Property from backlink

Property from Backlink

Automatically add or remove a frontmatter property on every note that links to a given note, using that note's name as the value.

What it does

This plugin gives you two command, built around the same idea: keeping a frontmatter property in sync with a note's backlink.

• "Tag backlinks of this note with property" - adds the property to every note linking to the current note

• "Remove property added by this note from backlinks" - removes the property to every note linking to the current note

Both work the same way:

• Open the note you want to use as the "source" (e.g. a MOC note called Projects)
• Run the command
• Every note that links to it is updated

Tagging backlinks

The plugin never overwrites data, it only adds to it:

• No existing property → the property is created with the source note's name as its value.
• Existing property with the same value already → nothing changes.
• Existing property with a different single value → the property becomes a list containing both the old and the new value.
• Existing property already a list → the new value is appended, unless it's already present. Running the command multiple times on the same note is always safe (idempotent) — it will never create duplicate entries.

Removing the property

• Property holds only that value → the property itself is removed from the note.
• Property is a list containing that value among others → only that value is removed; the rest of the list is left untouched. If only one value remains, the property becomes a plain value again instead of a single-item list.
• Property doesn't contain that value → nothing changes. Like tagging, this is safe to run multiple times — running it again on a note that's already clean does nothing.

Settings

• Property name — the frontmatter property used to store the source note's name. Defaults to moc. Change it to category, hub, or anything that fits your vault's conventions.

Installation

From Obsidian

1. Open Settings → Community plugins.
2. Make sure "Restricted mode" is off.
3. Click Browser, search for "Property from Backlink", and install it.
4. Enable the plugin.

Manual installation

1. Download main.js, manifest.json, and styles.css from the latest release.
2. Create a folder named property-from-backlink inside your vault's .obsidian/plugins/ directory.
3. Copy the three files into that folder.
4. Reload Obsidian, then enable the plugin under Settings → Community plugins.

Requirements

Requires Obsidian v1.4.4 or later (uses the FileManager.processFrontMatter API).

License

0BSD — see LICENSE.