What Obsidian does
Obsidian 1.13.4 is a desktop notes application for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Vault notes are Markdown files in a user-selected local folder, but an Obsidian vault can also contain attachments, settings, workspace state, indexes, caches, plug-in data, and application metadata. “Local files” is therefore not the same as “only Markdown” or “no application data outside the vault.”
The base app can edit local vaults without an account. Obsidian Sync, Publish, account and license operations, updates, community plug-in browsing, and some embedded or linked resources require network access. Sync is optional and uses Obsidian's documented encryption design; it does not replace backups or protect a compromised unlocked device.
Community plug-ins are third-party code with access to notes and the ability to make network requests. The publisher describes automated scans and selected manual reviews, which do not guarantee every plug-in’s behavior. Restricted environments should disable community plug-ins or approve exact versions. Desktop updates can arrive in-app, while major Electron/installer updates periodically require downloading a new installer.
Obsidian’s current proprietary app licence permits personal and commercial use without a paid commercial licence. Paid Sync and Publish remain optional services. No package install, network capture, plug-in audit, Sync cryptography test, or settings-trace test was performed.
