Get Backlinks
vault_get_backlinksFind all notes that link to a specific note via wikilinks or markdown links, revealing its context and importance in the knowledge graph. Backlinks include the note itself if it self-links.
Instructions
Find all notes that link to a given note via incoming [[wikilinks]] or markdown. Reveals what references the target — its context and importance in the knowledge graph, invisible without a graph query. Both link styles are captured; links inside code blocks are ignored, and a note that links to itself appears in its own backlinks.
Example: vault_get_backlinks({ path: "Projects/vault-cortex.md" })
When to use: Understanding what references a note or assessing its connectivity. For outgoing links (what a note links TO), use vault_get_outgoing_links. To find notes with no backlinks at all, use vault_find_orphans.
Parameters:
path must be the exact vault-relative path — case-sensitive, including the .md extension.
Errors:
A note with no inbound links, or a path not in the index, returns an empty array (count 0), not an error — don't use this as an existence check.
Returns: JSON with path (the queried note), backlinks (array of { path, title }, sorted by title), and count.
Input Schema
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| path | Yes | Vault-relative path to the note (e.g. "Projects/vault-cortex.md") |