4 ways to host Obsidian online

Whether you’re building a second brain, or just trying to keep your thoughts organized in one place, Obsidian makes the entire process feel remarkably intuitive and deeply rewarding. Its powerful local-first approach means your notes are stored safely on your device, giving you complete control over your content. But that same strength also presents a challenge — your notes are locked into a single device unless you actively find a way to share or access them remotely.

Over the past few months, I’ve been exploring various ways to take my Obsidian notes online. My goal wasn’t just about sharing them with others; it was about making them accessible on the go, ensuring seamless access across multiple devices, and having a reliable backup that extended beyond my desktop. Fortunately, there are several excellent options out there, ranging from simple, built-in solutions to highly customizable open-source workflows. Here’s a look at four of the most effective ways to host your Obsidian notes online, each catering to different needs and levels of technical expertise.

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Obsidian Publish

The effortless official way

For those who want a hassle-free way to publish their notes, Obsidian Publish is by far the most convenient and polished option. Developed by the same team behind Obsidian, this official add-on service transforms your local vault into a live website with just a few clicks. It’s ideal for anyone who wants to turn their notes into a digital garden, a personal wiki, a documentation portal, or even a structured knowledge base.

One of the standout features of Obsidian Publish is the ability to choose which notes are visible online. You don’t have to share your entire vault — just the content you want to make public. This selective publishing allows for greater control over your shared work. The service also offers support for custom domains, customizable themes, and even password protection, making it suitable for both casual note sharers and professionals looking to build an elegant knowledge hub.

Another major advantage is how beginner-friendly it is. You don’t need to worry about static site generators, Git workflows, or web servers. The publishing process is clean, intuitive, and well-integrated with the Obsidian interface. It’s a paid add-on for Obsidian, but the $8 monthly fee is worth it if you want something that just works. If you’re looking for a one-stop solution that requires minimal setup and just works, Obsidian Publish is hard to beat.

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Digital Garden Plugin

The open-source alternative

If you’re comfortable with a bit more tinkering and prefer an open-source route, the Digital Garden Plugin offers a fantastic alternative. Designed by members of the Obsidian community, this plugin provides a powerful way to take your notes online without relying on external platforms or paid services.

The beauty of this plugin lies in its flexibility. It allows you to publish directly from Obsidian, giving you the ability to customize your online garden as you see fit. You can decide which notes to share, control their appearance, and shape the structure of your digital garden in a way that mirrors your own thinking.

Unlike Obsidian Publish, this method does require some familiarity with Git and web hosting, but the learning curve is manageable. And if you’re someone who enjoys customizing their tools, this setup gives you plenty of room to experiment. The plugin supports custom CSS, letting you completely change the look and feel of your site.

This solution is especially appealing to creators who want more say in how their notes are presented and how their publishing workflow is managed. It’s a great example of how community-driven tools can rival even official solutions, offering both power and personalization.

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GitHub Pages with Quartz

Static sites done right

If you’re looking for a robust, developer-friendly solution that offers total control and high performance, hosting your notes via GitHub Pages using Quartz is an excellent choice. Quartz is an open-source project designed to convert Markdown files — like those used in Obsidian — into a sleek static website. It’s a great way to bring your vault to the web in a fast, mobile-friendly format.

This method involves storing your notes in a GitHub repository and letting Quartz handle the rest. Once set up, Quartz automatically builds your site and displays your notes online with features like backlinking, full-text search and graph view. For those who like the idea of treating their notes as a full-blown knowledge system, Quartz offers a way to maintain structure and interconnection while ensuring a polished web presence.

It’s worth noting that this approach requires a bit more technical familiarity. You’ll need to understand how GitHub works, how to push updates to your repository, and how to tweak the site’s configuration to your liking. However, a wealth of documentation is available to help guide you through the process. For users who enjoy having full control and aren’t afraid to roll up their sleeves, this is one of the most powerful ways to host Obsidian notes online.

Quartz is particularly well-suited for those who see their notes as more than just rough ideas. It gives you the tools to present your content professionally and extend its reach beyond your local machine. Plus, the fact that it’s free and open-source makes it an attractive option for long-term projects.

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Self-hosted solutions with Perlite

Total control, zero dependencies

For those who want absolute autonomy over their notes, self-hosting with Perlite is a compelling option. Perlite is a lightweight, web-based Markdown viewer that’s designed to work seamlessly with Obsidian’s folder structure and note formatting. With it, you can turn your vault into a fully functional website that lives on your own server — no third-party services required.

What makes Perlite special is its simplicity. You don’t need to convert files or learn a new system. You just place your Obsidian vault into your server’s directory, and Perlite renders it as a live website. It dynamically builds your site based on the existing folder and note structure, so any updates you make to your notes are instantly reflected online.

This method gives you maximum control over your data and hosting environment. You decide where your notes are stored, how they’re accessed, and who gets to see them. It’s a perfect solution for privacy-conscious users or anyone who prefers not to rely on cloud services. However, setting up Perlite does require some basic knowledge of PHP and web servers. It’s not overly complex, but it’s definitely a more hands-on approach.

For those willing to invest a bit of time in setup and maintenance, Perlite offers a unique blend of independence and functionality. It’s ideal for users who want full control and are willing to get technical to achieve it.

Choosing the right approach

Ultimately, hosting your Obsidian notes online is not just possible — it’s surprisingly versatile. Whether you’re drawn to the convenience of Obsidian Publish, the open-source flexibility of the Digital Garden Plugin, the developer-grade power of GitHub Pages with Quartz, or the full autonomy of self-hosting with Perlite, there’s a solution that matches most users’ needs.

The right choice depends on how comfortable you are with technical tools, how much control you want over your content, and what kind of experience you want to deliver to your audience — or yourself. So, whether you’re looking at exposing your Obsidian Vault full of interconnected thoughts or simply trying to access your notes from more than one device, these tools make it easy.