Engram
Syncs an Obsidian vault with Engram, allowing AI assistants to read and write plain markdown notes in the vault in real time.
Click on "Deploy Server".
Wait a few minutes for the server to deploy. Once ready, it will show a "Started" state.
In the chat, type
@followed by the MCP server name and your instructions, e.g., "@Engramsearch my vault for notes about the 2025 roadmap"
That's it! The server will respond to your query, and you can continue using it as needed.
Here is a step-by-step guide with screenshots.
Engram

MCP-native · semantic + keyword search · real-time sync · self-hostable · source-available · Elixir/Phoenix
Quickstart · Self-host · MCP · API · Architecture · Plugin · Discord
Your notes stay plain markdown that you and your AI assistants both read and write. Pairs with the Engram Obsidian Sync plugin to sync your whole vault.
Self-Host (Docker Compose)
Don't want to run the commands yourself? Open the Quickstart docs, select the whole page, and paste it into your AI assistant — it's written top-to-bottom as imperatives the AI can execute in order.
Otherwise:
git clone https://github.com/engram-app/Engram.git
cd Engram
cp .env.example .env # then fill in the three secrets at the top
docker compose up -dApp at http://localhost:4000. Migrations run on boot. Only port 4000 is host-exposed; everything else stays on the private Docker network.
Large vaults? Enable MinIO for S3-style attachments:
docker compose --profile s3 up -d — see
storage docs.
Better embeddings? Switch to Voyage AI in .env — see
embeddings docs.
Full self-host documentation
Topic | Link |
Quickstart | |
Environment vars | |
Encryption & keys | |
Backup & restore | |
Upgrades | |
Troubleshooting | |
Architecture | |
MCP setup | |
HTTP API |
Related MCP server: Semantic Notes Vault MCP
Community
Questions, ideas, or bug reports? Join us on Discord.
Contributing
Local dev setup, tests, and PR rules: see CONTRIBUTING.md.
License
Dual-licensed:
PolyForm Small Business 1.0.0 — free for organizations under $1M USD prior-year revenue and < 100 employees + contractors.
Commercial License — required for larger orgs. See LICENSE-COMMERCIAL.md or email
support@engram.page.
External contributions sign the Engram CLA. See CONTRIBUTING.md.
Security
See SECURITY.md for vulnerability disclosure. Self-host LAN deployments are out of scope of our published SLA — security depends on the operator's network and infra.
Copyright (c) 2026 Rasbandit Software Solutions LLC d/b/a Engram.
This server cannot be deployed
Maintenance
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