# 5 things the Obsidian TemplateR plugin can do that Templates can't The Templater plugin is what the core Templates plugin should have been. The name is unfortunate, as it implies that the two plugins are similar. Turns out they're only similar in that one is a limited version of the other. Here's what you can do with Templater-- and not with Templates. ## Add dynamic variables to your notes You're probably thinking, _but Templates can already add dates_. Templater can do that, _and more_. You can use it to fetch values in YAML frontmatter, random quotes from the interwebs, and even clipboard contents. ## Make your notes context-sensitive Templater can create notes with different templates depending on context. For example, you could set up Obsidian to create a new note using the _Person_ template in the _People_ folder but a _Weekly Review_ note on Sunday nights. ## Increment your notes automatically Templater can automatically increment new instances of a series. You can set it up to create a session log for your 100th D&D session, a review note for your 12th monthly review, or your 10th book review. ## Interact with other plugins Templater leverages all the best parts of Obsidian's ecosystem. You can read from and write to YAML frontmatter using Dataview, or run commands that create notes based on text input with Buttons. ## Write and run your own scripts Templater lets you write and call user scripts within an Obsidian note. This is the ultimate in extensibility. The ability to run custom JavaScript means you're limited only by your imagination (and skill). ## Templater lets you turn Obsidian into exactly what you want. And isn't that what a PKM should do?