Notes MCP Server

Manages markdown notes within a specified directory using the Model Context Protocol.

Local serverstdioPython 1

What is the Notes MCP server?

Most planning and project tracking work still happens through a UI a human drives. Notes MCP server moves it into the conversation instead. Manages markdown notes within a specified directory using the Model Context Protocol.

The short version

This is an MCP (Model Context Protocol) server implementation that manages markdown notes in a given directory. The server provides functionality to create, read, and update markdown notes using the stdio transport.

  • Create new markdown notes
  • Read existing markdown notes
  • Update existing markdown notes
  • List all notes in the vault
  • Automatic file management in the specified directory
  • Proper error handling and logging

The tools it exposes

The server publishes 4 tools. What each one is for:

  • create_note — Parameters: - title: The title of the note (required) - content: The content of the note (optional, defaults to empty string)
  • read_note — Parameters: - title: The title of the note to read (required)
  • update_note — Parameters: - title: The title of the note to update (required) - content: The new content for the note (optional, defaults to empty string)
  • list_notes — Returns: - notes: Array of note objects, each containing: - title: The title of the note - path: The full path to the file - created_at: ISO

Getting it running

Setup follows the usual MCP pattern — install or clone the server, register it in your client's configuration file, restart the client.

What it needs from you

Configuration is passed through the environment: PYTHONIOENCODING. Treat anything key-shaped as a real credential — scope it to the minimum the server needs, and rotate it if it ever lands in a shared config.

How it compares

This sits in the planning and project tracking group, where several servers overlap in what they claim to do but differ sharply once you actually set them up. Notes's toolset — create_note, read_note, update_note and 1 more — is a fair guide to whether it matches your workflow. It is maintained by nathannj; worth a glance at recent repository activity before you build anything load-bearing on it.

We check each listing at SyncDev against the project's documentation before it goes live — if something here drifts out of date, it is a bug worth reporting.

Things to watch

  • It runs with your machine's permissions. That is convenient and also the reason to think about what you point it at before you approve a tool call.
  • Keep per-call confirmation enabled while you learn its behaviour; it is the cheapest safeguard you have.

Available tools

ToolWhat it does
create_noteParameters: - title: The title of the note (required) - content: The content of the note (optional, defaults to empty string)
read_noteParameters: - title: The title of the note to read (required)
update_noteParameters: - title: The title of the note to update (required) - content: The new content for the note (optional, defaults to empty string)
list_notesReturns: - notes: Array of note objects, each containing: - title: The title of the note - path: The full path to the file - created_at: ISO timestamp of creation - modified_at: ISO timestamp of last modification - total

Configuration

VariableDescriptionRequired
PYTHONIOENCODINGConfiguration value read at startup.Optional

Example prompts to try

  • Use Notes to create note.
  • Use Notes to read note.
  • Use Notes to update note.

Frequently asked questions

Notes is an MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that manages markdown notes in a specified directory. It allows you to create, read, update, and list notes using the stdio transport.