Obsidian MCP REST Server

The Obsidian MCP REST Server bridges the gap between local Obsidian vaults and AI assistants that speak the Model Context Protocol (MCP). By exposing a lightweight, secure REST interface, it lets assistants like Claude Desktop read, write, and organize notes without needing direct access to the Obsidian application. This solves a common pain point for developers: integrating personal knowledge bases into AI workflows while keeping data on the local machine.

At its core, the server translates MCP tool calls into HTTP requests against the Obsidian Local REST API. When an AI assistant issues a command such as “Read note ”, the server forwards that request to Obsidian, retrieves the content, and returns it in a format the assistant can consume. The reverse is also true: “Write note ” updates the vault file through the same channel. Because all communication occurs over and local sockets, there is no external network exposure, ensuring that sensitive notes remain private.

Key capabilities are grouped into intuitive tool families:

• Vault Browsing – list notes, explore folder hierarchies, and retrieve file metadata.
• Content Manipulation – read existing notes, create new ones, or overwrite current content with updated text.
• Search – perform keyword or regex queries across the vault, enabling assistants to surface relevant information quickly.

These tools are designed for seamless integration with MCP‑enabled assistants. A single configuration entry in the assistant’s settings points to the server, and from there the assistant can issue complex queries like “search for all notes containing in the folder” or “create a new meeting minutes note with today's date.” The assistant can then parse the returned data, feed it into prompts, or trigger additional actions—such as summarizing a meeting or generating a task list.

Real‑world scenarios that benefit from this server include:

• Personal Knowledge Management – letting an AI summarize a long research article stored in Obsidian, or suggest next steps based on recent notes.
• Workflow Automation – automatically generating meeting minutes from a transcript and saving them to the appropriate folder.
• Content Generation – drafting blog posts or documentation directly into Obsidian, then having the assistant refine or format them.

The server’s unique advantage lies in its local-first security model. By running entirely on the host machine and authenticating each request with an API key, it eliminates the need for cloud storage or remote servers. Developers who value privacy and control can therefore confidently integrate their AI assistants with Obsidian without exposing sensitive data to third‑party services.