Smart Connections

Smart Connections is the premier Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) implementation for the Obsidian ecosystem. By 2026, it has evolved from a simple link suggester into a sophisticated local vector database management system. It functions by indexing a user's entire markdown vault into a vector space—using either local transformer models or remote embeddings (OpenAI/Cohere)—enabling 'Smart Chat' which interacts with the totality of a user's historical notes. The technical architecture prioritizes privacy-first AI, allowing users to run inference via Ollama or LM Studio locally, or leverage high-end API providers. Its market position is unique as it bridges the gap between static personal notes and dynamic agentic workflows, effectively turning a folder of text files into a structured, queryable data lake. The plugin's 2026 iteration includes advanced features like hybrid search (combining keyword and semantic) and multi-file context injection, making it the industry standard for researchers, developers, and knowledge workers who require deep context awareness without manual internal linking.