# DeveloPassion's Newsletter 206 - BuilderOS Foundation Hello everyone! I'm [Sébastien Dubois](https://dsebastien.net), your host. You're receiving this email because you signed up for DeveloPassion's Newsletter. Thank you for being here with me ✨ If you enjoy this, please forward it to your friends 👍. If this email was forwarded to you, then don't forget to subscribe and become a supporter. You can also follow me on [X](https://x.com/dSebastien), [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/dsebastien.net), and [Mastodon](https://pkm.social/@dsebastien). ![[DeveloPassion's Newsletter Logo.png|DeveloPassion's Newsletter logo: lightbulb sprouting colorful idea nodes]] ## Welcome Welcome to all the new readers ❤️ Another week, another newsletter! I hope that you all had a great one 🤩 I can finally walk again! 🎉 I'm not running around, but I can at least MOVE. And it's such a relief! I took my first proper walk with my dog Zwan this week. Small wins matter. I also had a wonderful moment this weekend teaching my son Matthieu about domain names, DNS, setting up his first VPS, and explaining SSH and various IT security concepts. There's something magical about passing on knowledge to the next generation. He now has his own server running, and I got to be the cool tech dad for a day 😂 Alright, let's gooooo 🚀 ## This Week's Highlights - 🏪 **Store Website LAUNCHED**: It's finally live at https://www.store.dsebastien.net/! - 🔌 **Dataview Serializer 2.0**: Massive [[Dataview Serializer plugin for Obsidian]] update with DataviewJS support - 🦵 **Recovery Progress**: Walking again and back to normal activities ## Before You Go Any Further I want to reach more people. Got 20 seconds? Then share [the link](https://www.dsebastien.net/newsletter/) with one friend/colleague who would benefit from joining us! And of course, don't forget to also mention the [Knowii Community](https://www.store.dsebastien.net/product/knowii-community/) ❤️ And if you bought some of my products or courses? Then please [leave a rating/review](https://gumroad.com/reviews). It REALLY matters a lot ❤️ ## The Lab 🧪 After weeks of ~2.5 weeks of building, testing, and polishing, I've recently launched the "Knowledge Forge"; my new store website. It's the best place to explore my products, courses & services: **https://www.store.dsebastien.net/ Last week I've added a "Quiz" page that you can use to find what is relevant for you: https://www.store.dsebastien.net/quiz Learn more about it here (included the **ongoing promotion**): https://www.dsebastien.net/introducing-the-knowledge-forge-where-raw-information-becomes-powerful-knowledge/ It's still a bit soon to know if it's thanks to this launch, but I just hit a new sales milestone this month 🎉 ![[DeveloPassion's Newsletter 206 - BuilderOS Foundation - sales.png|Store dashboard showing 94 sales, 2,925 views and $3,857 revenue with a spiking trend line]] ### Dataview Serializer 2.0: A Massive Update I've shipped one of the biggest (set of) updates ever to my [[Dataview Serializer plugin for Obsidian]]. This plugin solves a fundamental problem: Dataview queries generate results on the fly, which means those results don't exist in your Markdown files. They don't show up in your Graph view, don't appear on Obsidian Publish, and can't be read by AI. **What's New:** - **DataviewJS support**: You can now serialize JavaScript queries, not just DQL - **Inline query support**: Serialize `=this.field` expressions - **TASK query support**: Your task queries finally serialize to Markdown - **Four query types**: Auto, manual-only, run-once, and run-once-and-eject - **One-click refresh button**: A 🔄 button next to each query for instant updates - **Convert existing queries**: Commands to migrate your standard Dataview queries - **Force update folders**: Keep index files always fresh - **Link format control**: No more sync conflicts from changing link formats - **Better performance**: Batching and idempotency checks 👉 Read the full article: https://www.dsebastien.net/dataview-serializer-2-0-powerful-queries-without-sacrificing-data-portability// 👉 Plugin docs: https://developassion.gitbook.io/obsidian-dataview-serializer 👉 Release notes: https://github.com/dsebastien/obsidian-dataview-serializer/releases I've also published a video about it here:  ### Concepts Website I've continued expanding the Concepts Website over at https://concepts.dsebastien.net/. There are now >2.1K concepts available! LINK: https://concepts.dsebastien.net ![[DeveloPassion's Newsletter 206 - BuilderOS Foundation - concepts website.png|Concepts library header: 2,105 total concepts, 19 featured across 23 curated categories]] A fellow blogger at [codemaclife.net](https://blog.codemaclife.net/post/the-weekly-review-04-26) recently mentioned it: > "Concepts (dsebastien.net) is a curated library that gathers more than 1,700 useful concepts, frameworks, mental models, techniques and principles for knowledge‑workers and creators. Created by Sébastien Dubois, it is designed as a searchable reference hub to help people discover, organise and apply these ideas in their personal and professional projects." It's always wonderful to see people finding value in what I create. Thank you for the mention! 🙏 ### Obsidian Publish Sites Discovery I'm always curious about other Obsidian Publish Websites out there. There are many gems, and passionate people who share awesome [[Digital garden|Digital Gardens]]. So I created a script to help me discover more of those: https://github.com/dsebastien/obsidian-publish-sites Nothing fancy, but it helped me discover quite a few I didn't know about. ### Little mentions ❤️ Just noticed that [[Mike Schmitz]] mentioned my [[Life Tracker plugin for Obsidian]] in his latest video: https://youtu.be/xAIqgokfE10?t=160. Always feels nice when others discover your work. ## BuilderOS: The System Behind Everything I Do This week's theme is one I've been wanting to talk about for a while. The store launch is a great excuse to finally do it. Behind every article, newsletter, course, podcast episode, and product I ship, there's a *system*. I didn't stumble into it. I built it piece by piece, layer by layer, over the years. I call it **BuilderOS** — my Creator Operating System. It sits on top of my **LifeOS** (my personal organization and life management system). LifeOS handles the "living well" and "working sanely" parts. BuilderOS handles the "creating and sharing at scale" part. ### What BuilderOS Actually Is BuilderOS is the full stack of tools, processes, and workflows I use to go from "scattered ideas in my head" to "published content that reaches thousands of people and generates revenue." It's not one tool. It's a system of systems. Here's what it covers: - **Capture & Create** ➤ My PKM system (Obsidian + plugins + templates + workflows + other tools) is where everything starts. Ideas land here. They get connected, developed, and turned into raw material for content - **Draft ➤ Publish ➤ Crosspost** ➤ Articles and newsletters go to my public notes, to my website and get cross-posted to Substack, Medium, and LinkedIn. Podcasts get distributed everywhere. Social posts land on X, Bluesky, and Mastodon. Each format has its own workflow, and they all feed from the same knowledge base - **Platform Strategy** ➤ Where I publish, why, and how I think about ownership vs. rented land. This one is crucial and often overlooked - **Visuals & Video** ➤ Tools for creating thumbnails, editing videos, screen recordings, and all the visual assets that go with content. This part has evolved a lot recently, and it keeps getting better with AI evolutions - **Automation** ➤ Workflows that reduce repetitive work, keep things in sync, and let me focus on the thinking and writing; not the logistics - **Community & Ecosystem** ➤ How the [Knowii Community](https://www.store.dsebastien.net//knowii-community) fits into the picture. How community drives product development, content ideas, and business growth - **Promote & Market** ➤ How I get content in front of the right people. SEO, social strategy, community engagement, cross-promotion between channels - **Business Operations** ➤ Sales, refunds, accounting, product development, offers that build an ecosystem rather than sitting in isolation - ... ### Why I'm Telling You This Because it works. And because I want to share it. The store launch is just one more proof that the overall system I rely on works. I didn't build that store through heroic all-nighters or by winging it. I built it through consistent work, a clear system, and steady progress. Some days I added one feature. Other days I fixed bugs. But every day moved the needle forward, without exhausting me. The same goes for all the things I work on. That's what BuilderOS does. It turns chaos into *consistent output*. It turns scattered ideas into published content. It turns content into a business that scales without burning me out. ### What's Coming BuilderOS is solid enough to be shared. I'm working on formalizing and documenting the whole system so that other creators can understand it, adapt it, and build on it, leveraging everything I've learned. Just like the [[Obsidian Starter Kit]], it's a system I use myself extensively, and that I will keep improving/expanding. And you'll get to discover all the gory details. This is going to be a big one. Stay tuned 🚀 In the meantime: - Creating more content that serves creators - Improving existing products based on feedback - Building more tools that solve real problems - Growing the Knowii community The foundation is set. Now it's time to build on it, and to help you do the same for yourself. If you want to learn more about my systems and be among the first to use my system, then make sure to join the [Knowii Community](https://www.store.dsebastien.net//product/knowii-community) LINK: https://www.store.dsebastien.net//product/knowii-community ## Knowii News ### Upcoming Workshops The next set of community workshops are going to focus on how to combine [[Obsidian]] with AI; in particular, [[Claude Code]]. And pay attention, because it's not only for software developers! It helps in many many ways for all sorts of workflows and tasks. These workshops will be available to Knowledge Builders and Knowledge Masters in the community. If you're interested in any specific topic, let me know! **Join the Knowii Community**: https://www.store.dsebastien.net//product/knowii-community ## Latest Videos This week I've published two videos showing the evolution of the [[Obsidian Starter Kit]] (over 4 years of work) and of my own [[Obsidian]] vault. Nothing fancy. I used [[Gource]] to generate those two:  LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X0fi6j7nlQ  LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fI4QBCVT3c It got me thinking about building a plugin that does something similar right in Obsidian... ;-) And I've also published this video about the [[Dataview Serializer plugin for Obsidian]]:  LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21bZdrJ4nns ## Latest Articles ### Dataview Serializer 2.0: Powerful Queries Without Sacrificing Data Portability Turn your Obsidian vault into a dynamic knowledge system that works everywhere and also with AI. 👉 Read it: https://www.dsebastien.net/dataview-serializer-2-0-powerful-queries-without-sacrificing-data-portability// ## Quotes of the Week > [[Good systems prevent chaos. Great systems turn chaos into opportunities]] > [[Take imperfect action today, rather than dream about perfect action tomorrow]] > [[Data ownership trumps convenience when building systems for life]] > [[Progress only comes through action]] > [[Every great system starts with thoughtful design]] ## Meme of the Week Top Text: "When you finally launch your store website" Image: "A cartoon drawing of dsebastien standing proudly next to a giant rocket-shaped shopping cart launching into space, with confetti everywhere and a laptop showing the store homepage" Bottom Text: "Now watch me add 47 more features nobody asked for 😅" ![[DeveloPassion's Newsletter 206 - BuilderOS Foundation - meme.png|Cartoon of a launched shopping cart rocketing off with confetti behind a grinning founder, meme for product launch]] Caption: Now watch me add 47 more features nobody asked for 😅 ## New & Interesting Links ### PKM / Thinking / Learning - Claude Skills for Obsidian - By [[Steph Ango]]: https://github.com/kepano/obsidian-skills - https://github.com/fredoliveira/obsidian-skills - https://github.com/heyitsnoah/claudesidian - I'm going to add some of those (and others) in future versions of the [[Obsidian Starter Kit]] - Quick tip: use [[qmd]] to create embeddings for your note and use the included MCP server to improve the way AI explores your notes! - Wonderful introduction to Obsidian: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSTy_BInQs8 - Obsidian mobile version improvements overview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROFFaUZftJE - Interesting tip for Obsidian on mobile: https://x.com/kepano/status/2010770867555336227 - More ways to connect AI to your Obsidian notes with RAG: https://medium.com/@haiyangli_38602/make-knowledge-graph-rag-with-llamaindex-from-own-obsidian-notes-b20a350fa354 - https://www.reddit.com/r/ObsidianMD/comments/1gfpess/rag_in_obsidian/ - https://github.com/ParthSareen/simple-rag - https://github.com/hinterdupfinger/obsidian-ollama - Comprehensive Obsidian setup guide with [[Obsidian Bases]] and [[Obsidian Web Clipper]]: https://www.reddit.com/r/ObsidianMD/comments/1q2b6fp/my_comprehensive_obsidian_setup_web_clipper_bases/ - Neovim plugin for Obsidian: https://github.com/epwalsh/obsidian.nvim - How to write blogs in Obsidian and publish instantly with Git/GitHub/Hugo: https://ingau.me/blog/how-i-write-my-blogs-in-obsidian-and-publish-instantly/ - Is the [[Zettelkasten method]] relevant for non writers: https://www.reddit.com/r/Zettelkasten//comments/1cmcqrh/is_zk_worth_for_non_article_writers - My opinion: YES, if you don't overthink it! - Interesting take on periodic notes: https://vaultofjosh.com/blog/obsidian-periodic-notes/ - Questions you must answer before you embrace a new tool: https://ellanew.com/ptpl/162-2025-06-23-4-questions-before-embracing-a-new-tool - Pitfalls of leaving Obsidian: https://ellanew.com/2025/05/12/ptpl-156-leaving-obsidian-remember-insurance - Thymer is pretty cool: https://thymer.com/. Not ready to replace Obsidian for me, but worth taking a look! ### AI - Writing good specs for AI: https://addyosmani.com/blog/good-spec/ - Claude for non-coders: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mT_9zr8QQBM - Claude Code in Action (Anthropic course): https://anthropic.skilljar.com/claude-code-in-action - Simon Willison on Claude Cowork: https://simonwillison.net/2026/Jan/12/claude-cowork/ - Open Skills (community-driven skills for AI): https://github.com/numman-ali/openskills - MDFlow: https://mdflow.dev - Claude Code is all you need: https://dwyer.co.za/static/claude-code-is-all-you-need.html ### Tech - AGENTS.md file for building plans: https://www.aihero.dev/my-agents-md-file-for-building-plans-you-actually-read - A [[Command Line Interface (CLI)]] to extract text from images, PDFs, and audio files using Apple's Vision and Speech APIs https://github.com/freedmand/textra That's it for today! ✨ ## About the Author Hey there! I'm [[Sébastien Dubois]], Knowledge Management coach, author, and founder of DeveloPassion. I'm on a mission to help you escape information overload, organize yourself, your work, and better leverage AI. Find me at [dsebastien.net](https://dsebastien.net) | Follow me on [X](https://x.com/dSebastien) | Join me on [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/dsebastien.bsky.social) ## Ready to level up? If you're tired of information overwhelm and ready to build a reliable knowledge system: 🎯 **Join Knowii** — Get access to the complete knowledge transformation ecosystem: https://www.store.dsebastien.net/product/knowii-community/ 📚 **Take the Course** — Master Knowledge Management fundamentals: https://knowledge-management-for-beginners.com 🔥 **Transform your Knowledge Management**: https://obsidianstarterkit.com 🎙️ **Type at the Speed of Thought**: https://voice-ai.knowii.net 🛒 **Explore my products and courses**: https://www.store.dsebastien.net 🎁 **Grab Free Resources** — Start with the Knowledge System Checklist: https://www.dsebastien.net/free-knowledge-management-system-checklist/ and explore new ideas: https://concepts.dsebastien.net 💬 **Get Personal Coaching** — Work with me 1-on-1: https://www.store.dsebastien.net//product/pkm-coaching Everything at https://dsebastien.net ✨ ## Promotion Edition 206 of my newsletter is here, fresh out of the oven 🚀 Shipped Dataview Serializer 2.0: ✅ DataviewJS support ✅ Inline queries ✅ TASK queries ✅ One-click refresh Building systems that work > chasing perfection Check it out: https://www.dsebastien.net/developassions-newsletter-206-builderos-foundation 📬 Join 6000+ readers: https://www.dsebastien.net/newsletter/ 🎯 Join the community: https://www.store.dsebastien.net//product/knowii-community LINK: - [[Why Obsidian is All You Need - From Simple Notes to Complete Productivity (Article)]] - https://www.dsebastien.net/why-obsidian-is-all-you-need-from-simple-notes-to-complete-productivity// LINK: - [[The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Obsidian (Article)]] - https://www.dsebastien.net/the-ultimate-beginners-guide-to-obsidian// LINK: - [[How to Structure Your Daily Notes in Obsidian (Article)]] - https://www.dsebastien.net/my-daily-note-template-in-obsidian//