Obsidian MCP Server

What is Obsidian MCP Server?

Obsidian MCP Server is a lightweight server that exposes your local Obsidian vault and its data to large language models and AI tools through the standardized MCP interface. It leverages the Obsidian Local REST API plugin to securely interact with files, directories, and note content, making it easy for advanced AI workflows to search, retrieve, edit, and manage your notes.

How to Configure Obsidian MCP Server

1. Install the Obsidian Local REST API Plugin
   Download and enable the community plugin inside Obsidian, then copy the API key from its configuration panel.
2. Configure the MCP Server Environment
   a. Preferred: Edit your server configuration to include environment variables:

   {
     "mcp-obsidian": {
       "command": "uvx",
       "args": ["mcp-obsidian"],
       "env": {
         "OBSIDIAN_API_KEY": "<your_api_key_here>",
         "OBSIDIAN_HOST": "<your_obsidian_host>"
       }
     }
   }
   

   b. Alternatively, create a .env file with:

   OBSIDIAN_API_KEY=your_api_key_here
   OBSIDIAN_HOST=your_obsidian_host
   

3. Integrate with Your AI Environment
   Add configuration for Obsidian MCP Server to your LLM or agent host (e.g., Claude Desktop) so it can connect to the running server.

How to Use Obsidian MCP Server

• Start the Obsidian MCP Server after configuring access credentials.
• Use natural language instructions in your LLM environment to request data or actions, for example:
  • "Summarize the last meeting note and create a new summary note."
  • "Search for files discussing Azure CosmosDb."
  • "Get the content of a file and append an introduction."
• The LLM will automatically discover and invoke tools provided by the Obsidian server to perform requested operations.
• Advanced users can directly invoke specific tools, such as listing files or editing note content programmatically.

Key Features

• Seamless interaction with your entire Obsidian vault from LLMs or AI agents
• Rich set of file and content manipulation functions, including searching, reading, editing, creating, and deleting notes
• Secure and configurable connection to your local data with API key authentication
• Flexible integration with Claude Desktop and other MCP-compatible AI hosts
• Extensible: easily add more tools or customize existing ones for your workflow

Use Cases

• Automating meeting note summarization and structured follow-up notes
• Quick search and contextual retrieval of notes and knowledge snippets for fast reference
• Automated generation and appending of summaries, introductions, or AI-generated content to existing notes
• Managing and organizing large vaults programmatically using LLMs
• Scripting advanced workflows, like daily notes creation, knowledge base curation, or team documentation updates

FAQ

Q1: Do I need to expose my entire vault to the internet to use Obsidian MCP Server?
No, the server connects securely to your local instance of Obsidian via the local REST API; your vault remains on your device unless you explicitly connect to remote services.

Q2: Is my data safe when using Obsidian MCP Server with LLMs?
Your notes are only accessible locally (or across your specified network) and protected by your Obsidian API key. Always review the access credentials and server configuration for secure deployments.

Q3: Can I use Obsidian MCP Server with other language models or tools besides Claude?
Yes, any LLM or agent platform that supports MCP can connect to and leverage Obsidian MCP Server.

Q4: What if I want to add more actions or customize the functionality?
The server is extensible—its source code allows developers to add custom tools or modify current ones to tailor the integration further.

Q5: Does this work with existing Obsidian plugins and workflows?
Yes, Obsidian MCP Server acts as an additional layer, accessing your notes through the standard REST API, and is compatible with existing plugins and note structures.