Thoughts on Handling Assets in a Digital Garden
Avoiding images—or assets in general—in notes is unrealistic. They serve valuable purposes in a second brain. The real challenge is handling them efficiently.
Until now, I had been dumping everything into a single folder in a Git repository on GitHub. The problem? Cloning the repository became impractical, especially on mobile, due to its growing size. Plus, non-text assets don’t benefit much from version control; they don’t leverage Git’s strengths.
Looking for alternatives, I found that Git LFS (Large File Storage) could solve some of these issues. It essentially offloads large files to a separate server, replacing them in Git with lightweight pointers. It’s well-integrated with major Git hosting platforms and works seamlessly with the CLI. Best of all, it wouldn’t require any major changes to my workflow.
However, after setting it up, I quickly hit a roadblock: GitHub’s quota limits. Within a day, I received an email notifying me that I had exceeded the 1GB free bandwidth limit. The only solution? Buy additional data in 50GB increments.
I don’t want another recurring expense, especially for something as simple as storing images. But without a solid Plan B, I started exploring alternatives.
Option 1: Imgur
Since none of my assets are sensitive, storing them on Imgur could work. It even has an Obsidian plugin to streamline uploads.
However, I spotted two potential drawbacks:
- No built-in mass upload – I’d need to write a script to migrate existing images.
- Unclear mobile integration – The plugin’s implementation for mobile isn’t well-documented. I’d need to test it myself.
My main concerns with Imgur are long-term availability and offline access. They aren’t deal-breakers, but they matter.
A proper migration would involve:
- Scraping my vault for image references
- Uploading everything to Imgur
- Replacing links in my notes with the new URLs
A half-day effort, at most. ☕
Option 2: Keep Using Git (Without LFS)
The simplest solution? Revert back and stick with my original workflow.
✅ Pros:
- No extra cost
- No new tools to integrate
- No disruptions to my note-taking process
❌ Cons:
- Large repositories still slow down cloning
- Mobile usage remains inconvenient
Still, for the short term, this is the easiest and most reliable solution.
(Reverting from Git LFS, by the way, wasn’t as easy as I hoped. This didn’t quite work.)
Option 3: Setting Up My Own Server
My first thought? Security risks. I don’t want to deal with that.
A self-hosted solution might be the coolest option, but it would also demand the most effort. Not ideal for now.
Option 4: Paying for a Cloud Storage Service
A more hands-off approach would be to store assets in Google Drive or Koofr, using permalinks.
This could work, but it still feels unnecessary for something that should be simpler.
Final Thoughts
For now, I’m leaning toward either sticking with Git (despite its limitations) or experimenting with Imgur for lightweight, public assets.
If I do move to Imgur, I’ll need to:
- Write a script to migrate and update links.
- Test how well the Obsidian plugin works on mobile.
Long-term, I’d love a frictionless, decentralized way to handle assets—one that doesn’t require workarounds or recurring costs. But until then, I’ll take the path of least resistance.