ObsidianComing soon
Ask for live web data in plain words and get it in your note as a Markdown table, every row linked to the page it came from. You see the price first and approve it once.
SpecStream for ObsidianSheets, docs & databases
The plugin isn't in Obsidian's community plugin list yet, so Browse won't show it. Until it is, ask for the same list in SpecStream and open it in the workspace: every list exports as CSV, XLSX, JSON, or HTML, and the REST API returns the same rows with the page behind each one.
What you need
- A SpecStream account. New accounts get $10 of work for 30 days, once, with no card; sign up here.
- Obsidian 1.14.4 or newer, on desktop or mobile.
- An API key that can read results and their sources, prepare work and follow-ups, authorize paid work, and read the account and balance.
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1. Install the plugin
In Obsidian, open Settings, then Community plugins, and choose Browse. Search for SpecStream, click Install, then click Enable.
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2. Create an API key
In the workspace, open Agents & API, choose API keys, and click Create API key. Give it a label such as Obsidian, and tick Read results and their sources, Prepare work and follow-ups, Authorize paid work, and Read account and balance.
A total spending limit is optional and applies on top of the plugin's own limit. Copy the key once it appears, because SpecStream shows it only that one time.
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3. Add the key to the plugin
Open Settings, then SpecStream. Under API key, add your key as a secret. Obsidian keeps it in its secret storage, so it never lands in your vault or in the plugin's data file.
Click Check next to Check the key. A notice names the account the key belongs to and what is left to spend.
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4. Find a list
Open a note and put the cursor where the table should go. Open the command palette and run SpecStream: Find a list.
Under What do you want to find?, describe it, for example roofers in Columbus rated 4.5 or better with a phone number. Under How many rows?, enter a number from 1 to 1000. A count written in the request wins over the number box. Click Get the price.
The next screen shows how SpecStream read the request and the most the list can cost. You pay only for rows that match, and a search that finds nothing costs nothing. Click Approve up to that amount and run.
The window counts matches as they come in. When the list is done, the table lands at your cursor and a notice says how many rows went in.
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5. Insert a list you already have
Run SpecStream: Insert a saved list, search by name, and pick one. The table lands at your cursor. Reading a list you own is free.
What lands in your note
A Markdown table with a column for each detail on the list and a final Source column that links the page the row was read from. Line breaks inside a value become spaces, and pipe characters are escaped so a value can't split its cell.
With Add a note under each table on, one line follows the table: your request, the row count, the date, and a link to the list in your workspace. The workspace is where the list stays current and goes to a sheet or a CRM.
Settings
| Setting | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| API key | None | Your SpecStream key, held in Obsidian's secret storage. |
| Default row count | 25 | How many rows to ask for each time, from 1 to 1000. You can change it in the window. |
| Spending limit per request | $5 | The most one list may cost. A price above it can't be approved from the plugin. |
| Add a note under each table | On | The line under the table with your request, row count, date, and a link to the list. |
Price and limits
Each match costs 10¢, 30¢, or $1, depending on how many facts you ask for. A person's email adds 10¢ to that row and a phone number adds 25¢. Current rates are on the pricing page.
When the price is above the plugin's spending limit, the approve button stays off. Ask for fewer rows or raise the limit in settings. The key's own total limit applies too.
Closing the window leaves the list running. Stop the run ends it and keeps what was found. After about ten minutes the window says the list is taking longer than usual. Close it, and SpecStream: Insert a saved list finds the list when it finishes.
What the plugin touches
The plugin talks only to https://api.specstream.ai. It sends the request you type, the row count, and your key. It never reads your notes and writes only at your cursor. The plugin's data file holds the name of the secret, not the key.
The plugin is free and open source under the MIT license.
If something goes wrong
- SpecStream did not accept the API key. The key was revoked, expired, or pasted with a space. Create a new one and add it in settings.
- SpecStream needs a clearer request. Add the place or what every row must meet. "Roofers" is a category. "Roofers in Columbus rated 4.5 or better" is a list.
- Your SpecStream balance can't cover this. Add funds in your workspace, then try again.
- No lists in the picker. The picker shows lists SpecStream found for you. Lists you imported or combined stay in the workspace.
Remove
Turn off or uninstall SpecStream under Community plugins. Revoke the key under Agents & API to stop it everywhere. Tables already in your notes stay.
More
SpecStream for Obsidian covers what it does in Obsidian on one page. Every other tool has its guide in Connect your tools. You see the most a request can cost before it starts, and only the matches come out of your balance. Billing has the details. For help, email [email protected].