How do we restrict Obsidian features to a pilot group using feature flags and policy controls?

While Obsidian does not have built-in support for enterprise-grade feature flags or policy controls for granular user groups, you can achieve a similar effect for a pilot by combining restricted user permissions with external management techniques. The core strategy is to limit user access to the directory where plugins and configuration files are stored.
This approach requires a self-hosted or managed solution for your Obsidian instances, as the Obsidian desktop and mobile apps save data locally by default.

• Step 1: Manage user access to the .obsidian folder

Most of Obsidian's feature controls—including plugin and theme settings—are stored in a hidden .obsidian folder within each vault. By managing access to this folder, you can control which users can enable or disable features.

• Step 2: Implement feature flags with your configuration 

Since you can't use external feature flag tools with Obsidian, you can create a similar on/off switch by controlling plugin availability and vault configurations.

• Step 3: Enforce policy controls

Beyond managing the .obsidian folder, you must prevent pilot users from bypassing your controls.