Link metadata syntax specification

This is the formal specification for Crosswalker’s typed-link syntax. For the conceptual overview, see link metadata system.

Anatomy of a typed link

[framework_here.applies_to:: [[AC-2]] {"sufficient": true}]
 ├─ wrapper ──────────────────────────────────────────────┤
  ├─ dotKey ────────────┤  ├─ dest ┤  ├─ metadata ───────┤

Component	Required	Description
Wrapper	Optional	[...], (...), or none
dotKey	Required	Namespace + relationship type (dot notation)
::	Required	Dataview inline field separator
Destination	Optional	WikiLink, Markdown link, or plain text
Metadata	Optional	JSON object or quoted string

Wrapping styles

Style	Syntax	Obsidian reading mode	Obsidian live preview	Use case
None	key:: value	Visible as block	Visible as block	Explicit, always visible
Square brackets	[key:: value]	Hidden (shows link only)	Partially hidden	Clean reading experience
Parentheses	(key:: value)	Inline, less intrusive	Inline	Compact inline annotations

All three are valid Dataview inline fields. The choice is purely presentational — all are parsed identically.

Link types

WikiLink

framework_here.applies_to:: [[AC-2]]
framework_here.applies_to:: [[AC-2|Account Management]]

• Standard Obsidian internal link
• Optional alias after |
• Resolves via Obsidian’s link resolution

Markdown link

framework_here.applies_to:: [AC-2](Frameworks/NIST-800-53/AC-2.md)
framework_here.applies_to:: [AC-2](ID%2012.md)

• Standard markdown link syntax
• Path may be URL-encoded
• Works with external URLs too

Plain text

framework_here.reviewer:: "Person_1"
framework_here.score:: 9
framework_here.approved:: True

• No link destination — just a value
• Sets a default property for all links from this note

Metadata values

Type	Syntax	Example
JSON object	{...} after destination	[[AC-2]] {"sufficient": true, "reviewer": "Alice"}
Quoted string	"..."	"Person_1"
Boolean	Implied by link presence	[[AC-2]] (no metadata = boolean true)
Number	Bare number	9

Syntax examples matrix

Syntax	Link type	Wrapper	Metadata
framework_here.reviewer:: "Person_1"	Plain (default for page)	None	Quoted string
[framework_here.applies_to:: [AC-2](AC-2.md)]	Markdown link (boolean flag)	[]	Implied true
(framework_here.applies_to:: [[AC-2]] {"sufficient": true})	WikiLink + JSON	()	JSON object
framework_here.reviewed:: [[AC-2]]	WikiLink (boolean flag)	None	Implied true
[framework_here.approved:: True]	Plain (default for page)	[]	Boolean
(framework_here.score:: 9)	Plain (default for page)	()	Number
[framework_here.score:: [[AC-2]] {9}]	WikiLink + number	[]	Number

Production regex

The following regex extracts all components from any valid typed-link syntax:

/^(?:\[|\()?(?<dotKey>framework_here(?:\.\w+)*)::\s*(?:\[\[(?<wikilink>[^|\]]+)(?:\|(?<wikiAlias>[^\]]+))?\]\]|\[(?<mdText>[^\]]+?)\]\((?<mdLink>[^)]+?)\)|(?<plainLink>[^"\[\]\(\)\s{}]+))?\s*(?:(?<json>\{[^}]*\})|"(?<quotedValue>[^"]+)")?(?=\]|\)|$)/

Named capture groups

Group	Matches	Example capture
dotKey	Full dot-notation key	framework_here.applies_to
wikilink	WikiLink target (without alias)	AC-2
wikiAlias	WikiLink alias (after |)	Account Management
mdText	Markdown link display text	AC-2
mdLink	Markdown link path/URL	Frameworks/NIST-800-53/AC-2.md
plainLink	Plain text link or value	Person_1
json	JSON object string	{"sufficient": true}
quotedValue	Quoted string value	Person_1

What the regex handles

• Optional wrapper: [, (, or nothing at start
• Dot-notation keys of any depth: fw, fw.type, fw.type.subtype
• All three link types: WikiLink (with optional alias), Markdown, plain
• Optional trailing metadata: JSON object or quoted string
• Closing wrapper lookahead: ], ), or end of line

Two-tier priority system

When multiple inline fields reference the same framework, a priority system determines how metadata merges. The system has two tiers based on whether an explicit link destination is present.

Tier 1: With link (higher priority)

From highest to lowest:

1. Inline tag (dot notation) + link + explicit value/JSON framework_here.applies_to:: [[AC-2]] {"sufficient": true}
2. Inline tag (dot notation) + link + implied boolean framework_here.applies_to:: [[AC-2]]
3. Inline tag (leaf/child dot key) + link + JSON framework_here.applies_to.coverage:: [[AC-2]] {"full": true}
4. Inline tag (root/parent dot key) + link + JSON framework_here:: [[AC-2]] {"reviewer": "Alice"}

Tier 2: Without link (lower priority)

1. Inline tag (dot notation) + explicit value framework_here.reviewer:: "Person_1"
2. Inline tag (dot notation) + implied boolean framework_here.approved:: True
3. Inline tag (leaf/child) + JSON framework_here.defaults.coverage:: {"threshold": 80}
4. Inline tag (root/parent) + JSON framework_here:: {"reviewer": "Bob", "status": "draft"}

Fallback chain

After inline fields, lower-priority sources fill in remaining properties:

5. YAML frontmatter — framework_here keys in the note’s frontmatter
6. Folder-level defaults — inherited from parent folder notes (if implemented)
7. Global defaults — plugin settings

Ecosystem compatibility

Component	Properties (native)	Dataview	Bases	Datacore
dotKey parsing	No	Yes (inline fields)	No	TBD
WikiLink resolution	Yes (backlinks)	Yes	Yes (backlinks)	TBD
JSON metadata extraction	No	Via DataviewJS	No	TBD
Priority merging	No	Via DataviewJS	No	TBD
Tabular display of results	No	TABLE/DataviewJS	Yes (native)	TBD

Key insight: The full typed-link system requires DataviewJS (or future Datacore) for parsing and priority resolution. Obsidian Bases can surface notes based on frontmatter properties but cannot process inline field syntax or edge metadata.

This is an intentional design trade-off: frontmatter for queryable flat metadata, inline fields for relationship-level metadata that needs custom processing.

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Resources

Obsidian syntax

• Dataview: Adding Metadata — inline field docs
• Obsidian: Internal Links — WikiLink syntax

Related pages

• Link metadata system — conceptual overview
• Metadata ecosystem — Properties, Dataview, Bases, Datacore
• Tradeoffs — design decisions