obsidian-sync-mcp

Obsidian Sync MCP

Give any AI agent access to your Obsidian vault over MCP. Run it locally against your vault files, or pair it with Self-hosted LiveSync and deploy to the cloud so it works even when your machine is off.

Example: From your phone, ask your AI: "What's in my daily note for today?" — and get the full content back, with a link to open it in Obsidian.

---

How it works

The server connects to your vault in two ways:

• Filesystem mode — reads .md files directly from your vault folder. No database needed.
• CouchDB mode — reads from a CouchDB database, locally or in the cloud. Your vault syncs to CouchDB via Self-hosted LiveSync, the community Obsidian plugin (600k+ downloads). The MCP server reads from CouchDB directly using livesync-commonlib — the same library that powers the plugin — for proper chunk handling and E2E encryption support.

Both modes expose the same MCP tools over HTTP, so any MCP-compatible agent can connect: Claude, Copilot, custom agents, anything that speaks the Model Context Protocol.

---

Choose your setup

Need it always available?	Have LiveSync?	Go to
Yes	Yes	Setup A — add MCP alongside your existing CouchDB
Yes	No	Setup B — CouchDB + MCP + LiveSync from scratch
No	—	Setup C — filesystem or CouchDB, npx or Docker

---

A. Deploy MCP to the cloud

You already have LiveSync and CouchDB on an always-on server. You just need the MCP server deployed alongside it.

Using Fly.io setup script (macOS/Linux, or WSL on Windows):

git clone https://github.com/es617/obsidian-sync-mcp.git
cd obsidian-sync-mcp
./deploy/setup.sh    # choose option 2 (MCP only)

The script asks for your CouchDB connection details, vault name, and encryption passphrase.

Or run the Docker image on any always-on server:

docker run -p 8787:8787 \
  -v mcp-data:/data -e DATA_DIR=/data \
  -e COUCHDB_URL=https://your-couchdb:5984 \
  -e COUCHDB_USER=admin -e COUCHDB_PASSWORD=yourpassword \
  -e COUCHDB_DATABASE=obsidian -e VAULT_NAME=MyVault \
  -e COUCHDB_PASSPHRASE=your-encryption-passphrase \
  -e COUCHDB_OBFUSCATE_PROPERTIES=false \
  -e MCP_AUTH_TOKEN=yourpassword \
  -e BASE_URL=https://your-server-url \
  ghcr.io/es617/obsidian-sync-mcp:latest

Set COUCHDB_PASSPHRASE if you use E2E encryption in LiveSync. Set COUCHDB_OBFUSCATE_PROPERTIES=true if "Obfuscate Properties" is also enabled in your LiveSync settings. For an existing vault the server detects the actual setting from the database at startup and corrects a mismatch with a warning; only for a brand-new empty database does the value need to match your LiveSync settings. If the vault was created with LiveSync 1.0.33+ and path obfuscation, also set COUCHDB_ID_DERIVATION_KEY to your LiveSync recovery code (sls-id-v1:..., from "Show current recovery code") so the server can resolve note paths. Set BASE_URL to your public URL (required for OAuth callbacks when agents connect over HTTPS).

Your MCP endpoint is https://your-app.fly.dev/mcp (Fly.io) or https://your-server:8787/mcp (Docker behind HTTPS).

See Cost for Fly.io pricing.

Requires flyctl for the Fly.io path:

curl -L https://fly.io/install.sh | sh
export PATH="$HOME/.fly/bin:$PATH"  # add to ~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc
fly auth login

---

B. Deploy everything to the cloud

Starting fresh — no LiveSync yet. Deploy CouchDB and MCP together, then set up LiveSync in Obsidian.

Using Fly.io setup script (macOS/Linux, or WSL on Windows):

git clone https://github.com/es617/obsidian-sync-mcp.git
cd obsidian-sync-mcp
./deploy/setup.sh    # choose option 1 (CouchDB + MCP)

The script generates credentials, creates the database, and deploys. Save the credentials it prints.

Or with Docker Compose on any always-on server:

git clone https://github.com/es617/obsidian-sync-mcp.git
cd obsidian-sync-mcp

cat > .env <<EOF
COUCHDB_PASSWORD=changeme
MCP_AUTH_TOKEN=changeme-too
VAULT_NAME=MyVault
EOF

docker compose up -d

After deployment:

1. In Obsidian, install Self-hosted LiveSync and configure it with the credentials from the setup output
2. Your MCP endpoint is https://your-app.fly.dev/mcp (Fly.io). With Docker Compose the MCP port is published on localhost:8787 only; to reach it from other machines, put an HTTPS tunnel or reverse proxy in front (see remote access) and set BASE_URL to its public URL
3. The MCP_AUTH_TOKEN is the password you enter when an agent connects

Always-on server
├── CouchDB + persistent storage
└── MCP server
      ↑                    ↑
Obsidian + LiveSync    AI agents

Requires flyctl for the Fly.io path:

curl -L https://fly.io/install.sh | sh
export PATH="$HOME/.fly/bin:$PATH"  # add to ~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc
fly auth login

---

Cost (Fly.io)

Applies to both Setup A and Setup B.

Component	Cost
CouchDB + MCP VM (shared, 512MB)	~$3-4/month (kept alive by LiveSync)
MCP-only VM (shared, 256MB)	~$0-2/month (suspends when idle)
1GB persistent volume	~$0.15/month

As of March 2026, Fly.io may waive charges under $5/month, which could make this effectively free with a shared IPv4. Either way, cheaper than Obsidian Sync ($4/month) and you own the data.

---

C. Run on your machine

Run the MCP server locally. Works with filesystem mode (reads vault files directly) or CouchDB mode (if you have LiveSync). Machine must stay on for agents to reach it.

Filesystem mode (simplest):

VAULT_PATH=~/Documents/MyVault \
VAULT_NAME=MyVault \
npx obsidian-sync-mcp

CouchDB mode (if you have LiveSync):

COUCHDB_URL=http://localhost:5984 \
COUCHDB_USER=admin \
COUCHDB_PASSWORD=yourpassword \
COUCHDB_DATABASE=obsidian \
COUCHDB_PASSPHRASE=your-encryption-passphrase \
COUCHDB_OBFUSCATE_PROPERTIES=false \
VAULT_NAME=MyVault \
npx obsidian-sync-mcp

Omit COUCHDB_PASSPHRASE if you don't use E2E encryption in LiveSync. Set COUCHDB_OBFUSCATE_PROPERTIES=true if "Obfuscate Properties" is also enabled in your LiveSync settings. For an existing vault the server detects the actual setting from the database at startup and corrects a mismatch with a warning; only for a brand-new empty database does the value need to match your LiveSync settings. If the vault was created with LiveSync 1.0.33+ and path obfuscation, also set COUCHDB_ID_DERIVATION_KEY to your LiveSync recovery code (sls-id-v1:...) so the server can resolve note paths.

Or with Docker:

docker run -p 127.0.0.1:8787:8787 \
  -v mcp-data:/data -e DATA_DIR=/data \
  -e VAULT_PATH=/vault -v ~/Documents/MyVault:/vault \
  -e VAULT_NAME=MyVault \
  ghcr.io/es617/obsidian-sync-mcp:latest

Your MCP endpoint is http://localhost:8787/mcp.

Want remote access? Add a tunnel (machine must stay on):

cloudflared tunnel --url http://localhost:8787    # free
tailscale funnel 8787                             # or Tailscale
ngrok http 8787                                   # or ngrok

Set BASE_URL to the tunnel URL when using authentication.

---

Tools

Tool	Description
read_note	Read a note's markdown content by path
write_note	Create or overwrite a note (replaces entire content)
edit_note	Edit a note without rewriting it — append, prepend (after frontmatter), or replace exact text
list_folders	List all folders in the vault with note counts — use to discover folder names
list_tags	List all tags in the vault with counts — use to discover tags before filtering
list_notes	List notes with timestamps. Filter by folder, name, tag, or date. Sort by name or modified.
search_notes	Search note text for terms (OR, case-insensitive substrings); paths and frontmatter titles are searched first. Filter by folder, tag, or date. Returns paths with one context line each, never the note body, after a status line that states which CouchDB sequence the index is caught up with.
delete_note	Delete a note
move_note	Move or rename a note — works across folders, creates destination folders automatically
get_note_metadata	Get frontmatter, tags, outgoing links, backlinks, size, and timestamps — navigate the knowledge graph

Every tool response includes an Obsidian deep link (obsidian://open?vault=...&file=...) that works on Mac and iOS.

"Add a bullet point to my daily note." "Find my notes about the MCP server and fix the typo in the second one."

---

Authentication

Set MCP_AUTH_TOKEN to a password to enable authentication:

MCP_AUTH_TOKEN=mysecretpassword npx obsidian-sync-mcp

The server includes a self-contained OAuth 2.1 provider. When an agent connects:

1. A browser window opens with a password page
2. Enter the MCP_AUTH_TOKEN password
3. The agent gets an access token and refreshes it transparently

The session is shared across all your Claude interfaces (Desktop, Web, Mobile) and persists across server restarts. You'll need to re-enter the password after 14 days of inactivity (configurable via MCP_REFRESH_DAYS).

For non-OAuth clients (curl, MCP Inspector, custom agents), you can also pass the token directly as Authorization: Bearer <MCP_AUTH_TOKEN>.

Without MCP_AUTH_TOKEN, the server runs without authentication — suitable for local use or behind a private network.

---

Environment variables

Variable	Required	Default	Description
VAULT_PATH	Filesystem mode	—	Path to your Obsidian vault directory
COUCHDB_URL	CouchDB mode	—	CouchDB server URL
COUCHDB_USER	CouchDB mode	admin	CouchDB username
COUCHDB_PASSWORD	CouchDB mode	—	CouchDB password (required)
COUCHDB_DATABASE	CouchDB mode	obsidian	CouchDB database name. The server never creates it: if it doesn't exist, startup fails with an error
COUCHDB_PASSPHRASE	CouchDB mode	—	LiveSync E2E encryption passphrase (must match plugin setting)
COUCHDB_OBFUSCATE_PROPERTIES	CouchDB mode	false	Set to true if "Obfuscate Properties" is enabled in LiveSync (obfuscates file paths, sizes, dates in the database). For existing vaults the actual setting is auto-detected at startup; this value only decides the format for a brand-new empty database
COUCHDB_ID_DERIVATION_KEY	CouchDB mode	—	LiveSync "independent ID derivation" recovery code (sls-id-v1:...). Needed to read and write notes on vaults created with LiveSync 1.0.33+ that use path obfuscation; leave unset for older (passphrase-derived) vaults. Get it from LiveSync's "Show current recovery code"
COUCHDB_CASE_SENSITIVE	CouchDB mode	false	Set to true only if your LiveSync vault has "Handle filenames as case-sensitive" enabled. It must match the vault, or obfuscated document IDs won't resolve (the server fails to start with a clear message). Leave unset otherwise
VAULT_NAME	Both	MyVault	Vault name (used for deep links and index storage)
MCP_AUTH_TOKEN	Optional	—	Password for authentication
BASE_URL	Optional	http://localhost:PORT	Public URL (for OAuth callbacks when using a tunnel)
PORT	Optional	8787	HTTP port
HOST	Optional	0.0.0.0	Bind address (127.0.0.1 to restrict to localhost)
MCP_ALLOWED_HOSTS	Optional	—	Comma-separated extra Host values accepted in no-auth mode (e.g. 192.168.1.5,mybox.local). No-auth mode rejects any other Host to block browser DNS-rebinding; localhost is always allowed. Ignored when MCP_AUTH_TOKEN is set.
DATA_DIR	Optional	~/.obsidian-mcp	Directory for persisted data (metadata index, auth tokens)
LOG_LEVEL	Optional	—	Set to debug for verbose logging (library logs, change feed, index sync)
DISPLAY_TIMEZONE	Optional	server's zone	IANA time zone for the human-readable half of the server time in search_notes status lines (UTC is always printed beside it), e.g. Europe/Berlin. An invalid zone falls back to UTC with a warning at startup
MCP_REFRESH_DAYS	Optional	14	Days before auth session expires
READ_ONLY	Optional	false	Set to true to disable all write tools (write_note, edit_note, delete_note, move_note). Only read tools are exposed via MCP, and the vault backend rejects writes as well. Useful when sharing the server with multiple AI clients and write access should be opt-in. This protects the vault from MCP clients; it is not a database-level guarantee. To make CouchDB itself refuse writes, use CouchDB-side controls, such as a validate_doc_update function that rejects the server's CouchDB user.
WRITE_FOLDERS	Optional	—	Comma-separated list of vault-relative folders where writes are allowed (e.g. MCP,Inbox). When set, the whole vault stays readable but write_note, edit_note, delete_note, and move_note refuse paths outside these folders (move_note requires both source and destination to be writable). Enforced server-side, unlike MCP_INSTRUCTIONS. Matching is case-sensitive and folder-boundary-aware (MCP matches MCP/note.md but not MCP-private/note.md). Ignored when READ_ONLY=true; unset means the whole vault is writable.
MCP_INSTRUCTIONS	Optional	—	Extra text appended to the server's MCP instructions (the string clients inject into the system prompt). Use this to bake vault-specific conventions into the server — e.g. folder structure, naming rules, folders to avoid — so they apply across every MCP client without per-client config. Best-effort: not all clients respect instructions.
MCP_INSTRUCTIONS_FILE	Optional	—	Path to a file (e.g. markdown) whose contents are appended to the MCP instructions. Easier than MCP_INSTRUCTIONS for multi-line conventions. If both are set, the file wins and MCP_INSTRUCTIONS is ignored (with a startup warning). Missing/unreadable file or files larger than 32 KB are fatal startup errors. Store this file somewhere only the service user can write (e.g. chmod 600) — its contents land in every MCP session's system prompt, so write access to it = prompt-injection access to every client.

Set VAULT_PATH for filesystem mode or COUCHDB_URL for CouchDB mode.

---

Try without an agent

Test the server interactively using the MCP Inspector:

VAULT_PATH=~/Documents/MyVault npx obsidian-sync-mcp &
npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector

Set transport to Streamable HTTP, enter http://localhost:8787/mcp, and connect.

---

How to update

How you run it	How to update
npx obsidian-sync-mcp	Automatic — npx pulls latest
Fly.io	From the same directory where you ran setup: fly deploy. If you lost the fly.toml, run fly config save --app your-app-name to restore it.
Docker	docker pull ghcr.io/es617/obsidian-sync-mcp:latest and restart. The image runs as the unprivileged node user (uid 1000). If your data volume was created by an older image that ran as root, make it writable once: docker run --rm -v mcp-data:/data alpine chown -R 1000:1000 /data (for a bind mount, chown -R 1000:1000 the host directory)

---

Known limitations

• Single vault per instance. Each server connects to one vault. For multiple vaults, run multiple instances on different ports.
• Single machine on Fly.io. Auth state is in-memory, so multiple machines break the OAuth flow. The setup script enforces this automatically.
• No conflict resolution. If an agent and Obsidian edit the same note simultaneously, last write wins.
• Text only. Binary attachments are not exposed through MCP tools.
• Deep links depend on the client. Obsidian obsidian:// deep links are included in every tool response. They work on Claude Mobile and in browsers, but some clients (Claude Desktop) may not render them as clickable links.
• Node 22+ required.
• Setup script requires bash. The deploy/setup.sh script works on macOS and Linux. On Windows, use WSL or Git Bash.

---

Safety

This server gives an AI agent read/write access to your Obsidian vault.

Agents can modify and delete notes. Keep backups. Use tool approval deliberately.

Authentication is optional. Always set MCP_AUTH_TOKEN when exposing to the internet.

Use HTTPS in production. Use a tunnel or deploy behind a reverse proxy.

Don't leave LOG_LEVEL=debug on in production. Debug logging records every tool call's arguments, including note contents, and full error stacks. Credentials embedded in COUCHDB_URL are redacted from logs at every level.

This software is provided as-is under the MIT license. You are responsible for what agents do with your vault.

---

Development

git clone --recursive https://github.com/es617/obsidian-sync-mcp.git
cd obsidian-sync-mcp
npm install && npm run build
npm test          # unit tests
npm run test:e2e  # integration tests

---

License

MIT — see LICENSE.

Acknowledgements

• Self-hosted LiveSync by vrtmrz — the Obsidian plugin and CouchDB sync protocol
• livesync-commonlib by vrtmrz — the shared library for reading/writing the LiveSync document format
• FastMCP — TypeScript MCP framework
• CouchDB — document database
• Fly.io — deployment platform