The process whereby a relatively unspecialized cell acquires the specialized features of an osteoblast, a mesodermal or neural crest cell that gives rise to bone. [ GOC:jid http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/CL_0000062 http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/go/references/0000034 ]
Synonyms: osteoblast cell differentiation