diff --git a/apps/obsidian/src/components/NodeTypeSettings.tsx b/apps/obsidian/src/components/NodeTypeSettings.tsx
index 4ea25756a..65a3e5f75 100644
--- a/apps/obsidian/src/components/NodeTypeSettings.tsx
+++ b/apps/obsidian/src/components/NodeTypeSettings.tsx
@@ -31,7 +31,11 @@ const FIELD_CONFIGS: Record<EditableFieldKey, BaseFieldConfig> = {
     required: true,
     type: "text",
     validate: (value, nodeType, existingNodes) =>
-      validateNodeName(value, [nodeType, ...existingNodes]),
+      validateNodeName({
+        name: value,
+        currentNode: nodeType,
+        allNodes: existingNodes,
+      }),
     placeholder: "Name",
   },
   format: {
@@ -42,9 +46,21 @@ const FIELD_CONFIGS: Record<EditableFieldKey, BaseFieldConfig> = {
     required: true,
     type: "text",
     validate: (value, nodeType, existingNodes) =>
-      validateNodeFormat(value, [nodeType, ...existingNodes]),
+      validateNodeFormat({
+        format: value,
+        currentNode: nodeType,
+        allNodes: existingNodes,
+      }),
     placeholder: "Format (e.g., CLM - {content})",
   },
+  description: {
+    key: "description",
+    label: "Description",
+    description: "A brief description of what this node type represents",
+    required: false,
+    type: "text",
+    placeholder: "Enter a description",
+  },
   template: {
     key: "template",
     label: "Template",
@@ -342,7 +358,7 @@ const NodeTypeSettings = () => {
       handleNodeTypeChange(fieldConfig.key, newValue);
 
     return (
-      <FieldWrapper fieldConfig={fieldConfig} error={error}>
+      <FieldWrapper fieldConfig={fieldConfig} error={error} key={fieldConfig.key}>
         {fieldConfig.key === "template" ? (
           <TemplateField
             value={value}
@@ -371,32 +387,43 @@ const NodeTypeSettings = () => {
       {nodeTypes.map((nodeType, index) => (
         <div
           key={nodeType.id}
-          className="node-type-item hover:bg-secondary-lt flex cursor-pointer items-center justify-between p-2"
+          className="node-type-item hover:bg-secondary-lt flex cursor-pointer flex-col gap-1 p-2"
           onClick={() => startEditing(index)}
         >
-          <span>{nodeType.name}</span>
-          <div className="flex gap-2">
-            <button
-              className="icon-button"
-              onClick={(e) => {
-                e.stopPropagation();
-                startEditing(index);
-              }}
-              aria-label="Edit node type"
-            >
-              <div className="icon" ref={(el) => el && setIcon(el, "pencil")} />
-            </button>
-            <button
-              className="icon-button mod-warning"
-              onClick={(e) => {
-                e.stopPropagation();
-                confirmDeleteNodeType(index);
-              }}
-              aria-label="Delete node type"
-            >
-              <div className="icon" ref={(el) => el && setIcon(el, "trash")} />
-            </button>
+          <div className="flex items-center justify-between">
+            <span className="font-medium">{nodeType.name}</span>
+            <div className="flex gap-2">
+              <button
+                className="icon-button"
+                onClick={(e) => {
+                  e.stopPropagation();
+                  startEditing(index);
+                }}
+                aria-label="Edit node type"
+              >
+                <div
+                  className="icon"
+                  ref={(el) => el && setIcon(el, "pencil")}
+                />
+              </button>
+              <button
+                className="icon-button mod-warning"
+                onClick={(e) => {
+                  e.stopPropagation();
+                  confirmDeleteNodeType(index);
+                }}
+                aria-label="Delete node type"
+              >
+                <div
+                  className="icon"
+                  ref={(el) => el && setIcon(el, "trash")}
+                />
+              </button>
+            </div>
           </div>
+          {nodeType.description && (
+            <span className="text-muted text-sm">{nodeType.description}</span>
+          )}
         </div>
       ))}
     </div>
diff --git a/apps/obsidian/src/types.ts b/apps/obsidian/src/types.ts
index a42d1e812..981d5dc2d 100644
--- a/apps/obsidian/src/types.ts
+++ b/apps/obsidian/src/types.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ export type DiscourseNode = {
   name: string;
   format: string;
   template?: string;
+  description?: string;
   shortcut?: string;
   color?: string;
 };
diff --git a/apps/obsidian/src/utils/validateNodeType.ts b/apps/obsidian/src/utils/validateNodeType.ts
index d7fbc84d8..c73748f35 100644
--- a/apps/obsidian/src/utils/validateNodeType.ts
+++ b/apps/obsidian/src/utils/validateNodeType.ts
@@ -5,10 +5,15 @@ type ValidationResult = {
   error?: string;
 };
 
-export function validateNodeFormat(
-  format: string,
-  nodeTypes: DiscourseNode[],
-): ValidationResult {
+export const validateNodeFormat = ({
+  format,
+  currentNode,
+  allNodes,
+}: {
+  format: string;
+  currentNode: DiscourseNode;
+  allNodes: DiscourseNode[];
+}): ValidationResult => {
   if (!format) {
     return {
       isValid: false,
@@ -35,13 +40,17 @@ export function validateNodeFormat(
     return invalidCharsResult;
   }
 
-  const uniquenessResult = validateFormatUniqueness(nodeTypes);
-  if (!uniquenessResult.isValid) {
-    return uniquenessResult;
+  const otherNodes = allNodes.filter((node) => node.id !== currentNode.id);
+  const isDuplicate = otherNodes.some((node) => node.format === format);
+  if (isDuplicate) {
+    return {
+      isValid: false,
+      error: "Format must be unique across all node types",
+    };
   }
 
   return { isValid: true };
-}
+};
 
 export const checkInvalidChars = (format: string): ValidationResult => {
   const INVALID_FILENAME_CHARS_REGEX = /[#^\[\]|]/;
@@ -56,31 +65,21 @@ export const checkInvalidChars = (format: string): ValidationResult => {
   return { isValid: true };
 };
 
-const validateFormatUniqueness = (
-  nodeTypes: DiscourseNode[],
-): ValidationResult => {
-  const isDuplicate =
-    new Set(nodeTypes.map((nodeType) => nodeType.format)).size !==
-    nodeTypes.length;
-
-  if (isDuplicate) {
-    return { isValid: false, error: "Format must be unique" };
-  }
-
-  return { isValid: true };
-};
-
-export const validateNodeName = (
-  name: string,
-  nodeTypes: DiscourseNode[],
-): ValidationResult => {
+export const validateNodeName = ({
+  name,
+  currentNode,
+  allNodes,
+}: {
+  name: string;
+  currentNode: DiscourseNode;
+  allNodes: DiscourseNode[];
+}): ValidationResult => {
   if (!name || name.trim() === "") {
     return { isValid: false, error: "Name is required" };
   }
 
-  const isDuplicate =
-    new Set(nodeTypes.map((nodeType) => nodeType.name)).size !==
-    nodeTypes.length;
+  const otherNodes = allNodes.filter((node) => node.id !== currentNode.id);
+  const isDuplicate = otherNodes.some((node) => node.name === name);
 
   if (isDuplicate) {
     return { isValid: false, error: "Name must be unique" };
@@ -101,14 +100,22 @@ export const validateAllNodes = (
       return;
     }
 
-    const formatValidation = validateNodeFormat(nodeType.format, nodeTypes);
+    const formatValidation = validateNodeFormat({
+      format: nodeType.format,
+      currentNode: nodeType,
+      allNodes: nodeTypes,
+    });
     if (!formatValidation.isValid) {
       errorMap[index] = formatValidation.error || "Invalid format";
       hasErrors = true;
       return;
     }
 
-    const nameValidation = validateNodeName(nodeType.name, nodeTypes);
+    const nameValidation = validateNodeName({
+      name: nodeType.name,
+      currentNode: nodeType,
+      allNodes: nodeTypes,
+    });
     if (!nameValidation.isValid) {
       errorMap[index] = nameValidation.error || "Invalid name";
       hasErrors = true;