# HackMD & Obsidian: The Best Markdown Workflow
Markdown tools make it easier to take notes, write documents, and keep information organized. But no single tool can do everything—especially when it comes to teamwork, personal note-taking, and staying efficient.

That’s why we’re starting a series showing how HackMD fits into different workflows. Let’s begin with a tool many people already know: Obsidian.

When you use HackMD and Obsidian together, you get a smooth and powerful workflow. You can work with your team, manage big projects, and keep track of long-term knowledge—all in one flow.

Let’s look at what each tool does and how they work together.

### What is HackMD?
A Markdown Tool for Collaboration

HackMD is a markdown editor built for real-time teamwork. It’s like Google Docs, but focused on markdown and made for developers and writers. The interface is simple, making it easy to write and edit documents with others.

You can leave comments, suggest changes, or tag teammates. It’s perfect for meeting notes, technical docs, or presentations. HackMD’s main goal is collaboration.

You can also control privacy. Use private workspaces and custom access settings to keep your content safe while still working smoothly with others.

### A Great Tool for Community Projects

HackMD helps groups work together and share their work with the wider community.

For example, teachers can use it to plan lessons or write summaries. Online groups use it to write whitepapers, community guidelines, or FAQs.

You can share your work publicly and collect feedback, which is great for community-based projects.

### Integrations and Book Mode

HackMD works with GitHub, so developers can manage code and documentation in one place. You can also log in with Ethereum (ETH) and store files on Arweave for secure, permanent storage.

Another great feature is Book Mode, which lets you turn markdown files into a clean, easy-to-read format—perfect for guides, manuals, or wikis.

### What is Obsidian?
A Markdown Tool for Personal Use

**Obsidian** is made for personal note-taking. It helps you keep your ideas and thoughts organized using markdown.

It has a graph view to show how your notes connect, giving you a big-picture look at your ideas. Obsidian also uses bidirectional linking, so you can link notes together and explore ideas more deeply.

Whether you’re writing a novel, managing research, or tracking tasks, linking notes helps you find new connections and insights.

### Customize with Plugins and Themes

Obsidian has lots of plugins to add new features like task management or habit tracking. You can also choose different themes to change how the app looks.

Bringing HackMD and Obsidian Together
Collaboration + Personal Notes

If you like writing in Obsidian, you can still use HackMD for teamwork. For example, you can write your whitepaper in Obsidian, polish it, then move it to HackMD for feedback from your team or community.

In HackMD, others can leave comments, edit the file, or save it to read later.

### A Better Workflow

**Start in HackMD**: Begin your project here. Invite your team to edit, comment, and share ideas in real time.
Example: A team uses [HackMD](https://hackmd.io/) to plan a product launch. Everyone adds ideas for ads, social media, and timelines—all in one document.

**Move to Obsidian**: Once the draft is ready, export it to Obsidian. Use links to connect it to other notes like research or past plans.
Example: Link your marketing plan to customer research and past campaign results. Everything stays connected.

**Keep It Updated**: After your project ends, document the results in HackMD. Sync updates back to [Obsidian](https://hackmd.io/blog/2025/01/22/hackmd-obsidian-workflow?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=related-article) so your notes stay current.
**Example**: The team writes down what worked and what didn’t, then links it to the original plan in Obsidian.

### Tips for Syncing Notes
To keep notes synced between HackMD and Obsidian, try these methods:

**Markdown Import/Export:** Copy markdown files between the two tools. It’s quick and keeps all your content.

**Cloud Storage**: Use Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive. Save markdown files in a shared folder to keep everything synced.

**Automation Tools**: Use scripts or automation software to sync files without doing it manually.

By combining HackMD’s real-time collaboration with Obsidian’s robust organizational features, you can create a workflow that boosts [team productivity](https://www.growth-hackers.net/steps-build-growth-team-business-model/) and supports long-term knowledge retention and management throughout your community.

## Final Thoughts
Using HackMD and Obsidian together gives you the best of both worlds. HackMD is great for working with others, while Obsidian helps you stay organized and manage your ideas over time.

Whether you're part of a team or working solo, combining these tools can make your workflow smoother and more powerful.

Try them together today and see how they can improve your productivity.