Community Install Manager

Install, enable, and configure Obsidian community plugins from JSON files in your vault. Useful for syncing the same plugin setup across devices or sharing a ready-made configuration.

Desktop only.

What it does

The plugin reads two files in your vault’s .obsidian folder:

• community-plugins-list.json — which community plugins to install (optionally with pinned versions)
• community-plugins-settings.json — settings to apply to those plugins

You can export your current vault setup into those files, preview what an import would do, then import on another machine.

Typical uses:

• Keep the same plugins on several computers
• Share a team vault starter setup
• Bootstrap a new vault from a known list
• Reinstall community plugins after git clone when .obsidian/plugins/ is gitignored (keep a list JSON in the repo, then Import)

Security warning

This plugin can download and install other community plugins.

• Only use it with vaults and JSON files you trust
• Review community-plugins-list.json before turning on auto-install
• Installed plugins can access your notes (and more on desktop)
• Unpinned plugins install the latest suitable release, which may include breaking changes
• Use at your own risk; the author is not responsible for plugins installed on your behalf

Features

• Install plugins from the Obsidian Community Plugins registry (via Obsidian’s own installer)
• Optional version pins so setups stay reproducible
• Export / import / preview of your plugin list and settings
• Optional auto-install on startup and settings sync on startup (off by default)
• Auto-enable after install and apply settings on install (on by default for new installs)
• Merge plugin settings into existing ones (on by default for new installs)

Network use

No telemetry. Network use happens only when you import/install (or when auto-install is enabled). The installer avoids calling api.github.com so anonymous rate limits are less likely.

Installation

1. In Obsidian: Settings → Community plugins → Browse → search Community Install Manager → Install → Enable
   Or download the latest GitHub release (main.js, manifest.json, styles.css) into .obsidian/plugins/automatic-installation-of-plugins/
2. Settings → Community plugins → turn Restricted mode off (if needed)
3. Enable Community Install Manager

Configuration files

.vault/
└── .obsidian/
    ├── community-plugins-list.json
    └── community-plugins-settings.json

Plugin list — community-plugins-list.json

Simple list (install latest if missing; leave alone if already installed):

[
  "calendar",
  "dataview",
  "templater-obsidian",
  "obsidian-git"
]

Pinned versions (install or change to that version):

[
  { "id": "calendar", "version": "1.5.10" },
  { "id": "dataview", "version": "0.5.68" },
  "obsidian-git"
]

You can mix plain IDs and { "id", "version" } objects. Export writes pinned objects from your currently installed versions.

Plugin settings — community-plugins-settings.json

Maps plugin IDs to settings objects applied to each plugin:

{
  "templater-obsidian": {
    "templates_folder": "Templates",
    "command_timeout": 5
  },
  "obsidian-git": {
    "pullInterval": 60
  }
}

Quick start

1. On a vault that already has the plugins you want: Command Palette → Export plugin setup to JSON
2. Copy the two JSON files (or the whole vault config) to another device
3. There: Preview plugin setup import, review the report, then Import plugin setup from JSON
4. Turn on only the automatic options you need in Settings

Commands

Settings

Auto-install and sync-on-startup stay off so a fresh vault does not download plugins until you opt in. Review the list file before enabling auto-install.

Finding plugin IDs

Use the ID from the plugin’s Community plugins page or its manifest.json (for example dataview, templater-obsidian, obsidian-git).

Troubleshooting

Nothing installs

• Check that community-plugins-list.json exists and the IDs are correct
• Use Preview to see planned actions
• Confirm network access to GitHub
• Open the console (Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+I) if import fails

Plugins stay disabled

• Confirm Auto-enable plugins after installation is on (check data.json if the toggle looks wrong in Obsidian 1.13 settings search)
• Or enable them under Community plugins
• After Import, the Community plugins tab should refresh; if toggles look stale, close and reopen Settings

Settings look wrong

• Confirm IDs in community-plugins-settings.json match the installed plugins
• With Merge on, only listed keys are updated; with it off, the whole settings file for that plugin is replaced
• Turn on Apply settings on installation and/or Sync settings on every startup, or run Apply settings from JSON

Links

• Author: Konstantin Volobuev
• Repository: obsidian-automatic-installation-of-plugins
• Issues: GitHub Issues

License

MIT. See LICENSE.