What note and link types are available?

Notes can be fleeting, literature, permanent, structure, or hub. Links support seven semantic types – reference, extends, refines, contradicts, questions, supports, and related – each with a defined inverse relationship.

What are the runtime dependencies?

Python 3, `uv`, and the `mcp[cli]` package. The server is run as a Python module (`zettelkasten_mcp.main`) and connects to MCP‑compatible clients.

What credentials does it need?

It reads `ZETTELKASTEN_NOTES_DIR`, `ZETTELKASTEN_DATABASE_PATH`, `ZETTELKASTEN_LOG_LEVEL` from the environment. Store these in your client's env block or a secrets manager — never commit them to a repository — and grant the narrowest scope that still covers your use case.

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Zettelkasten MCP Server

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that implements the Zettelkasten knowledge management methodology, allowing you to create, link, explore and

Local serverstdioPython

What is the Zettelkasten MCP Server?

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that implements the Zettelkasten knowledge management methodology, allowing you to create, link, explore and synthesize atomic

The short version

The Zettelkasten method is a knowledge management system developed by German sociologist Niklas Luhmann, who used it to produce over 70 books and hundreds of articles. It consists of three core principles:

Create atomic notes with unique timestamp-based IDs
Link notes bidirectionally to build a knowledge graph
Tag notes for categorical organization
Search notes by content, tags, or links
Use markdown format for human readability and editing
Integrate with Claude through MCP for AI-assisted knowledge management

More MCP options

Compare MCP servers by category, or browse hosted MCP servers if you prefer an endpoint over a local process.

Maintainer setup documentation.

Recorded tools

Check the linked publisher documentation and your connected client's tool list. Names and availability can vary with the server version and account permissions.

Tool	What it does
zk_create_note	Create a new note with a title, content, and optional tags
zk_get_note	Retrieve a specific note by ID or title
zk_update_note	Update an existing note's content or metadata
zk_delete_note	Delete a note
zk_create_link	Create links between notes
zk_remove_link	Remove links between notes
zk_search_notes	Search for notes by content, tags, or links
zk_get_linked_notes	Find notes linked to a specific note
zk_get_all_tags	List all tags in the system
zk_find_similar_notes	Find notes similar to a given note
zk_find_central_notes	Find notes with the most connections
zk_find_orphaned_notes	Find notes with no connections
zk_list_notes_by_date	List notes by creation/update date
zk_rebuild_index	Rebuild the database index from Markdown files

How to install the Zettelkasten MCP Server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "zettelkasten": {
      "command": "/absolute/path/to/zettelkasten-mcp/.venv/bin/python",
      "args": [
        "-m",
        "zettelkasten_mcp.main"
      ],
      "env": {
        "ZETTELKASTEN_NOTES_DIR": "/absolute/path/to/zettelkasten-mcp/data/notes",
        "ZETTELKASTEN_DATABASE_PATH": "/absolute/path/to/zettelkasten-mcp/data/db/zettelkasten.db",
        "ZETTELKASTEN_LOG_LEVEL": "INFO"
      }
    }
  }
}

Configuration as documented by the project. Restart the client after saving.

Configuration

Variable	Description	Required
ZETTELKASTEN_NOTES_DIR	Filesystem location the server is allowed to use.	Optional
ZETTELKASTEN_DATABASE_PATH	Filesystem location the server is allowed to use.	Optional
ZETTELKASTEN_LOG_LEVEL	Configuration value read at startup.	Optional

Example prompts to try

“Use Zettelkasten to zk create note.”
“Use Zettelkasten to zk get note.”
“Use Zettelkasten to zk update note.”

Frequently asked questions

Notes are stored as Markdown files with YAML frontmatter (the source of truth) and indexed in a SQLite database for efficient querying and graph traversal. The database can be rebuilt from the Markdown files at any time.