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MCP Obsidian Server

A connector for Claude Desktop to read and search an Obsidian vault.

Installation

Add the following to your MCP client configuration file.

Configuration

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "smithery-ai-mcp-obsidian": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "mcp-obsidian",
        "${input:vaultPath}"
      ]
    }
  }
}

This MCP server lets Claude Desktop (or any MCP client) read and search the contents of an Obsidian vault by connecting to a local or remote process via the MCP protocol. It enables fast indexing and targeted queries across your Markdown notes, turning your Obsidian knowledge base into an actively searchable data source for your AI workflows.

How to use

You connect your Obsidian MCP Server to your MCP client to enable reading and searching notes in your Obsidian vault. Start the local server process, then configure your client to point at the server. Once connected, you can perform searches, discover note content, and browse through your vault structure through the MCP interface. This gives you fast, context-aware access to your Markdown notes while you work with Claude Desktop or other MCP-enabled tools.

How to install

Prerequisites you need before installing this MCP server: Node.js and npm must be accessible on your machine.

Install the Obsidian MCP Connector via Smithery to enable the client-side integration.

npx -y @smithery/cli install mcp-obsidian --client claude

Additional setup for VS Code users

If you prefer a quick one-click setup inside VS Code, you can use the provided install flow. You should still ensure you have Node.js and npm available.

Manual configuration in VS Code using the User Settings JSON file looks like this:

{
  "mcp": {
    "inputs": [
      {
        "type": "promptString",
        "id": "vaultPath",
        "description": "Path to Obsidian vault"
      }
    ],
    "servers": {
      "obsidian": {
        "command": "npx",
        "args": ["-y", "mcp-obsidian", "${input:vaultPath}"]
      }
    }
  }
}

Additional steps and notes

You can restart Claude Desktop after installation to ensure the MCP tools are discovered and listed. If you modify your VS Code workspace to share settings, you can place the same MCP configuration in a file at .vscode/mcp.json in your workspace. Note that you do not need the mcp key in the workspace file when sharing locally.

Available tools

Search Vault

Search and retrieve content from Markdown notes inside an Obsidian vault, enabling fast, context-aware queries and navigation across your notes.