obsidian-clipper-template-creator
Verifiedby sickn33 · Updated Apr 16, 2026
Guide for creating templates for the Obsidian Web Clipper. Use when you want to create a new clipping template, understand available variables, or format clipped content.
See It In Action
Got it — let me build this out based on your Recipes.base properties and the reference docs.
Serious Eats uses JSON-LD @type: Recipe schema extensively, so the template can lean heavily on schema: variables with preset/selector fallbacks for anything spotty.
Template is ready at competitor-recipe-clipper.json. Here's the rundown:
All 18 properties from Recipes.base are mapped 1:1 with exact name matches. The sourcing priority follows the workflow docs — schema: (JSON-LD Recipe) first, then preset variables (title, author, published), with default:"" fallbacks on fields that Serious Eats sometimes omits (nutrition, ratings, keywords). The content body renders a readable markdown note with conditional blocks so nutrition/rating sections only appear when data exists.
To import: open Obsidian Web Clipper settings → Templates → Import → select competitor-recipe-clipper.json. Then navigate to the Serious Eats chocolate chip cookies page and clip it. The seriouseats.com trigger will auto-select this template.
Permissions
| Scope | Description |
|---|---|
| filesystem:read | |
| filesystem:write | |
| network:outbound |
SKILL.md
Obsidian Web Clipper Template Creator
This skill helps you create importable JSON templates for the Obsidian Web Clipper.
When to Use
- You need to create or refine an importable Obsidian Web Clipper template.
- You want to map a site's real DOM, schema data, and selectors into a valid clipping template.
- You need selector verification and template logic guidance before handing the JSON to the user.
Workflow
- Identify User Intent: specific site (YouTube), specific type (Recipe), or general clipping?
- Check Existing Bases: The user likely has a "Base" schema defined in
Bases/.- Action: Read
Bases/*.baseto find a matching category (e.g.,Recipes.base). - Action: Use the properties defined in the Base to structure the Clipper template properties.
- See references/bases-workflow.md for details.
- Action: Read
- Fetch & Analyze Reference URL: Validate variables against a real page.
- Action: Ask the user for a sample URL of the content they want to clip (if not provided).
- Action (REQUIRED): Use WebFetch to retrieve page content; if WebFetch is not available, use a browser DOM snapshot. See references/analysis-workflow.md.
- Action: Analyze the HTML for Schema.org JSON, Meta tags, and CSS selectors.
- Action (REQUIRED): Verify each selector against the fetched content. Do not guess selectors.
- See references/analysis-workflow.md for analysis techniques.
- Draft the JSON: Create a valid JSON object following the schema.
- Consider template logic: Use conditionals for optional blocks (e.g. show nutrition only if present), loops for list data, variable assignment to avoid repeating expressions, and fallbacks for missing variables. Use logic only when it improves the template; keep simple templates simple. See references/logic.md.
- Verify Variables: Ensure the chosen variables (Preset, Schema, Selector) exist in your analysis.
- Action (REQUIRED): If a selector cannot be verified from the fetched content, state that explicitly and ask for another URL.
- See references/variables.md.
Selector Verification Rules
- Always verify selectors against live page content before responding.
- Never guess selectors. If the DOM cannot be accessed or the element is missing, ask for another URL or a screenshot.
- Prefer stable selectors (data attributes, semantic roles, unique IDs) over fragile class chains.
- Document the target element in your reasoning (e.g., "About sidebar paragraph") to reduce mismatch.
Output Format
ALWAYS output the final result as a JSON code block that the user can copy and import.
The Clipper template editor validates template syntax. If you use template logic (conditionals, loops, variable assignment), ensure it follows the syntax in references/logic.md and the official Logic docs so the template passes validation.
{
"schemaVersion": "0.1.0",
"name": "My Template",
...
}
Resources
- references/variables.md - Available data variables.
- references/filters.md - Formatting filters.
- references/json-schema.md - JSON structure documentation.
- references/logic.md - Template logic.
- references/bases-workflow.md - How to map Bases to Templates.
- references/analysis-workflow.md - How to validate page data.
Official Documentation
Examples
See assets/ for JSON examples.
FAQ
What does obsidian-clipper-template-creator do?
Guide for creating templates for the Obsidian Web Clipper. Use when you want to create a new clipping template, understand available variables, or format clipped content.
When should I use obsidian-clipper-template-creator?
Use it when you need a repeatable workflow that produces text report.
What does obsidian-clipper-template-creator output?
In the evaluated run it produced text report.
How do I install or invoke obsidian-clipper-template-creator?
Ask the agent to use this skill when the task matches its documented workflow.
Which agents does obsidian-clipper-template-creator support?
Agent support is inferred from the source, but not explicitly declared.
What tools, channels, or permissions does obsidian-clipper-template-creator need?
It uses no extra tools; channels commonly include text; permissions include filesystem:read, filesystem:write, network:outbound.
Is obsidian-clipper-template-creator safe to install?
Static analysis marked this skill as low risk; review side effects and permissions before enabling it.
How is obsidian-clipper-template-creator different from an MCP or plugin?
A skill packages instructions and workflow conventions; tools, MCP servers, and plugins are dependencies the skill may call during execution.
Does obsidian-clipper-template-creator outperform not using a skill?
About obsidian-clipper-template-creator
When to use obsidian-clipper-template-creator
When you need an importable Obsidian Web Clipper template for a specific website or content type. When you want selectors and variables verified against a live page before generating the template. When you need to map an existing Obsidian Base schema into a matching clipper template.
When obsidian-clipper-template-creator is not the right choice
When you only need general documentation about Obsidian Web Clipper features without generating a template. When no sample URL or page content is available to verify selectors.
What it produces
Produces text report.