A faster way into your vault.
Kolada opens the same folder of Markdown notes Obsidian uses, in 47 ms. Keep both, or switch. Your files do not change.
Same files, a different speed
Obsidian is a powerful app built on web technology. Its real launch, measured on a Windows 11 laptop with a 1,659 note vault, took a median of 1,623 ms to a ready window. Kolada, a native app, opened in 47 ms on the same machine: more than 30 times faster.
Because both apps read plain .md files, you do not have to choose. Many people open Kolada for quick capture and everyday writing, and keep Obsidian for what its plugins do best.
What carries over
Kolada understands the Markdown you already write:
- [[Links]] between notes, with suggestions as you type
- #tags, ==highlights==, checklists, tables and code
- Outside edits, followed live while both apps are open
- Your folder structure, left exactly as it is
What Kolada adds
A version history you scrub like a timeline, search that reads text in PDFs and pictures, smart paste from Word and the web, a quick note from any app with Win Alt N, and a minimal window that stays on top. All of it built in, with no plugins to install.
Launch time, measured
| App | Launch time |
|---|---|
| Kolada | 47 ms |
| Windows Notepad | 723 ms |
| OneNote | 1,066 ms |
| Obsidian | 1,623 ms |
| Joplin | 4,262 ms |
| Evernote | 7,228 ms |
Questions
Can Kolada open my Obsidian vault?
Yes. Point Kolada at your vault folder. It reads and writes the same plain Markdown files and leaves Obsidian’s settings alone.
Is Kolada faster than Obsidian?
In our measurements on Windows 11, Kolada opened to a ready window in 47 ms and Obsidian in 1,623 ms, with a 1,659 note vault and 8 plugins.
Does Kolada support Obsidian plugins?
No. Kolada builds its features in, such as version history, smart paste and search inside PDFs and pictures, rather than running plugins.