# 1 vs 2 Obsidian Vaults - How Many Should You Have? ![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/-LRI2GhdfaM/maxresdefault.jpg) ## Intro [(00:00:00)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LRI2GhdfaM&t=0s) - The topic of discussion is whether to have one or multiple vaults in an [[Obsidian (software) | Obsidian]] workflow, with some people considering it a straightforward question, while others see valid points for both approaches [(00:00:00)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LRI2GhdfaM&t=0s). - The discussion aims to explore the reasons for sticking with one vault and the reasons for having two or more vaults in Obsidian [(00:00:14)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LRI2GhdfaM&t=14s). - The goal is to provide a tailored approach to individual needs, as Obsidian is a software that should be completely customized to the user [(00:00:27)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LRI2GhdfaM&t=27s). - The video's objective is not to dictate how to manage a vault but to discuss why different workflows might benefit from having more than one vault [(00:00:32)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LRI2GhdfaM&t=32s). - The discussion encourages viewers to share their own experiences and reasons for having a certain number of vaults in the comment section [(00:00:40)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LRI2GhdfaM&t=40s). ## Arguments For 1 Vault [(00:00:45)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LRI2GhdfaM&t=45s) - Having a single vault is beneficial as it allows for a unified "brain" where connections can be made across different segments of life, similar to how the human brain functions, making it easier to navigate and make connections between notes [(00:00:49)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LRI2GhdfaM&t=49s). - One of the major complaints of having a single large vault is navigating the graph view, but this can be mitigated by opening a specific folder as a vault, allowing for a more focused view of a particular set of notes [(00:01:22)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LRI2GhdfaM&t=82s). - Opening a folder as a vault can be useful for visualizing a specific set of notes, such as a [[Zettelkasten]] folder, without distractions, and can also help free up system resources if the main vault is very large [(00:02:07)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LRI2GhdfaM&t=127s). - Having only one vault eliminates the need to switch between multiple vaults to reference notes, making it easier to link between different notes [(00:02:36)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LRI2GhdfaM&t=156s). - If multiple vaults are used, linking between them can be done manually by creating a link with the format "vault one forward slash a note name", but this can be tedious [(00:02:50)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LRI2GhdfaM&t=170s). - Managing multiple vaults can be tedious, especially when relying on plugins and custom [[CSS]], as it requires frequent switching between vaults [(00:03:05)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LRI2GhdfaM&t=185s). ## Arguments For 2+ Vaults [(00:03:18)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LRI2GhdfaM&t=198s) - Having two or more [[Obsidian (software) | Obsidian]] vaults can be beneficial for individuals who follow a rigid system, such as zero-casting, as their notes may not link to the rest of their vault, resulting in a large concentration of unconnected notes in the graph view [(00:03:24)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LRI2GhdfaM&t=204s). - A separate vault can be useful for work-related topics, such as programming or writing code, to avoid referencing unrelated notes, like zero-casting or mindfulness journals [(00:04:07)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LRI2GhdfaM&t=247s). - Separating vaults can improve the responsiveness of the UI, especially for large vaults with thousands of nodes, resulting in a significant performance boost [(00:04:23)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LRI2GhdfaM&t=263s). - Students can benefit from having separate vaults for each subject, unless classes have continuity, in which case it's better to keep them in the same vault [(00:04:44)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LRI2GhdfaM&t=284s). - Shared vaults can be useful for like-minded individuals or teams to expand each other's knowledge and collaborate on work projects [(00:05:10)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LRI2GhdfaM&t=310s). - Writers, especially fiction writers, can benefit from having a single vault to manage connections between characters, which can be a game-changer for writing massive fiction stories [(00:05:28)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LRI2GhdfaM&t=328s). ## Why I Use 3 Different Vaults [(00:05:48)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LRI2GhdfaM&t=348s) - Three different [[Obsidian (software) | Obsidian]] vaults are used, which wasn't always the case, as initially only one vault was used for the first six to nine months of using Obsidian [(00:05:48)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LRI2GhdfaM&t=348s). - The main vault is used for journaling, curating content from various sources, and mapping content, and it's the biggest vault and the one opened every single day [(00:06:05)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LRI2GhdfaM&t=365s). - A second vault is dedicated to the Zettelcast, which was initially kept on the main vault but was moved due to its massive size and lack of connections to the rest of the vault, causing the main vault to become less responsive [(00:06:22)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LRI2GhdfaM&t=382s). - The Zettelcast vault also allows for a different user interface and personalization, such as hiding certain plugins and elements, and potentially using a different theme in the future [(00:07:04)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LRI2GhdfaM&t=424s). - A third vault is used for programming and work-related content, which was created due to the large number of connections within the programming mock and its lack of connections to the rest of the vault [(00:07:40)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LRI2GhdfaM&t=460s). - The programming vault allows for better organization and linking of code and projects, and it's a recent addition, created late last year [(00:07:42)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LRI2GhdfaM&t=462s). - A shared vault is being considered for implementation in the near future, inspired by a colleague who shares a vault with friends in their workspace, which can be a great way to share and expand knowledge [(00:08:17)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LRI2GhdfaM&t=497s). ## Final Thoughts And Recommendations [(00:08:37)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LRI2GhdfaM&t=517s) - Having multiple [[Obsidian (software) | Obsidian]] vaults is not necessary, as a single main vault can be used for various purposes, such as sharing with others or organizing different projects, by creating separate folders within the vault [(00:08:38)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LRI2GhdfaM&t=518s). - A single vault can be used for different use cases, such as zero casting, writing a book, or a school project, by creating separate folders and opening each folder as its own vault [(00:09:07)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LRI2GhdfaM&t=547s). - A dedicated shared folder can be created inside a vault and treated as a separate vault, allowing users to share it with others, such as friends taking the same class [(00:09:17)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LRI2GhdfaM&t=557s). - Almost all arguments in favor of multiple vaults have a workaround, except for custom [[CSS]] and UI layout, which cannot be easily changed based on specific needs [(00:09:45)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LRI2GhdfaM&t=585s). - Having dedicated vaults for diverse needs can provide a better experience, especially for larger vaults, but it's essential to consider individual needs and vault size before deciding to expand [(00:10:03)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LRI2GhdfaM&t=603s). - The recommended approach is to start with a single vault and create additional ones only if a true need is identified, as expanding to multiple vaults and then downgrading can be an unpleasant experience [(00:10:19)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LRI2GhdfaM&t=619s).