Extending VS Code Toward an Obsidian‑Like Knowledge Environment

[tambetvali]

Proposal: Extending VS Code Toward an Obsidian‑Like Knowledge Environment

I couldn’t find a dedicated VS Code category in the Microsoft Feedback Portal, so I’m posting this here instead. I’m also a developer, so I’m trying to express this idea in a way that makes sense from a developer’s perspective. Copilot helped me refine the English and ensure the post is complete and readable.

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Idea Overview

I believe VS Code could evolve into a powerful end‑user product that combines its existing strengths with the best parts of Obsidian‑style knowledge management. VS Code already has many of the foundations, and extending them would create a unified environment for coding, documentation, AI workflows, and personal knowledge bases.

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Existing VS Code Features That Already Resemble Obsidian

VS Code already provides several features that overlap with Obsidian’s core concepts:

• Workspaces and projects, with clear associations between folders and project contexts
• Strong Markdown support, including preview
• A rich extension ecosystem
• Numerous AI assistants

These make VS Code a natural candidate for a more complete “knowledge workspace” experience.

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What Could Be Added

1. Support for Common Binary Formats Used in AI Workflows

AI development often involves interacting with binary formats such as documents, images, or structured files.
VS Code could benefit from:

• A lightweight, open‑source‑friendly set of viewers/editors for common binary formats
• Possibly simplified clones or restricted equivalents of Office, Paint, or similar tools
• Extensible visual editors for Markdown and mixed‑media documents

This would allow users to build document collections and datasets directly inside VS Code without switching tools.

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2. Better Integration Between Code and AI‑Driven Document Workflows

AI development frequently requires:

• Well‑structured project folders
• Configuration files
• Database connection definitions
• Scriptable pipelines
• Documentation that lives alongside code

AI systems can explain which files are needed, but developers still need an environment where code and documentation coexist naturally. VS Code is already close to this ideal.

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3. Improved Markdown Navigation for Knowledge Bases

As a programmer, I don’t use Obsidian because it lacks code‑oriented features.
At the same time, the only major feature VS Code lacks compared to Obsidian is:

• A dedicated side panel for local Markdown structure
• Better internal navigation between headings, sections, and related notes

A built‑in “chapter structure” or “document map” panel for Markdown files and folders would make VS Code far more usable as a personal knowledge system.

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Why This Matters

Before VS Code existed, many in the hacker/open‑source community viewed Microsoft as a net negative for the free software world. VS Code changed that perception significantly. It feels like a balanced contribution — a free tool that genuinely empowers developers and earns goodwill on its own merits.

Extending VS Code into a more Obsidian‑like knowledge environment would continue that positive trajectory. It would also make VS Code an even better home for:

• GitHub repositories containing Markdown documentation
• AI systems that consume Markdown as training or reference material
• Developers who want a single environment for both code and structured knowledge

Even if code features can be toggled on or off, VS Code is already the perfect environment for mixed code‑and‑knowledge workflows.

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If the VS Code team is interested, I’d be happy to elaborate on specific UX ideas, extension concepts, or potential implementation paths.