# Capacities the Obsidian Replacement? | IT'S CLOSE! ![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/RjtWrP_AHtY/maxresdefault.jpg) ## Introduction to Capacities [(00:00:00)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=0s) - Capacities is being considered as a potential replacement for [[Obsidian (software) | Obsidian]], a tool that some users have been having challenges with, particularly in terms of being productive versus customizing the environment [(00:00:00)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=0s). - The user has been using Capacities for roughly a month and has some feedback to share, as well as a comparison of the differences between Capacities and Obsidian [(00:00:05)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=5s). - Capacities is seen as a simpler alternative to Obsidian, with fewer customization options, making it more suited for productivity and getting things done [(00:00:40)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=40s). - Obsidian users who have been experiencing challenges, especially with tweaking and building the environment, may want to consider giving Capacities a try [(00:00:37)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=37s). - The user aims to provide perspective on the differences between Capacities and Obsidian to help users decide if Capacities is a good fit for their needs [(00:00:11)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=11s). ## Challenges with Obsidian [(00:01:01)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=61s) - Obsidian's community plugins provide a lot of features that are not available in the core application, but one of the cons is that there is no promise or guarantee of long-term support, and no promise of how fast problems will be fixed [(00:01:10)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=70s). - Community plugins are created and maintained by individuals in their own time and at their own expense, and some may take donations, but there is no guarantee of support or additional features [(00:01:52)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=112s). - Creating your own plugins can be a benefit if you're capable, as you have control over the plugin and can make changes as needed [(00:02:05)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=125s). - There is a risk of incompatibility between different community plugins and the core application, which can cause issues [(00:02:21)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=141s). - Obsidian's community plugins can enhance the user experience, but some plugins may not be used all the time, and some may rely on specific folders within the Vault [(00:03:10)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=190s). - Changing the name or location of a folder can cause issues with plugins that rely on that folder, and can cause functionality to stop working or unexpected behavior [(00:03:52)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=232s). - Folders in [[Obsidian (software) | Obsidian]] can only contain a particular file once, so if a file needs to be associated with multiple subjects, tags must be used instead [(00:04:55)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=295s). - Tags are not a first-class citizen in Obsidian, and are not displayed in the file tree or navigation pane, unless a plugin is used [(00:05:25)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=325s). - Relying on plugins to add functionality to Obsidian can be a con, as it requires ensuring that the plugins continue to work within the setup [(00:05:51)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=351s). ## Advantages of Capacities [(00:06:03)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=363s) - Capacities does not have the issue of browsing through numerous plugins like Obsidian, and most of its settings are set-it-and-forget type configurations [(00:06:24)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=384s). - Capacities allows users to configure objects, which replace folders, as well as Collections and queries, providing flexibility in navigation and organization [(00:06:46)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=406s). - Users can leverage tags, objects, and Collections for navigation, making it easy to access specific content by pinning tags or using queries [(00:06:58)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=418s). - Capacities provides out-of-the-box features for navigation and visualization of objects, including list, wall, gallery, and table views, without the need for community plugins [(00:08:35)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=515s). - Users can customize object properties, add objects to Collections, set descriptions, and leverage automation to fill in fields or open a chat window to ask AI for information [(00:09:17)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=557s). - Capacities allows users to add banners, icons, and other customizations to objects and pages, providing an out-of-the-box experience without the need for plugins [(00:10:32)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=632s). - Capacities is more of an out-of-the-box experience compared to [[Obsidian (software) | Obsidian]], which is great for those who want to build their own environment and make it what they want it to be [(00:11:03)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=663s). ## Customization and Features [(00:11:04)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=664s) - Capacities is a tool that has a similar feel to Notion but is more performant in many cases, although it lacks a database feature, which is also not available in Obsidian unless a plugin is installed [(00:11:06)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=666s). - Capacities allows users to customize the look and feel of their objects to some extent, but does not offer the ability to edit [[CSS]] like Obsidian, which can be both powerful and overwhelming [(00:11:43)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=703s). - The tool has most of its features available in its core parts, making it easier to use without needing to install additional plugins or customize extensively [(00:12:07)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=727s). - Users can create objects and collections, and organize them in a hierarchical structure, with the ability to create queries that pull objects from different collections into one location [(00:12:24)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=744s). - Capacities has a Daily Journal feature that includes a timeline view, and allows users to track their progress and creations over time [(00:13:41)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=821s). - The tool also has an AI assistant that can be used with the user's own [[OpenAI | Open AI]] API key, giving them more control over their data and usage [(00:14:34)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=874s). - However, Capacities lacks end-to-end encryption, which is available in [[Obsidian (software) | Obsidian]] Sync, and this could be a concern for users who prioritize data security [(00:15:09)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=909s). - The tool has task actions and other capabilities that may outweigh its limitations, but the lack of encryption is a notable drawback [(00:15:53)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=953s). - Capacities allows users to send tasks to configured task management and project management applications, including Todoist, [[Google Tasks]], [[Microsoft]] To-Do, [[Apple Inc. | Apple]] Reminders, and Things, as well as set up a web hook for access to other task management apps through their API [(00:16:33)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=993s). - Users can also set up integrations with other services or solutions, such as email, [[Telegram (software) | Telegram]], and [[WhatsApp]], to send tasks and information [(00:17:12)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=1032s). - The application has various integrations, mostly set up for GI IT, and many are just integrations with other services or solutions [(00:17:27)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=1047s). - One area of improvement is the lack of automated backups and version history, which means users cannot restore previous versions of their objects if changes are made [(00:17:42)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=1062s). - Users can create a backup and add options, which will send a link to download the information via email, but there have been issues with not receiving the email or missing images and information in the backup [(00:18:25)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=1105s). - The backup is sent in a downloadable format, but there have been some issues with receiving the email or missing information in the backup [(00:18:37)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=1117s). ## Limitations and Considerations [(00:19:05)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=1145s) - Capacities offers a full backup of all data within the environment, ensuring that when data is pulled down, it's complete [(00:19:05)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=1145s). - The platform allows for tables with formulas and functions, enabling basic calculations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and more [(00:19:22)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=1162s). - Capacities supports side-by-side blocks, which can be placed horizontally, a feature that requires a plugin or [[CSS]] modification in [[Obsidian (software) | Obsidian]] [(00:19:38)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=1178s). - The platform offers out-of-the-box sharing of objects with others, as well as task actions and AI features [(00:20:02)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=1202s). - Offline functionality is still a work in progress, with some synchronization issues reported [(00:20:15)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=1215s). - Capacities has mobile and tablet apps, with the latter being in beta, and they work well, although there's room for improvement [(00:20:28)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=1228s). - The platform is considered a good replacement for Obsidian, with benefits including not being overwhelmed with plugins and configurations [(00:20:56)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=1256s). - However, Capacities lacks end-to-end encryption, which may be a concern for sensitive information [(00:21:18)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=1278s). - The platform's roadmap includes integration with calendar apps like [[Google]], which could be a valuable feature [(00:21:44)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=1304s). - Capacities does not have canvas or whiteboarding functionality, which may be a deal-breaker for some users, unlike [[Obsidian (software) | Obsidian]] which has a core canvas plugin and a plugin called Excalidraw [(00:22:26)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=1346s). - Despite some limitations, Capacities has a generous free tier, making it worth considering for those who don't require end-to-end encryption [(00:23:02)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=1382s). ## Conclusion and Recommendations [(00:23:20)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=1400s) - Capacities is worth considering, especially for those who have experienced challenges with folders or plugins in Obsidian. [(00:23:20)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=1400s) - The reviewer will continue to explore Capacities and compare it to AnyType, which offers end-to-end encryption but has limited mobile functionality. [(00:23:37)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=1417s) - The reviewer plans to put Capacities and AnyType head-to-head to determine which one is more suitable for their needs in the near term. [(00:23:50)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=1430s) - Viewers are encouraged to like and subscribe to the channel if they find the content valuable. [(00:24:11)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtWrP_AHtY&t=1451s)