# get_note_metadata
Get the frontmatter metadata and tags from a note.
## Description
Extracts and returns the YAML frontmatter data and all tags (both from frontmatter and inline `#tags`) from a note without returning the full content.
## Parameters
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
| --------- | -------- | -------- | --------------------------------- |
| `path` | `string` | Yes | Path to the note within the vault |
## Returns
JSON object containing frontmatter data and tags array.
```json
{
"frontmatter": {
"title": "Meeting Notes",
"date": "2024-01-15",
"status": "published",
"tags": ["work", "meeting"]
},
"tags": ["work", "meeting", "action-items", "follow-up"]
}
```
## Examples
### Get metadata from a note
```json
{
"name": "get_note_metadata",
"arguments": {
"path": "notes/meeting.md"
}
}
```
### Example note content
```markdown
---
title: Project Planning
author: John Doe
tags: [project, planning]
status: draft
---
# Project Planning
This note is about #project-management and #roadmap planning.
## Tasks
- Review #requirements
- Create timeline
```
### Corresponding metadata response
```json
{
"frontmatter": {
"title": "Project Planning",
"author": "John Doe",
"tags": ["project", "planning"],
"status": "draft"
},
"tags": ["project", "planning", "project-management", "roadmap", "requirements"]
}
```
## Behavior
```mermaid
flowchart TD
A[get_note_metadata called] --> B[Read note content]
B --> C[Parse YAML frontmatter]
C --> D[Extract frontmatter tags]
D --> E[Extract inline #tags]
E --> F[Merge and deduplicate]
F --> G[Return metadata]
```
### Tag Extraction
Tags are collected from two sources:
1. **Frontmatter tags**: From the `tags` field in YAML frontmatter
- Can be an array: `tags: [tag1, tag2]`
- Can be a single value: `tags: single-tag`
2. **Inline tags**: Hashtags in the note body
- Pattern: `#tag-name`
- Supports nested tags: `#parent/child`
- Case-insensitive matching
### Frontmatter Parsing
Uses the `gray-matter` library for robust YAML parsing:
- Supports standard YAML syntax
- Handles nested objects
- Preserves data types (strings, numbers, booleans, arrays)
See [Frontmatter Parsing](../features/frontmatter-parsing.md) for details.
## Error Handling
| Error | Cause |
| -------------------- | ------------------------ |
| `"Path is required"` | Missing `path` parameter |
| `ENOENT` | File does not exist |
## Use Cases
- **Tag-based organization**: Get all tags to build tag clouds or navigation
- **Metadata inspection**: Check frontmatter fields before processing
- **Filtering preparation**: Gather metadata for search filtering
## Related Tools
- [read_note](read_note.md) - Get full note content
- [search_vault](search_vault.md) - Search by tags
- [advanced_search_vault](advanced_search_vault.md) - Filter by frontmatter
## Source
- Handler: [`src/handlers/toolHandlers.ts`](../../src/handlers/toolHandlers.ts)
- Service: [`src/services/FrontmatterParser.ts`](../../src/services/FrontmatterParser.ts)
