Property from backlink

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

This is useful for Zettelkasten/PARA-style vaults where you maintain Maps of Content (MOCs) or hub notes: instead of manually tagging every note that belongs to a MOC, run one command and let the plugin tag all its backlinks for you.

What it does

1. Open the note you want to use as the "source" (e.g. a MOC note called Projects).
2. Run the command "Tag backlinks of this note with property".
3. The plugin finds every note that links to the currently open note (its backlinks).
4. For each backlinking note, it adds a frontmatter property (default name: moc) with the source note's name as the value.

Behavior on existing values

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.

Example

Given a note Projects.md, and another note My Idea.md that contains a link [[Projects]]:

Before running the command, My Idea.md might have no frontmatter, or:

---
moc: SomeOtherHub
---

After running the command on Projects.md:

---
moc:
  - SomeOtherHub
  - Projects
---

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 (once approved in the Community Plugins directory)

1. Open Settings → Community plugins.
2. Make sure "Restricted mode" is off.
3. Click Browse, 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).

Why this plugin

Maintaining consistent metadata across a growing vault is tedious to do by hand. Property from Backlink automates the repetitive part — tagging every note that links to a hub note — while leaving you full control over the property name and never silently overwriting data you've already added.

License

0BSD — see LICENSE.