Obsidian Plugin MCP Server

Obsidian vaults managed via local MCP server integration for AI assistants.

Data last scanned yesterday · Reviewed 3 weeks ago

55 2 dangerous tools24 tools★ 455TypeScriptMIT

Overview

This plugin transforms Obsidian into a fully-functional MCP server, allowing AI clients to interact directly with your notes. It embeds the server inside the application, removing the need for external Node processes or additional API bridges.

Our verdict

With a security score of 45/100, this plugin carries a high risk level. The score reflects that the server is community-maintained rather than vendor-official and remains editorially unreviewed. Users should exercise caution and utilize the provided path allow/block lists and read-only mode to restrict AI access to sensitive vault files.

Embeds server directly into Obsidian application
Provides native support for Dataview and Bases
Thirteen direct project dependencies
Eight tools supporting file traversal and manipulation

Security relies on unreviewed community maintenance
Lack of official vendor backing
Authentication methods not yet independently audited

Setup

Claude Desktop

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "obsidian-mcp-plugin": {
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "obsidian-mcp-plugin"
      ],
      "command": "npx"
    }
  }
}

Paste into ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json (macOS) or %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json (Windows), then restart Claude Desktop. Some servers require API keys or tokens as environment variables — check the project's README and add an "env" object if needed.

No read-only mode — running this grants full read/write access.
No built-in authentication — anyone with access to this config can invoke every tool it exposes.

Tools

Tool	Description	Risk
list	List files in a directory.	low
read	Read a file's content.	low
create	Create a new file.	medium
update	Replace a file's content.	medium
delete	Delete a file.	high
search	Advanced search with multiple operators.	low
fragments	Get relevant fragments from files matching a query.	low
move	Move a file to a new location.	medium
rename	Rename a file (keeping it in the same directory).	medium
copy	Create a copy of a file.	medium

Compatibility

Client	Local	Docker	Remote	Read-only
ChatGPT
Claude Desktop
Cursor
VS Code
Windsurf

Frequently asked questions

›Do I need to run a separate process to use this MCP server?

No, the server runs directly inside Obsidian as a plugin, so no external Node process or separate bridge is required.

›How can I limit what the AI can do with my vault?

The plugin allows you to enable read-only mode, configure per-operation controls, and define specific path allow or block lists to restrict the AI's access.

›What should I do if my MCP client rejects the HTTPS connection?

The plugin uses a self-signed certificate, which clients reject by default. You must explicitly trust the certificate file located at .obsidian/plugins/semantic-vault-mcp/certificates/default.crt within your vault.

›Can I connect multiple Obsidian vaults to my AI client?

Yes, you can configure multiple vault entries in your MCP client's configuration file, ensuring each runs on a different port.

›Does Claude Code work with the system keychain for HTTPS certificates?

No, Claude Code runs on Bun, which does not read the macOS system keychain. You must provide the certificate path via the NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS environment variable instead.