Obsidian Rest MCP Server

Exposes Obsidian vaults to AI assistants through a local REST API using the Model Context Protocol.

Local serverstdioTypeScript 65

What is the Obsidian Rest MCP server?

Exposes Obsidian vaults to AI assistants through a local REST API using the Model Context Protocol. That is what the obsidian rest mcp server brings to an AI assistant: the same capability, reachable through the Model Context Protocol rather than a separate app or dashboard.

The short version

An MCP (Model Context Protocol) server implementation that provides access to Obsidian vaults through a local REST API. This server allows AI assistants to interact with Obsidian notes and manage vault content through a standardized interface.

  • Access Obsidian vault contents through MCP
  • Read and write notes
  • List vault contents
  • Search functionality
  • Secure local REST API integration
  • Compatible with Claude Desktop and other AI assistants

Getting it running

Installation goes through your MCP client rather than a global install: point it at PublikPrinciple/obsidian-mcp-rest on npm and it is fetched when the client starts. The copy-paste blocks for Claude Desktop, Claude Code and Cursor are further down this page.

The tools it exposes

The server publishes 5 tools. What each one is for:

  • listNotes — List all notes in the vault or a specific folder
  • readNote — Read the contents of a specific note
  • writeNote — Create or update a note
  • searchNotes — Search for notes using a query string
  • getMetadata — Get metadata for a specific note

What it needs from you

  • Node.js 16 or higher - Obsidian with Local REST API plugin installed and configured - An Obsidian vault with Local REST API enabled

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.

How it compares

Plenty of planning and project tracking servers cover similar ground. The differences that matter in practice are scope of access and how much setup stands between you and a working tool call. Obsidian Rest's toolset — listNotes, readNote, writeNote and 2 more — is a fair guide to whether it matches your workflow. It is maintained by PublikPrinciple; worth a glance at recent repository activity before you build anything load-bearing on it.

SyncDev reviews every entry in this directory against the project's own documentation before publishing, and revisits them as servers change.

Available tools

ToolWhat it does
listNotesList all notes in the vault or a specific folder
readNoteRead the contents of a specific note
writeNoteCreate or update a note
searchNotesSearch for notes using a query string
getMetadataGet metadata for a specific note

How to install the Obsidian Rest MCP server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "obsidian-rest": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "PublikPrinciple/obsidian-mcp-rest"]
    }
  }
}

Add to claude_desktop_config.json, then restart Claude Desktop.

Configuration

  • Node.js 16 or higher - Obsidian with Local REST API plugin installed and configured - An Obsidian vault with Local REST API enabled

Example prompts to try

  • Use Obsidian Rest to listNotes.
  • Use Obsidian Rest to readNote.
  • Use Obsidian Rest to writeNote.

Frequently asked questions

Obsidian Rest is a tool that exposes your Obsidian vault to AI assistants through a local REST API, using the Model Context Protocol (MCP). It allows AI to interact with your notes.