KMind Zen for Obsidian Quick Start

If you are used to Obsidian, a lot of trust comes from a simple idea: the files are in your vault. Notes, attachments, sync, backups, and version control all revolve around that local workspace.

KMind Zen does not ask you to create a remote project first or move your map into a separate library. It saves the map as a local vault file and keeps that file as the source of truth for editing, sync, and backup.

For Obsidian users, that makes the workflow feel natural. A mind map is not an island outside the vault; it is another local file in your knowledge base.

For your first run, the simplest entry point is the Obsidian command palette. Run KMind: New map, and the plugin creates a new .kmindz file and opens it directly in the KMind view.

This is the clearest way to start because it does not depend on your current folder or require you to decide the final location first. You can get the structure out, then move the file where it belongs.

When you already know which project, topic, or note collection the map belongs to, create it from the file tree instead. Right-click a folder or note in Obsidian and create a new KMind map there.

This fits the Obsidian way of organizing knowledge: the map starts in the right context. For example, you can create a map inside a product planning folder, or create one next to the note it expands.

The benefit is simple: the map naturally follows your vault structure, so you do not need a second memory system for where your maps live.

After a .kmindz file is created, it lives in the file tree like the rest of your vault files. You can click it later to reopen the KMind view and continue editing.

This is the key local-first moment: you are not looking for the map inside an app-specific internal list. You are reopening it from your own vault. Autosave continues writing changes back to the same .kmindz file, so the file location, ownership, and backup path stay clear.

If your vault is managed by Git or another file-level backup tool, the model is easy to reason about: the map is just another file that can be synced, backed up, and versioned.

As a map grows, buttons, panels, and status details can start competing with the structure you are trying to organize. Zen mode quiets the interface so the canvas feels calmer.

Zen mode is not about hiding capabilities. It reduces visual noise while keeping frequent actions such as save status, history, export, and zoom within short reach.

This still fits the local-first model. The map remains a vault file; Zen mode only changes the focus level of the editing surface.

If you are starting with KMind Zen in Obsidian, run through the whole path once with the fewest possible steps. After that, fold .kmindz files into the vault organization habits you already use.