Getting Started with Smart Plugins
Start with one visible win.
Choose the surface that matches what you need right now, then follow the fastest path to one result you can verify.
Before you start
Smart Plugins may need a little preparation before Connections or Lookup can show useful results.
If this is your first run, or if results look empty or stale, check Smart Environment readiness before deciding the workflow failed.
- Open Smart Milestones to see whether import and embedding are complete or still preparing.
- Review Smart Environment settings if you need to confirm sources, exclusions, models, or provider settings.
- On mobile, use the Load Smart Environment flow.
You know you are ready to test when status is visible and one real note can act as the anchor.
Choose the right surface
| Need right now | Start here | First proof |
|---|---|---|
| Current note -> related ideas | Smart Connections | One relevant result appears while a note is open. |
| Question -> semantic search | Smart Lookup | One result matches the idea, even when the exact words differ. |
| Exact phrase -> lexical search | Obsidian native search | The exact word, file, tag, heading, or regex appears. |
| Reusable set -> AI context | Smart Context | A clean context bundle is copied or saved. |
| Durable thread -> Chat | Smart Chat | A thread URL or state is attached to the note it serves. |
| Repeatable form -> Templates | Smart Templates | A structured prompt or output is produced from current work. |
| Landscape -> Graph | Smart Graph | A topic cluster or neighborhood becomes visible and actionable. |
| Duplicate cleanup -> Dedupe | Smart Dedupe | One likely repeated block or note is reviewed side by side. |
| Action -> Connect Pro | Connect Pro | One approved command or vault change is reviewed. |
Recommended first path
Start with Smart Connections if you are not sure.
- Open any real note.
- Open the Connections view.
- Scan the top results.
- Preview one result to confirm relevance.
- Drag one useful result into your note or send strong matches to Smart Context.
First proof:
One useful note from your own vault appears before you reorganize anything.
Next steps
- Use Connections when the current note is the anchor.
- Use Lookup when the question is the anchor.
- Use Obsidian search when the exact phrase, file, tag, heading, or regex matters.
- Use Smart Graph when the landscape matters more than a list.
- Use Smart Context when found notes need to become AI-ready context.
- Use Smart Templates when the output needs repeatable structure.
- Use Smart Chat when the thread should stay attached to the work.
- Use Smart Dedupe when repeated material is creating rework or repeated context.
- Use Pro only when you run into a specific need: more context, faster retrieval, model routing, generation, cleanup, graph, or approved vault action.