> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/obsidianmd/obsidian-help/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Introduction to Bases

> Bases is a core plugin that lets you create database-like views of your notes. View, edit, sort, and filter files and their properties in tables, cards, lists, and maps.

Bases is a core plugin that lets you create database-like views of your notes. Using a base you can view, edit, sort, and filter files and their properties. Bases can help you organize everything from projects to travel plans, reading lists, and more.

<Note>
  All data in Bases is stored in your local Markdown files and their properties — nothing is locked in a proprietary database. The view configuration is saved as a `.base` file or embedded in a code block.
</Note>

## What you can do with Bases

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Table view" icon="table">
    Display files as rows with columns for each property. Sort, filter, and edit values inline. Add summaries to calculate totals and averages.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Cards view" icon="layout-grid">
    Display files as a gallery grid with optional cover images. Great for visual collections like books, films, or places.
  </Card>

  <Card title="List view" icon="list">
    Display files as a bulleted or numbered list. Control which properties appear and how they are formatted.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Map view" icon="map">
    Display files as pins on an interactive map. Requires the Maps plugin. Great for travel plans and location-based notes.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Use cases

Bases works well for any collection of notes that share common properties:

* **Project tracking** — filter by status, sort by due date, group by owner.
* **Reading lists** — track books with author, genre, rating, and read status.
* **Travel plans** — pin locations on a map, attach notes for each place.
* **Content calendar** — plan posts with publish date, topic, and status.
* **Research library** — organize papers with tags, authors, and annotation links.

## How Bases works

A base reads files from your vault and displays their properties as structured data. You define which files to include using filters (by tag, folder, or a custom expression), then configure views to display and interact with those files.

Each base can have multiple views. Each view can have its own layout, filters, sort order, and visible properties — so the same set of notes can be presented in different ways for different purposes.

## Enable Bases

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Settings">
    Click the gear icon in the bottom-left corner, or press `Ctrl+,` (`Cmd+,` on macOS).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Go to Core plugins">
    Select **Core plugins** in the sidebar.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enable Bases">
    Toggle on **Bases**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Learn more

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Create a base" href="/bases/create-base" icon="file-plus">
    Learn how to create a `.base` file and embed a base in a note.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Views" href="/bases/views" icon="layers">
    Explore layouts, filtering, sorting, and grouping.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Formulas" href="/bases/formulas" icon="calculator">
    Create computed properties using data from other properties.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Bases syntax" href="/bases/syntax" icon="code">
    Reference for the `.base` file format.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>