Use This MCP server To

Create new notes in Obsidian via natural language commands Retrieve and read specific notes or project ideas List all filenames in the Obsidian vault for navigation Extract and list open TODO items from markdown files Update or append content to existing notes Integrate note changes with Git for version control Search notes by partial or case-insensitive filename matches

README

Obsidian MCP Server

A lightweight Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that enables AI assistants like Cursor & Claude to read from and write to your Obsidian vault.

Example Interactions

"Create a new note for standup tomorrow describing the code changes I've made today" (should also use Git)
"Check my notes about project ideas"
"Check what todos I have related to refactoring"

Tools

Read

getAllFilenames
- Gets a list of all filenames in the Obsidian vault
- Useful for discovering what files are available
readMultipleFiles
- Retrieves the contents of specified files from the Obsidian vault
- Supports exact filenames, partial filenames, or case-insensitive matches
- Each file's content is prefixed with '# File: filename' for clear identification
getOpenTodos
- Retrieves all open TODO items from markdown files in the Obsidian vault
- Finds unchecked checkbox items (lines containing '- [ ] ')
- Returns them with their file locations

Write

updateFileContent
- Updates the content of a specified file in the Obsidian vault with new markdown content
- If the file doesn't exist, it will be created
- Automatically creates any necessary directories

Install & build

npm install obsidian-mcp-server
npm run build

Integrating with Claude Desktop and Cursor

To use your MCP server with Claude Desktop add it to your Claude configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "obsidian": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "obsidian-mcp-server/build/index.js",
        "/path/to/your/vault"
      ]
    }
  }
}

For Cursor go to the MCP tab Cursor Settings (command + shift + J). Add a server with this command:

node obsidian-mcp-server/build/index.js /path/to/your/vault

Comparison with Other Solutions

While this implementation is intentionally lightweight, other solutions like jacksteamdev/obsidian-mcp-tools offer a more feature-rich approach as an Obsidian plugin.

This standalone server has the advantage of direct filesystem access without requiring the Obsidian application to be running.

Resources

Model Context Protocol Documentation
MCP Servers Repository

obsidian-mcp-server FAQ

How does obsidian-mcp-server handle note creation?

It allows AI assistants to create new notes in your Obsidian vault using natural language commands, supporting detailed content creation and organization.

Can obsidian-mcp-server read specific notes or only list filenames?

It can both list all filenames and read the contents of specified notes, supporting exact, partial, or case-insensitive filename matches.

How are TODO items managed with obsidian-mcp-server?

The server can extract all open TODO items from markdown files, helping track tasks directly within your notes.

Does obsidian-mcp-server support integration with version control systems?

Yes, it can work alongside Git to manage note changes and maintain version history.

Is obsidian-mcp-server compatible with multiple AI assistants?

Yes, it supports AI assistants like Cursor, Claude, and others that implement the MCP standard.

What security measures are in place for obsidian-mcp-server?

It scopes AI access to only the Obsidian vault files and operations, ensuring safe and controlled interactions.

How does obsidian-mcp-server identify files within the vault?

It uses filename matching that supports exact, partial, and case-insensitive searches to locate files efficiently.

Can obsidian-mcp-server update existing notes or only create new ones?

It supports both creating new notes and updating or appending content to existing notes within the vault.