idvalues must be unique across nodes and edges
fromNodeandtoNodemust reference existing node IDs
- Required fields must be present for each node type
typemust be one of:text,file,link,group
backgroundStylemust be one of:cover,ratio,repeat
fromSide,toSidemust be one of:top,right,bottom,left
fromEnd,toEndmust be one of:none,arrow
- Color presets must be
"1"through"6"or valid hex color