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Vault Cortex Obsidian MCP Server

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TypeScript
Hybrid

Get Memory

vault_get_memory
Read-onlyIdempotent

Read semantic memory from About Me/ files. These are structured memory files containing dated bullet entries organized under H2 headings. With file: single file content. With file+section: just that H2 section's entries.

Instructions

Read semantic memory from About Me/ files. These are structured memory files containing dated bullet entries organized under H2 headings. With file: single file content. With file+section: just that H2 section's entries. No args: all files concatenated (frontmatter stripped) — can be large. Returns empty string when no memory files exist yet.

With file+on_or_after: returns structured JSON entries dated on or after the boundary date (inclusive), in document order (newest first when new entries go at the top, the default). Add section to scope to one H2 section; omit it to read every H2 section's entries in the file, each keeping its section attribution. It gives complete coverage from a known date without re-parsing the section.

Example: vault_get_memory({ file: "Principles", section: "Decision heuristics (newest first)" }) Example: vault_get_memory({ file: "Opinions", section: "Code patterns", on_or_after: "2026-09-01" }) Example: vault_get_memory({ file: "Opinions", on_or_after: "2026-09-01" }) — every section's entries since the date

When to use: Reading user preferences, principles, opinions, or other persistent context stored in About Me/ files. Call vault_list_memory_files first to discover valid file and section names. Use on_or_after when you need entries from a known date forward (e.g. reconciliation boundaries). Prefer vault_read_note for reading non-memory notes.

Errors:

  • "section requires a file" / "on_or_after requires a file" — section or on_or_after was passed without file; add file

  • "memory file not found" — file does not exist in About Me/; call vault_list_memory_files to discover valid names

  • "memory file must not start with a dot" / "memory file must be a bare name without path separators" — pass the file's bare name: no folder or slash, and no leading dot (that would be a hidden file; memory files are always visible notes)

  • "section not found: …" — no H2 heading matches; the error lists the file's available sections

  • "date must be a real ISO calendar date" — on_or_after must be a valid YYYY-MM-DD date

  • "memory file …: properties block is not valid YAML …" — the error names the file and says how to repair it; without file, one such file fails the whole read

Returns: Without on_or_after, raw markdown text. With on_or_after, JSON { entries, total, on_or_after } where each entry is { file, section, date, text } — text is the full raw entry markdown (bullet + continuation lines, wikilinks intact), same shape as vault_memory_recall entries. An empty match returns { entries: [], total: 0 }.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
fileNoMemory file name without .md (e.g. "Principles", "Opinions"). Use the exact letter case.
sectionNoH2 section heading (e.g. "Decision heuristics (newest first)"). Matched case-insensitively, with or without the "(newest first)" suffix. Omit to read the whole file (with on_or_after, every H2 section's entries). Call vault_list_memory_files first to discover valid names.
on_or_afterNoInclusive date filter (YYYY-MM-DD). When provided with file, returns structured JSON entries dated on or after this date instead of raw markdown. Requires a file; add section to scope to one H2 section.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed1 schema field changedv0.54.7
    • changedInput schema / properties / file / description
      Previous value: -"Memory file name without .md (e.g. \"Principles\", \"Opinions\")"New value: +"Memory file name without .md (e.g. \"Principles\", \"Opinions\"). Use the exact letter case."
  2. Changed2 schema fields changedv0.54.1
    • changedInput schema / properties / on_or_after / description
      Previous value: -"Inclusive date filter (YYYY-MM-DD). When provided with file and section, returns structured JSON entries dated on or after this date instead of raw markdown. Requires both file and section."New value: +"Inclusive date filter (YYYY-MM-DD). When provided with file, returns structured JSON entries dated on or after this date instead of raw markdown. Requires a file; add section to scope to one H2 section."
    • changedInput schema / properties / section / description
      Previous value: -"H2 section heading (e.g. \"Decision heuristics (newest first)\"). Matched case-insensitively, with or without the \"(newest first)\" suffix. Call vault_list_memory_files first to discover valid names."New value: +"H2 section heading (e.g. \"Decision heuristics (newest first)\"). Matched case-insensitively, with or without the \"(newest first)\" suffix. Omit to read the whole file (with on_or_after, every H2 section's entries). Call vault_list_memory_files first to discover valid names."
  3. Changed1 schema field changedv0.53.0
    • addedInput schema / properties / on_or_after
      Added value: +{
+  "description": "Inclusive date filter (YYYY-MM-DD). When provided with file and section, returns structured JSON entries dated on or after this date instead of raw markdown. Requires both file and section.",
+  "minLength": 1,
+  "type": "string"
+}
  4. Addedv0.32.1
  5. Removedv0.32.0
  6. Changed2 schema fields changedv0.22.1
    • addedInput schema / properties / file / minLength
      Added value: +1
    • addedInput schema / properties / section / minLength
      Added value: +1
  7. Changed1 schema field changedv0.19.2
    • changedInput schema / properties / section / description
      Previous value: -"H2 section heading (e.g. \"Decision heuristics (newest first)\"). Call vault_list_memory_files first to discover valid names."New value: +"H2 section heading (e.g. \"Decision heuristics (newest first)\"). Matched case-insensitively, with or without the \"(newest first)\" suffix. Call vault_list_memory_files first to discover valid names."
  8. Added

TDQS

A4.8/5.0
Behavior5/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnly/idempotent/non-destructive, yet the description adds substantial behavior: the no-args concatenation mode strips frontmatter and 'can be large', the empty-string return when no memory files exist, the JSON-vs-markdown return split, the entry shape, and a full error taxonomy including the failure mode where one malformed YAML properties block breaks the whole no-file read.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Front-loaded with the core read behavior, then usage, then errors, then returns — a sensible ordering for an agent scanning the text. It is long, and the 'Returns' paragraph partially restates the on_or_after behavior already described two paragraphs earlier, but each block carries distinct information.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a 3-param optional-arg reader with no output schema, the description covers argument-combination modes, return shapes for both modes, edge cases (no files, empty match, malformed YAML), and the recovery path for each error. An agent can call this correctly in every documented mode without trial and error.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so the baseline is 3, and the description goes beyond it by explaining argument interactions the schema only hints at: file+on_or_after returns structured JSON, adding section scopes to one H2 section while omitting it reads every section with attribution preserved, and section/on_or_after are invalid without file. It also gives three worked invocation examples. The schema still carries the formatting constraints (bare name, case, YYYY-MM-DD).

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States a specific verb and resource ('Read semantic memory from About Me/ files') and immediately characterizes what those files are (dated bullet entries under H2 headings). It cleanly distinguishes itself from vault_read_note ('Prefer vault_read_note for reading non-memory notes') and from vault_list_memory_files, which it designates as the discovery step.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

An explicit 'When to use' block names the triggers (user preferences, principles, opinions), the prerequisite (call vault_list_memory_files first to discover valid file/section names), the alternative tool for non-memory notes, and the specific scenario for on_or_after (reconciliation boundaries). Nothing material is left to inference.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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