Qwen Studio

Here’s a highly effective, ready-to-copy prompt you can feed into any AI (including me) to generate a production-ready Obsidian plugin scaffold and development guide:

📝 Prompt to Use

Act as an expert Obsidian plugin developer. I want to build a new Obsidian plugin from scratch. Please provide:

1. Step-by-step project setup using TypeScript and [esbuild/Rollup]
2. Complete minimal file structure with ready-to-copy code for:
   • main.ts
   • manifest.json
   • package.json
   • styles.css (if needed)
   • tsconfig.json & esbuild/rollup config
3. A minimal but fully functional Plugin class that:
   • Extends the official Plugin class
   • Registers a command
   • Shows a notice on load
   • Includes a basic settings modal with at least one toggle/string option
4. Exact terminal commands to install dependencies, run in dev mode, build for release, and hot-reload
5. Step-by-step instructions to safely test the plugin in Obsidian (local plugin folder)
6. Best practices for:
   • Using the Obsidian API correctly
   • Handling errors & vault changes
   • Preparing for community release (manifest requirements, versioning, security)

My plugin should: describe your specific feature, e.g., "add a command that inserts a formatted daily quote from a local JSON file and caches it in .obsidian/plugins/my-plugin/data.json"

Assume I have Node.js v18+ installed and basic TypeScript knowledge. Follow Obsidian's current plugin guidelines, reference the official obsidian-plugin-sample repo structure, and ensure all code uses the latest stable Obsidian API types. Do not use deprecated methods or outdated manifest fields.

🔍 Why This Prompt Works

• Explicit tech stack: Forces the AI to use TypeScript + modern bundler (Obsidian officially recommends esbuild for new plugins)
• File-by-file output: Prevents vague or fragmented responses
• Settings + command + lifecycle: Covers 90% of what every plugin needs upfront
• Local testing workflow: Saves hours of debugging deployment issues
• Community-ready guidance: Includes manifest rules, versioning, and security notes required for official publishing
• Placeholder for your feature: Makes it easy to customize without rewriting the prompt

💡 Pro Tips for AI-Assisted Obsidian Plugin Dev

1. Iterate: Generate the scaffold first, then ask follow-ups like:
   • "How do I listen for file modifications in the vault?"
     • "Show me how to add a ribbon icon that triggers my command"
     • "How do I properly use App and Plugin lifecycle methods without memory leaks?"
2. Always verify API calls: Obsidian's API is stable but occasionally deprecates methods. Cross-check with the official obsidian types repo.
3. Use the official sample as ground truth: obsidianmd/obsidian-plugin-sample is the gold standard. Ask the AI to align with it.
4. Never trust AI-generated manifest.json blindly: Double-check id, version, minAppVersion, and author fields. Obsidian rejects plugins with invalid manifests.
5. Hot-reload isn't native: You'll need obsidian-plugin-dev or manual reload (Ctrl/Cmd + R in Obsidian). Ask the AI for a reliable dev workflow.

🛠️ Quick Start (If You Want to Skip the AI)

Run this in your terminal to scaffold an official template:

1. npm create obsidian-plugin@latest my-plugin
2. cd my-plugin
3. npm install
4. npm run dev

Then drop the generated folder into .obsidian/plugins/ in your vault and enable it in Settings → Community Plugins.

Let me know what your plugin should do, and I’ll generate the exact code, manifest, and dev commands tailored to your use case.