---
title: "Obsidian: Templater Templates"
slug: "obsidian-templates"
category: "tooling"
tags: ["tooling", "obsidian", "templater", "templates", "automation", "frontmatter"]
status: "stable"
last_updated: 2026-05-14
summary: "Write Templater templates in Obsidian: date macros, frontmatter injection, conditional snippets, folder-specific templates, and chaining."
related: ["[[tooling/obsidian]]", "[[tooling/obsidian-vault-structure]]", "[[tooling/obsidian-plugins]]", "[[tooling/obsidian-publishing-to-quartz]]", "[[tooling/quartz]]"]
---

## Overview

Templater is the Obsidian plugin that replaces the built-in Templates core plugin for anything beyond trivial text insertion. It provides JavaScript-style expressions, date arithmetic, file context, and the ability to run user scripts. Use it to inject frontmatter on note creation, auto-fill date fields, and standardize note structure across the vault. Install it before [[tooling/obsidian-plugins]] covers it in the plugins overview.

## Create a base note template with frontmatter

Store templates in `_templates/`. The base template for a content note:

```markdown
---
title: "<% tp.file.title %>"
slug: "<% tp.file.title.toLowerCase().replace(/ /g, '-') %>"
category: "<% tp.file.folder(true).split('/')[0] %>"
tags: ["<% tp.file.folder(true).split('/')[0] %>"]
status: "draft"
last_updated: <% tp.date.now("YYYY-MM-DD") %>
summary: ""
related: []
---

## Overview

## Rules

-

## Related

-
```

Bind this template to a hotkey in Templater settings. When you create a new note with the hotkey, Templater runs the expressions at creation time rather than insert-time, so `tp.file.title` captures the actual note name.

## Use date macros for time-based fields

Templater exposes `tp.date` with `now`, `tomorrow`, `yesterday`, and offset arithmetic.

```
<% tp.date.now("YYYY-MM-DD") %>           // 2026-05-14
<% tp.date.now("YYYY-MM-DD", 7) %>        // 7 days from now
<% tp.date.now("dddd, MMMM D, YYYY") %>   // Thursday, May 14, 2026
```

For daily note templates, use `tp.file.title` as the date string (since daily notes are named `YYYY-MM-DD`):

```markdown
---
date: <% tp.file.title %>
day: <% tp.date.now("dddd", 0, tp.file.title, "YYYY-MM-DD") %>
---

# <% tp.date.now("dddd, MMMM D", 0, tp.file.title, "YYYY-MM-DD") %>

## TODOs

- [ ]

## Notes

## Links to process
```

The second argument to `tp.date.now` is an offset; the third is the reference date; the fourth is the parse format. This computes the day-of-week from the note title rather than from the current time, so retroactive daily notes get the correct weekday.

## Write conditional snippets with JavaScript blocks

Templater's `<%* %>` block runs arbitrary JavaScript. Use it for prompts and conditionals:

```
<%*
const category = await tp.system.prompt("Category?", "coding");
const isPinescript = category === "coding" && tp.file.title.startsWith("pine");
tR += `category: "${category}"\n`;
if (isPinescript) {
    tR += `tags: ["coding", "pine-script", "tradingview"]\n`;
} else {
    tR += `tags: ["${category}"]\n`;
}
%>
```

`tp.system.prompt` opens a modal input. `tR +=` appends to the template output. Use these sparingly; a template that asks too many questions slows note creation and creates friction. The goal is to reduce keystrokes, not add them.

## Assign templates to folders

In Templater settings, under "Folder Templates," map each content folder to its template file. When a note is created inside `backend/`, Templater automatically applies `_templates/content-note.md`. When a note is created inside `daily/`, it applies `_templates/daily-note.md`.

Folder templates eliminate the need to manually invoke a template after note creation. They also enforce schema consistency across the vault; a new note in `coding/` will always open with the correct frontmatter stub.

## Chain templates for complex note types

For notes that compose multiple templates (a project note that needs frontmatter plus a meeting log section), use `tp.file.include`:

```
<% await tp.file.include("[[_templates/frontmatter]]") %>
<% await tp.file.include("[[_templates/meeting-sections]]") %>
```

Each included template is evaluated in sequence. The included file can itself contain Templater expressions. Keep included fragments focused; a fragment that does one thing is composable.

## Trigger templates on file rename

Templater can run a template when a note is first created but before it is renamed. Set "Trigger Templater on new file creation" in Templater settings. Then set "Template folder location" to `_templates/`. New notes created with Cmd+N or from the Quick Switcher will prompt for the template automatically.

For template updates in existing notes, use `Templater: Replace templates in the active file` from the Command Palette. It re-evaluates all `<% %>` expressions in the open note. Use this to update `last_updated` fields without retyping the date.

## Related

- [[tooling/obsidian]]
- [[tooling/obsidian-vault-structure]]
- [[tooling/obsidian-plugins]]
- [[tooling/obsidian-publishing-to-quartz]]
- [[tooling/quartz]]