Baton Board for Obsidian Users: A Local-First Dashboard Next to Your Vault
If you use Obsidian, you've already made a deliberate choice: your notes live in local files, on your machine, in a format you control. No lock-in, no cloud dependency, no one reading your second brain.
Baton Board applies the same philosophy to a different job: the execution layer. Notes are where you think; a dashboard is where you decide what to do today and watch whether it's working. Baton Board is a local-first, no-account dashboard — tasks, KPIs, habits, goals, a calendar, and a north-star KPI tree, all as widgets on one board, all stored in your browser's local storage.
This article is honest about the fit: for many people the answer isn't "switch" — it's "pair them."
Same philosophy, different job
| Obsidian | Baton Board | |
|---|---|---|
| Core object | Notes (Markdown files) | Widgets (tasks, KPIs, habits…) on a board |
| Data location | Local vault, your files | Your device (browser local storage) |
| Account required | No | No |
| Works offline | Yes | Yes (installable PWA) |
| Built for | Thinking, linking, writing | Executing, measuring, sustaining |
| Export | Your files are the data | One data.json you own (API keys stripped) |
Obsidian can be shaped into a task system with plugins — many people do. But if you'd rather keep your vault for knowledge and give execution a purpose-built surface, a dashboard does things notes fundamentally don't: a KPI with a history graph, a habit grid with streaks, an agenda that collects every due date, a KPI tree that breaks your north-star metric into drivers with achievement badges.
Why Obsidian users tend to feel at home here
- Local-first is the default, not a plugin. Nothing leaves your device. There is no server holding your board, and no sign-up.
- Markdown notes included. The Notes widget renders Markdown, so quick thoughts don't need an app switch.
- Keyboard-friendly. A command palette (Ctrl/⌘+K) searches the whole board and jumps anywhere — a familiar reflex.
- Plain-JSON data. Your entire board exports to a single readable
data.json. Inspect it, version it, script against it — the Obsidian mindset applies. - An API for your automations.
window.batonBoard.addTask(text, source)appends tasks from scripts, and an MCP server (Pro) lets AI agents read and write the same board.
A concrete pairing that works
- Plan and think in Obsidian — project notes, research, long-form thinking.
- Execute on Baton Board — the day's tasks, the Pomodoro timer, the habit grid.
- Measure on Baton Board — KPIs with history, goals with pace, the KPI tree for your north star.
- Paste between them freely — a bullet list from a note becomes tasks via Bulk add (one line = one task); the board exports a Markdown summary you can paste back into a note or an AI chat.
Frequently asked questions
Is Baton Board local-first like Obsidian?
Yes. Your board is stored in your browser's local storage, on your device. There's no account, no cloud database, and the app works fully offline as an installable PWA.
Can it replace my Obsidian task setup?
It can, for the execution side: tasks with subtasks, priorities, due dates and recurrence, plus an agenda, habits, KPIs, and goals. Your knowledge and long-form notes stay better served by Obsidian — most people pair the two.
Does it store data in Markdown files?
No — it stores a single JSON structure in your browser, exportable as data.json. The Notes widget supports Markdown for writing, and the board can export a Markdown summary of its contents.
Can my scripts add tasks to the board?
Yes. window.batonBoard.addTask(text, source) appends a task with no reload, and an MCP server (Pro) gives AI agents direct read/write access to the same board.
Is it free?
The core is free: one board, the seven free widgets, export/import, backups, search, and eight languages — no account, no trial clock.
Pricing
Free covers one customizable board with the seven free widgets, export/import, automatic backups, board-wide search, and eight languages. Pro (¥980/month or ¥9,800/year) unlocks unlimited boards, the analytics widgets (KPI, KPI tree, goal, habit, agenda, activity, PDCA), the AI assistant, end-to-end sync, and deep customization. A ¥14,800 lifetime license is available. Polar handles payments and worldwide taxes.
Try it
Keep your vault. Open Baton Board next to it, paste today's plan into Bulk add, and give execution a surface of its own — with the same local-first values you already chose.
Related reading: "A Local-First, Zero-Trust Dashboard" and "A Notion Alternative That Keeps Your Data on Your Device."