# Obsidian Cli Rest > Control your Obsidian vault programmatically. This plugin turns all Obsidian CLI commands into a local HTTP API and MCP server, letting you automate your workflow from scripts, tools, and AI assistants. - **Type:** MCP server - **Install:** `agentstack add mcp-dsebastien-obsidian-cli-rest` - **Verified:** Yes — security-reviewed for prompt injection and unsafe behavior - **Seller:** [dsebastien](https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/dsebastien) - **Installs:** 0 - **Category:** [Productivity](https://agentstack.voostack.com/c/productivity) - **Latest version:** 0.1.0 - **License:** MIT - **Upstream author:** [dsebastien](https://github.com/dsebastien) - **Source:** https://github.com/dsebastien/obsidian-cli-rest - **Website:** https://dsebastien.github.io/obsidian-cli-rest/ ## Install ```sh agentstack add mcp-dsebastien-obsidian-cli-rest ``` Requires the [AgentStack CLI](https://agentstack.voostack.com/docs/cli). Works with Claude Code, Cursor, and any MCP-compatible agent. ## About # REST and MCP server Control your Obsidian vault programmatically. This plugin turns **all Obsidian CLI commands** into a local HTTP API and MCP server, letting you automate your workflow from scripts, tools, and AI assistants. ## Why use this plugin? - **Automate note-taking**: Create, read, search, and modify notes from any script or tool - **Connect AI assistants**: Let Claude, ChatGPT, or other AI tools interact with your vault via MCP - **Build integrations**: Hook Obsidian into your existing workflow with standard HTTP requests - **Stay secure**: Localhost-only by default, API key authentication, granular command controls ## Requirements - **Obsidian desktop app** (v1.4.0 or later) - **[Obsidian CLI](https://help.obsidian.md/cli)** enabled in Obsidian: **Settings > General > Advanced > Command line interface** ## Installation ### Community plugins (recommended) 1. In Obsidian, go to **Settings → Community plugins**. 2. Disable **Restricted mode** if it's enabled. 3. Select **Browse**, search for **REST and MCP server**, install it, then enable it. You can also browse the catalog on the [Obsidian Community](https://community.obsidian.md/) website. ### Manual installation If the plugin isn't listed in the community catalog yet (or you want a specific version): 1. Download `main.js`, `manifest.json`, and `styles.css` from the [latest release](https://github.com/dsebastien/obsidian-cli-rest/releases). 2. Copy them into `/.obsidian/plugins/cli-rest-mcp/`. 3. Reload Obsidian and enable **REST and MCP server** in **Settings → Community plugins**. ### BRAT (bleeding edge) [BRAT](https://github.com/TfTHacker/obsidian42-brat) (Beta Reviewers Auto-update Tool) installs plugins straight from a GitHub repo and keeps them updated automatically. Use this if you want the latest commits — **things might break**. 1. Install **Obsidian42 - BRAT** from **Settings → Community plugins → Browse** and enable it. 2. Run **BRAT: Add a beta plugin for testing** from the command palette. 3. Paste `https://github.com/dsebastien/obsidian-cli-rest`. 4. Select the latest version and confirm. 5. Enable **REST and MCP server** in **Settings → Community plugins**. Once enabled, the server starts automatically on `http://127.0.0.1:27124`. ## Quick start Copy your API key from **Settings > REST and MCP server > Security**, then start making requests: ```bash # List all files in your vault curl -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \ http://127.0.0.1:27124/api/v1/cli/files # Search your vault curl -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \ "http://127.0.0.1:27124/api/v1/cli/search?query=meeting+notes" # Create a new note curl -X POST \ -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{"params": {"name": "My Note", "content": "Hello world"}}' \ http://127.0.0.1:27124/api/v1/cli/create # Read today's daily note curl -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \ http://127.0.0.1:27124/api/v1/cli/daily/read # Append to your daily note curl -X POST \ -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{"params": {"content": "- Task from my script"}}' \ http://127.0.0.1:27124/api/v1/cli/daily/append ``` ## What you can do The plugin exposes all CLI commands organized into categories: | Category | Examples | | --------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- | | **Files** | List, create, read, append, prepend, move, rename, delete | | **Search** | Full-text search, search with context | | **Properties** | Read, set, and remove frontmatter properties | | **Daily notes** | Open, read, append, prepend to daily notes | | **Tags** | List tags, get tag info | | **Tasks** | List and manage tasks | | **Links** | Outgoing links, backlinks, orphans, dead ends | | **Templates** | List, read, and insert templates | | **Bookmarks** | List and add bookmarks | | **Plugins** | List, install, enable, disable, uninstall | | **Themes** | List, set, install, uninstall | | **Sync** | Status, history, restore | | **Publish** | Status, publish, unpublish | | **Workspaces** | List, save, load, delete layouts | | **And more** | Bases, CSS snippets, file history, word count... | ## Two ways to connect ### REST API Standard HTTP endpoints at `/api/v1/cli/*`. Use from any language or tool that can make HTTP requests. ``` GET /api/v1/cli/files # Read-only commands use GET POST /api/v1/cli/create # Write commands use POST DELETE /api/v1/cli/delete # Delete commands use DELETE ``` CLI colons become slashes in URLs: `property:set` becomes `/api/v1/cli/property/set`. ### MCP server An MCP endpoint at `/mcp` for AI assistant integration. Uses the **Code Mode pattern** — just 2 tools (`search` and `execute`) enable progressive discovery of all commands, keeping the tool count fixed regardless of how many CLI commands exist. - `search` — Discover commands by name, description, or category - `execute` — Run any CLI command by name Configure your MCP client with: - **URL**: `http://127.0.0.1:27124/mcp` - **Transport**: StreamableHTTP - **Auth**: Bearer token (your API key) Claude Desktop's config file only accepts stdio servers, so it needs the `mcp-remote` bridge instead of the URL directly. See [MCP integration](docs/mcp-integration.md) for client-specific setup. ## Security The plugin is designed with security in mind: - **Localhost only** by default — only your machine can reach the server - **API key authentication** — auto-generated 64-character key, required for all CLI commands - **Dangerous commands disabled** — commands like `eval`, `restart`, and `devtools` are blocked unless you explicitly opt in - **Per-command blocklist** — block specific commands you don't want accessible - **No shell injection** — CLI commands use `execFile`, not `exec` To expose the server on your network, change the bind address to `0.0.0.0` in settings. An API key is enforced in this mode. ## Configuration All settings are accessible from **Settings > REST and MCP server**. | Setting | Default | Description | | ------------------ | ----------- | ----------------------------------------------------- | | Port | `27124` | HTTP server port | | Bind address | `127.0.0.1` | `127.0.0.1` (local) or `0.0.0.0` (network) | | Auto-start | On | Start server when plugin loads | | REST API | On | Enable REST endpoints | | MCP server | On | Enable MCP endpoint | | Dangerous commands | Off | Allow eval, restart, devtools, etc. | | Blocked commands | (none) | Comma-separated list of commands to block | | CORS | Off | Allow cross-origin requests | | Request timeout | 30s | Max CLI command execution time | | Default vault | (none) | Fallback vault for requests without a vault parameter | ## Documentation - **[User guide](docs/README.md)** — Setup, usage, configuration, and troubleshooting - **[API reference](docs/api-reference.md)** — Endpoints, request/response formats, status codes - **[MCP integration](docs/mcp-integration.md)** — Setting up AI assistant connections - **[Command reference](docs/command-reference.md)** — All supported commands ## Support - **Issues**: [GitHub Issues](https://github.com/dsebastien/obsidian-cli-rest/issues) - **Author**: [Sebastien Dubois](https://dsebastien.net) ## License MIT License — see [LICENSE](./LICENSE) for details. ## Source & license This open-source MCP server is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code. - **Author:** [dsebastien](https://github.com/dsebastien) - **Source:** [dsebastien/obsidian-cli-rest](https://github.com/dsebastien/obsidian-cli-rest) - **License:** MIT - **Homepage:** https://dsebastien.github.io/obsidian-cli-rest/ Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above. ## Pricing - **Free** — Free ## Security capabilities Automated source analysis of v0.1.0 — what this tool can access: - **Network access:** yes - **Filesystem access:** no - **Shell / process execution:** yes - **Environment & secrets:** no - **Dynamic code execution:** no *"Yes" means the capability is present in the source — more access means more to trust, not that it is unsafe.* ## Versions - **0.1.0** — security scan: passed — Imported from the upstream source. ## Links - Listing page: https://agentstack.voostack.com/l/mcp-dsebastien-obsidian-cli-rest - Seller: https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/dsebastien - Browse the marketplace: https://agentstack.voostack.com/browse --- Listed on AgentStack — the marketplace for AI agent skills and MCP servers. Every listing is security-reviewed. Creators keep 70%.