ObsidianSAFE

A local Model Context Protocol server that lets MCP-compatible assistants safely read and modify explicitly configured Obsidian vaults.

Version 2 supports both MCP 2026-07-28 and 2025-era clients by default, and requires Node.js 22 or newer. It works directly with Markdown files, so Obsidian does not need to be open. Legacy protocol and v1 positional-path compatibility are deprecated and print exact migration instructions to stderr.

[!IMPORTANT] MCP clients can invoke destructive tools. Back up important vaults, review client permission prompts, and use revision preconditions for concurrently edited notes.

Quick start

Node.js 22 or newer is required:

node --version # v22 or newer

Run with npx without installing the package globally. Pinning the major version receives compatible 2.x updates without automatically crossing a future major version:

npx -y obsidian-mcp@2 serve --vault notes=/absolute/path/to/vault

Configure an MCP client to launch the same command over stdio:

{
"mcpServers": {
"obsidian": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "obsidian-mcp@2", "serve", "--vault", "notes=/absolute/path/to/vault"]
}
}
}

Alternatively, install the package globally and use "command": "obsidian-mcp" with the same arguments beginning at "serve":

npm install -g obsidian-mcp@2

Each vault must already contain an .obsidian directory and must be configured using an absolute path.

Both protocol eras are served from the same tool definitions. After confirming that your MCP client negotiates 2026-07-28, you may opt into modern-only mode by adding "--legacy", "reject" to args.

Vault ids use lowercase letters, digits, _, and -, must begin with a letter, and are the values assistants pass to tools. Up to ten vaults may be configured. Repeat --vault to expose more than one vault:

obsidian-mcp serve \
--vault work=/Use