Creativity · MCP — server

MCP Obsidian Server

The MCP Obsidian Server connects a Model Context Protocol client to an Obsidian vault on disk, either by reading the markdown files directly or by speaking to Obsidian's Local REST API plugin. It turns your personal knowledge graph into a set of tools — search notes, follow wikilinks, append to today's daily note — usable from Claude Desktop and other MCP clients.

MCP facts

Kind: server
Ecosystem: anthropic-mcp
Language: TypeScript / Node.js
Transports: stdio

Capabilities

Tools: search_notes (full-text), read_note, append_note, delete_note
Tools: list_tags, list_backlinks, get_daily_note
Resources: obsidian://note/<path> with rendered markdown + frontmatter
Modes: Local REST API (recommended) or direct filesystem reads

Install

npx -y obsidian-mcp-server

Configuration

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "obsidian": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "obsidian-mcp-server"],
      "env": {
        "OBSIDIAN_API_KEY": "xxx",
        "OBSIDIAN_BASE_URL": "http://127.0.0.1:27123"
      }
    }
  }
}

Frequently asked questions

Do I need the Local REST API plugin?

Strongly recommended. It exposes Obsidian's in-app search, backlinks, and open-file state; the plain filesystem mode misses dynamic metadata. Install the community plugin, set an API key, and point OBSIDIAN_BASE_URL at its HTTP endpoint.

Can the agent modify my vault?

Yes — append_note and write_note edit real files. Keep your vault under version control (git) so the agent's edits are reversible, and scope it to a project sub-folder rather than your entire vault.

How does it compare to the MCP memory server?

The memory server is a structured knowledge graph in JSONL; Obsidian MCP is markdown-native and human-editable. Use Obsidian when you want one source of truth for both humans and agents; use memory when you want a separate agent-only graph.

Sources

Obsidian MCP server — accessed 2026-04-20
Obsidian Local REST API plugin — accessed 2026-04-20