Obsidian MCP
MCP server that interacts with Obsidian via the Obsidian rest API community plugin
What is Obsidian MCP?
Obsidian MCP is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to mcp server that interacts with obsidian via the obsidian rest api community plugin
MCP server that interacts with Obsidian via the Obsidian rest API community plugin
This server falls under the Knowledge & Memory category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- MCP server that interacts with Obsidian via the Obsidian res
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx mcp-server-for-obsidianConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use Obsidian MCP
MCP Server for Obsidian bridges your Obsidian vault and any MCP-compatible AI assistant by communicating through the Obsidian Local REST API community plugin. It exposes seven tools that let AI assistants list vault files, read note contents, search across all notes, append new content, patch existing notes at specific headings, and delete files — making it possible to query, update, and create notes conversationally. Researchers and knowledge workers use it to let Claude summarize meeting notes, search for concept mentions across their vault, and maintain their second brain without leaving the chat interface.
Prerequisites
- Obsidian desktop application installed with a vault open
- Obsidian Local REST API community plugin installed and enabled (https://github.com/coddingtonbear/obsidian-local-rest-api)
- API key copied from the Obsidian Local REST API plugin settings
- Python 3.10 or later and the uv package manager
- An MCP client such as Claude Desktop
Install and enable the Obsidian Local REST API plugin
In Obsidian, go to Settings > Community plugins, search for 'Local REST API', install it, and enable it. Then open the plugin settings to find and copy your API key.
Clone the mcp-obsidian repository
Clone the server repository and install its dependencies using uv.
git clone https://github.com/MarkusPfundstein/mcp-obsidian.git
cd mcp-obsidian
uv syncConfigure environment variables
Set the required environment variables. OBSIDIAN_API_KEY is the key from the plugin settings. OBSIDIAN_HOST and OBSIDIAN_PORT default to 127.0.0.1 and 27124 respectively.
export OBSIDIAN_API_KEY=your-api-key-from-plugin-settings
export OBSIDIAN_HOST=127.0.0.1
export OBSIDIAN_PORT=27124Test the server with the MCP inspector
Before connecting to Claude Desktop, verify the server starts and connects to Obsidian correctly using the MCP inspector tool.
npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector uv --directory /path/to/mcp-obsidian run mcp-obsidianAdd to Claude Desktop configuration
Edit your Claude Desktop config file to register the Obsidian MCP server with your API key and connection settings.
{
"mcpServers": {
"obsidian": {
"command": "uv",
"args": ["--directory", "/path/to/mcp-obsidian", "run", "mcp-obsidian"],
"env": {
"OBSIDIAN_API_KEY": "your-api-key",
"OBSIDIAN_HOST": "127.0.0.1",
"OBSIDIAN_PORT": "27124"
}
}
}
}Obsidian MCP Examples
Claude Desktop configuration
Full configuration block for connecting Claude Desktop to your Obsidian vault via the REST API plugin.
{
"mcpServers": {
"obsidian": {
"command": "uv",
"args": ["--directory", "/Users/yourname/mcp-obsidian", "run", "mcp-obsidian"],
"env": {
"OBSIDIAN_API_KEY": "your-obsidian-rest-api-key",
"OBSIDIAN_HOST": "127.0.0.1",
"OBSIDIAN_PORT": "27124"
}
}
}
}Prompts to try
Try these prompts in Claude Desktop after connecting the Obsidian MCP server.
- "Get the contents of the last architecture call note and summarize the key decisions."
- "Search for all notes where 'vector database' is mentioned and explain the context."
- "Summarize the last meeting notes and create a new note called 'meeting-summary-2024-01.md'."
- "List all files in my Projects folder in Obsidian."
- "Append action items from today's discussion to my Daily Notes/2024-01-15.md file."Troubleshooting Obsidian MCP
Connection refused error when the server tries to reach Obsidian
Ensure Obsidian is running and the Local REST API plugin is enabled. The plugin must be active for the REST endpoint to be available on port 27124. Check the plugin settings to confirm the server started successfully.
401 Unauthorized error from the REST API
The OBSIDIAN_API_KEY value is incorrect or was not set. Copy the key exactly from Obsidian Settings > Community Plugins > Local REST API > API Key. Paste it into the env section of your Claude Desktop config without extra spaces.
The server starts but no tools appear in Claude Desktop
Restart Claude Desktop after editing claude_desktop_config.json — Claude Desktop does not hot-reload configuration. Verify the uv --directory path points to the correct cloned repository location.
Frequently Asked Questions about Obsidian MCP
What is Obsidian MCP?
Obsidian MCP is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that mcp server that interacts with obsidian via the obsidian rest api community plugin It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install Obsidian MCP?
Follow the installation instructions on the Obsidian MCP GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
Which AI clients work with Obsidian MCP?
Obsidian MCP works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is Obsidian MCP free to use?
Yes, Obsidian MCP is open source and available under the MIT License license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
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Quick Config Preview
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