obsidian-mcp
# Obsidian MCP Server
[](https://smithery.ai/server/obsidian-mcp)
An [MCP (Model Context Protocol)](https://modelcontextprotocol.io) server that enables AI assistants to interact with Obsidian vaults, providing tools for reading, creating, editing and managing notes and tags.
## Warning!!!
This MCP has read and write access (if you allow it). Please. PLEASE backup your Obsidian vault prior to using obsidian-mcp to manage your notes. I recommend using git, but any backup method will work. These tools have been tested, but not thoroughly, and this MCP is in active development.
## Features
- Read and search notes in your vault
- Create new notes and directories
- Edit existing notes
- Move and delete notes
- Manage tags (add, remove, rename)
- Search vault contents
## Requirements
- Node.js 20 or higher (might work on lower, but I haven't tested it)
- An Obsidian vault
## Install
### Installing Manually
Add to your Claude Desktop configuration:
- macOS: `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`
- Windows: `%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json`
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"obsidian": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "obsidian-mcp", "/path/to/your/vault", "/path/to/your/vault2"]
}
}
}
```
Replace `/path/to/your/vault` with the absolute path to your Obsidian vault. For example:
MacOS/Linux:
```json
"/Users/username/Documents/MyVault"
```
Windows:
```json
"C:\\Users\\username\\Documents\\MyVault"
```
Restart Claude for Desktop after saving the configuration. You should see the hammer icon appear, indicating the server is connected.
If you have connection issues, check the logs at:
- MacOS: `~/Library/Logs/Claude/mcp*.log`
- Windows: `%APPDATA%\Claude\logs\mcp*.log`
### Installing via Smithery
Warning: I am not affiliated with Smithery. I have not tested using it and encourage users to install manually if they can.
To install Obsidian for Claude Desktop automatically via [Smithery](https://smithery.ai/server/obsidian-mcp):
```bash
npx -y @smithery/cli install obsidian-mcp --client claude
```
## Development
```bash
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/StevenStavrakis/obsidian-mcp
cd obsidian-mcp
# Install dependencies
npm install
# Build
npm run build
```
Then add to your Claude Desktop configuration:
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"obsidian": {
"command": "node",
"args": ["<absolute-path-to-obsidian-mcp>/build/main.js", "/path/to/your/vault", "/path/to/your/vault2"]
}
}
}
```
## Available Tools
- `read-note` - Read the contents of a note
- `create-note` - Create a new note
- `edit-note` - Edit an existing note
- `delete-note` - Delete a note
- `move-note` - Move a note to a different location
- `create-directory` - Create a new directory
- `search-vault` - Search notes in the vault
- `add-tags` - Add tags to a note
- `remove-tags` - Remove tags from a note
- `rename-tag` - Rename a tag across all notes
- `manage-tags` - List and organize tags
- `list-available-vaults` - List all available vaults (helps with multi-vault setups)
## Documentation
Additional documentation can be found in the `docs` directory:
- `creating-tools.md` - Guide for creating new tools
- `tool-examples.md` - Examples of using the available tools
## Security
This server requires access to your Obsidian vault directory. When configuring the server, make sure to:
- Only provide access to your intended vault directory
- Review tool actions before approving them
## Troubleshooting
Common issues:
1. **Server not showing up in Claude Desktop**
- Verify your configuration file syntax
- Make sure the vault path is absolute and exists
- Restart Claude Desktop
2. **Permission errors**
- Ensure the vault path is readable/writable
- Check file permissions in your vault
3. **Tool execution failures**
- Check Claude Desktop logs at:
- macOS: `~/Library/Logs/Claude/mcp*.log`
- Windows: `%APPDATA%\Claude\logs\mcp*.log`
## License
MIT