Canvas Branch Chat

对话即地图，地图即笔记。

Conversation is a map. The map is your notes.

在 Obsidian Canvas 上实现 Flowith 式的分叉对话——从任意节点拉线分叉、标注方向、每个分支独立对话、自动继承上下文，最终自然形成一张可回溯的思维地形图。

Flowith-style branching AI conversations on Obsidian Canvas. Fork from any node, label the direction, and watch your thinking evolve into a navigable map of ideas.

📸 预览 / Screenshots

多方向分叉对话 + 框架预设 + 模型选择 — 中文界面

语言设置：跟随系统 / 简体中文 / English

📌 语言 / Language

• 简体中文 ← 当前
• English

简体中文

这是什么？

这不是"又一个 AI 聊天插件"——Obsidian 已经有 Text Generator、Copilot 等。这个插件的真正价值是把对话变成可浏览的思维地图：

• 每次分叉都是在地图上开一条新路
• 最终你得到的不只是一段对话，而是一张完整的思考地形图
• 可以回溯、可以导出、可以嵌入你的笔记体系

核心功能

效果示意

📸 参见上方预览截图

                    ┌──[成本角度]──→ [AI回答: 成本...] ──→ [追问] ──→ ...
[问题: 这个方案如何?] ──┼──[安全角度]──→ [AI回答: 安全...] ──→ [追问] ──→ ...
                    └──[换个思路]──→ [AI回答: 换个...] ──→ [追问] ──→ ...

安装

方式一：手动安装

1. 下载 最新 Release
2. 解压得到 main.js、manifest.json、styles.css
3. 放到你的 Obsidian vault 插件目录：

   <你的vault>/.obsidian/plugins/canvas-branch-chat/
   

4. Obsidian → 设置 → 第三方插件 → 启用「Canvas Branch Chat」

方式二：从源码构建

git clone https://github.com/p4nt1um/canvas-branch-chat.git
cd canvas-branch-chat
npm install
npm run build

将生成的 main.js、manifest.json、styles.css 复制到插件目录。

配置

API Key（安全方案）

插件不会明文存储你的密钥，而是通过操作系统环境变量读取：

第一步：在操作系统中设置环境变量

• macOS / Linux：在终端编辑 ~/.bashrc 或 ~/.zshrc，添加：

  export DEEPSEEK_API_KEY=你的密钥
  

  保存后执行 source ~/.bashrc 生效。
• Windows：搜索「环境变量」→ 系统属性 → 新建用户变量，变量名填 DEEPSEEK_API_KEY，值填你的密钥。

设置完成后重启 Obsidian，确保环境变量被加载。

第二步：在插件设置中填入变量名

只需要填变量名称 DEEPSEEK_API_KEY，不需要填真实密钥。

模型配置

1. 设置页 → 添加模型
2. 填写别名、Provider、Base URL、API Key 环境变量名
3. 点击「测试连接」验证连通性并获取可用模型列表
4. 选择模型，配置颜色、图标、系统提示词

支持任意 OpenAI 兼容 API（DeepSeek、OpenAI、Ollama 本地模型等）。

使用

1. 在 Obsidian 中打开一个 Canvas
2. 创建文本节点，输入你的问题
3. 右键节点 → 选择操作：
   • 🔀 从此处分叉 — 输入方向（支持多个），AI 从该角度回答
   • 🏷️ 指定模型分叉 — 选择不同模型/角色进行分叉
   • 💬 继续追问 — 在当前分支链上继续对话
   • 🤖 提交到 AI — 单次问答，不带历史
   • 📥 导出对话树 — 将整棵对话树导出为 Markdown
4. AI 回答实时流式显示在 Canvas 节点中

技术栈

• 平台: Obsidian Plugin API (Canvas)
• 语言: TypeScript
• 构建: esbuild
• API 协议: OpenAI 兼容（支持 DeepSeek、OpenAI 等任意兼容端点）
• 基于: HinxCorporation/obsidian-canvas-ai (MIT)

English

What is this?

This is not "yet another AI chat plugin" — Obsidian already has Text Generator and Copilot. The real value of this plugin is turning conversations into navigable thinking maps:

• Each fork opens a new path on the map
• What you get is not just a conversation, but a complete topography of your thinking
• Traceable, exportable, and embeddable in your note system

Core Features

Example

📸 See screenshots above

                       ┌──[Cost]──→ [AI: Cost analysis...] ──→ [Follow-up] ──→ ...
[Q: How about this?] ──┼──[Security]──→ [AI: Security...] ──→ [Follow-up] ──→ ...
                       └──[Alt approach]──→ [AI: Alternative...] ──→ [Follow-up] ──→ ...

Installation

Option 1: Manual install

1. Download the latest release
2. Extract main.js, manifest.json, styles.css
3. Place them in your vault's plugin directory:

   <your-vault>/.obsidian/plugins/canvas-branch-chat/
   

4. Obsidian → Settings → Community plugins → Enable "Canvas Branch Chat"

Option 2: Build from source

git clone https://github.com/p4nt1um/canvas-branch-chat.git
cd canvas-branch-chat
npm install
npm run build

Copy the generated main.js, manifest.json, styles.css to the plugin directory.

Configuration

API Key (Secure)

The plugin does not store your key in plaintext. Instead, it reads from OS environment variables:

Step 1: Set the environment variable in your OS

• macOS / Linux: Edit ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc:

  export DEEPSEEK_API_KEY=your-key-here
  

  Then run source ~/.bashrc.
• Windows: Search "Environment Variables" → System Properties → New user variable. Name: DEEPSEEK_API_KEY, Value: your key.

Restart Obsidian after setting the variable.

Step 2: Enter the variable name in plugin settings

Just enter the variable name DEEPSEEK_API_KEY, not the actual key.

Model Configuration

1. Settings → Add Model
2. Fill in alias, Provider, Base URL, API Key env var name
3. Click "Test Connection" to verify and fetch available models
4. Select model, configure color, icon, system prompt

Supports any OpenAI-compatible API (DeepSeek, OpenAI, Ollama local models, etc.).

Usage

1. Open a Canvas in Obsidian
2. Create a text node and type your question
3. Right-click the node → choose an action:
   • 🔀 Branch from here — Enter direction(s), AI responds from that angle
   • 🏷️ Fork with model — Choose a specific model/role to branch with
   • 💬 Continue chat — Continue the conversation on the current chain
   • 🤖 Ask AI — Single Q&A, no history
   • 📥 Export conversation tree — Export as Markdown
4. AI responses stream into Canvas nodes in real time

Tech Stack

• Platform: Obsidian Plugin API (Canvas)
• Language: TypeScript
• Build: esbuild
• API Protocol: OpenAI-compatible (supports DeepSeek, OpenAI, or any compatible endpoint)
• Based on: HinxCorporation/obsidian-canvas-ai (MIT)

License

MIT

Roadmap

See PLAN.md for the full development roadmap.

P2 (Next)

• Context pruning — selectively exclude ancestor nodes when forking
• Smart follow-up — AI suggests follow-up questions
• Skill scanner integration

P3 (Future)

• Industry scenario templates (product review, academic debate, security audit)
• MCP tool calls from branch nodes
• Knowledge base RAG integration
• Export as interactive HTML for sharing

Contributing

Issues and PRs welcome. This is a community project built on top of the MIT-licensed obsidian-canvas-ai.

_{Built with 🧚‍♀️ by Zhang Bin}