Configure Obsidian plugin development with hot-reload and fast iteration.
Use when setting up development workflow, configuring test vaults,
or establishing a rapid development cycle.
Trigger with phrases like "obsidian dev loop", "obsidian hot reload",
"obsidian development workflow", "develop obsidian plugin".
Installs into .claude/skills of the current project.
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---
name: obsidian-local-dev-loop
description: |
Configure Obsidian plugin development with hot-reload and fast iteration.
Use when setting up development workflow, configuring test vaults,
or establishing a rapid development cycle.
Trigger with phrases like "obsidian dev loop", "obsidian hot reload",
"obsidian development workflow", "develop obsidian plugin".
allowed-tools: Read, Write, Edit, Bash(npm:*), Bash(pnpm:*), Grep
version: 1.0.0
license: MIT
author: Jeremy Longshore <jeremy@intentsolutions.io>
compatible-with: claude-code, codex, openclaw
---
# Obsidian Local Dev Loop
## Overview
Set up a fast, reproducible local development workflow for Obsidian plugins with hot-reload and testing.
## Prerequisites
- Completed `obsidian-install-auth` setup
- Node.js 18+ with npm/pnpm
- Code editor with TypeScript support
- Obsidian desktop app
## Instructions
### Step 1: Configure Development Vault
For full implementation details and code examples, load:
`references/implementation-guide.md`
## Output
- Dedicated development vault with test data
- Symlinked plugin for instant updates
- Hot-reload via BRAT or file watching
- Watch mode build with source maps
- Fast iteration cycle
## Error Handling
| Error | Cause | Solution |
|-------|-------|----------|
| Plugin not reloading | BRAT not configured | Install and enable BRAT plugin |
| Symlink not working | Permission denied | Run as admin (Windows) |
| Build not triggering | Watch mode not started | Run `npm run dev` |
| Source maps not working | Disabled in config | Set `sourcemap: "inline"` |
| TypeScript errors | Missing types | Run `npm install` |
## Resources
- [BRAT Plugin](https://github.com/TfTHacker/obsidian42-brat)
- [esbuild Documentation](https://esbuild.github.io/)
- [Obsidian Plugin Development Docs](https://docs.obsidian.md/Plugins/Getting+started/Development+workflow)
## Next Steps
See `obsidian-sdk-patterns` for production-ready code patterns.
## Examples
**Basic usage**: Apply obsidian local dev loop to a standard project setup with default configuration options.
**Advanced scenario**: Customize obsidian local dev loop for production environments with multiple constraints and team-specific requirements.