Obsidian MCP (pgvector + Ollama, self-hosted)

List notes

list_notes

Read-onlyIdempotent

List notes in a vault folder by modified or content-changed date, with tag, frontmatter, and date-range filters.

Instructions

List notes in a vault folder, sorted by most recently modified.

Results come from the index, so a note that exists on disk but has not yet been picked up by the indexer will not appear (lag is bounded by the index interval, typically up to 5 minutes).

Notes whose content changed in a window: order_by="content_changed" with since (and optionally until). File mtime (the default order) also moves when a file is merely touched or re-synced; content_changed moves only when the indexed content hash changes.

Args: folder: Vault-relative folder path (e.g. "Cards/", "Projects/"). Empty for vault root. limit: Maximum number of results (default 50). tags: Optional list of tag names; only notes carrying ALL listed tags match (e.g. ["idea"]). frontmatter: Optional dict of frontmatter key/value pairs; strict type match (e.g. {"status": "active"}). since: Optional UTC lower bound, inclusive: YYYY-MM-DD (that whole UTC day) or an ISO 8601 datetime with Z or ±HH:MM (no offset is refused). until: Optional UTC upper bound, exclusive; a date includes that whole day. order_by: "mtime" (default) or "content_changed"; the bounds apply to it. cursor: The more: cursor=… value from the previous page of the same call. When any of since/until/order_by/cursor is given, a full page ends with that footer.

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`tags`	No
`limit`	No
`since`	No
`until`	No
`cursor`	No
`folder`	No
`order_by`	No
`frontmatter`	No

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`result`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed4 schema fields changedv0.10.0Oct 31, 2026

addedInput schema / properties / cursor

Added value: +{
+  "anyOf": [
+    {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "null"
+    }
+  ],
+  "default": null,
+  "title": "Cursor"
+}

addedInput schema / properties / order_by

Added value: +{
+  "anyOf": [
+    {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "null"
+    }
+  ],
+  "default": null,
+  "title": "Order By"
+}

addedInput schema / properties / since

Added value: +{
+  "anyOf": [
+    {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "null"
+    }
+  ],
+  "default": null,
+  "title": "Since"
+}

addedInput schema / properties / until

Added value: +{
+  "anyOf": [
+    {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "null"
+    }
+  ],
+  "default": null,
+  "title": "Until"
+}

Changed1 schema field changedv0.8.2Sep 24, 2026
- addedInput schema / additionalProperties
```
Added value: +false
```
Addedv0.7.0Aug 19, 2026
Removedv0.5.4Jul 21, 2026
First observedMay 17, 2026

TDQS

A4.8/5.0

Behavior5/5

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

The annotations already declare read-only, idempotent, non-destructive, and closed-world behavior. The description adds important non-obvious traits: index freshness can lag up to 5 minutes, on-disk notes not yet indexed will be missing, and pagination footers appear when since/until/order_by/cursor are used.

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

Conciseness5/5

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

The purpose is front-loaded, and the longer passages are justified by non-obvious index freshness and pagination behavior. The Args block is compact and each parameter note adds needed meaning rather than repeating the schema.

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?

Because an output schema exists, the description appropriately omits return-value details. It still covers the operational context needed to invoke the tool correctly: index lag, filtering semantics, ordering modes, time bounds, and pagination.

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

Parameters5/5

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

Schema description coverage is 0%, so the description carries the full burden and does so thoroughly. It documents all eight parameters, including folder path conventions, limit default, ALL-tags matching, strict frontmatter type matching, UTC date/ISO bounds with inclusive/exclusive behavior, order_by values, and cursor source.

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?

The opening sentence gives a specific verb, resource, and scope: 'List notes in a vault folder, sorted by most recently modified.' This clearly distinguishes note listing from note creation, file-level listing, and search siblings, even without naming those alternatives.

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

Usage Guidelines4/5

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

The description explains when to choose content_changed ordering versus the default mtime ordering, and it explains how pagination cursors are used. It does not explicitly route the agent between list_notes and keyword_search or semantic_search, so it falls short of full when/when-not/alternative guidance.

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