Bases Descendant Filter finds notes below a root through parent links

Name: Bases Descendant Filter
Author: theluckystrike

Show query results that descend from a root through a chosen parent property.

Install in Obsidian

Directory page Source on GitHub

MIT · no telemetry · core features free

A descendant table shows five notes, their depths and a parent-link warning. — Open larger

version: 1.3.0
released: 2026-10-22
downloads: 25
review: Passed
health: Excellent
license: MIT
listed for: Desktop, Mobile
obsidian: 1.13.4 or later

Tested on desktop only.

Directory facts fetched 2026-10-23 07:28 UTC from community.obsidian.md/users/theluckystrike.

About Bases Descendant Filter

You use parent links to organize projects across several levels of notes.

Choose a root note, or a root formula such as this.file, and a parent property in a Descendants view. The plugin follows parent links across the vault, then shows reachable notes from the visible Bases query. Depth gives the shortest distance from the root.

Free features

Follow a parent property through multiple levels

Choose a note property containing a wikilink or a list of wikilinks. Traversal handles multiple parents and cycles without repeating a note.

Use the note that embeds the base as root

Set Root formula to this.file, then embed the base in a project note. Each embed keeps its own root, so the same base shows each project's descendants, and in a sidebar it follows the active note. Formula selection and depth are free, and a nonempty formula overrides Root note.

Project A embeds a descendant table with Design at depth one and Detail at depth two. — Open larger

Keep the visible Bases query and property columns

The output keeps the visible query order and selected property columns. Intermediate notes can connect results even when those notes are outside the query.

Inspect parent-data warnings

The view counts unresolved parent links, invalid values and notes awaiting metadata. Those counts cover the vault scan, including notes outside the displayed query.

Descendant results, depth, warnings and the root formula are free; route explanations need Pro.

Pro features

Pro costs $5 a month or $15 one time through GitHub Sponsors. One sponsorship turns on Pro in every plugin that has it.

Explain a shortest route Pro

Pro shows one shortest route from the root to a matching note. Each path opens its source note, including intermediate notes outside the query.

See how Pro works

Set up Bases Descendant Filter

needs

Obsidian 1.13.4 or later
The core plugin Bases, turned on

steps

Enable Bases and Bases Descendant Filter.
Add a Descendants view to a base.
Choose Root note and Parent property in the view options, or set Root formula to this.file.
Use the Properties menu to choose extra columns.
Inspect the depths and parent-data warnings.

If the app can't find a new plugin yet, try again later. Obsidian says a plugin that passes the review shows in the app within 24 hours.

How to find descendant notes in Obsidian Bases

Known limits of Bases Descendant Filter

Parent values must be wikilinks or lists of wikilinks. Plain text and numeric values do not form edges.
The view reads cached frontmatter and resolved Markdown targets. Body links do not form parent edges.
Only reachable entries supplied by the visible query appear. Intermediate notes may remain outside that query.
The layout shows 100 matches per page. Extra property columns show text values rather than editable cells.

Questions about Bases Descendant Filter

Can a note have two parents?

Yes. The property can hold a list of wikilinks. The view shows a note once at its shortest depth.

Do links in the note body count as parents?

No. The scan reads the selected frontmatter property. Plain text values without wikilink syntax do not form parent edges.

Why is the root missing from the table?

The view excludes the root by default. Enable Include the root if it matches the query to include it when the query also returns it.

Does this change my existing table view?

No. It adds a separate Descendants layout. That layout shows text values and pages results in groups of 100.

Can one descendant base follow the note that embeds it?

Yes. Set Root formula to this.file and embed the base in each project note. Opening the base in its own tab shows a message, because this.file is then the base file.

Network use

The plugin processes your notes locally. GitHub sign-in and sponsorship checks contact github.com and api.github.com with authentication data, without sending your note text or paths.

Read the full network disclosure