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MCP Server for Obsidian for VS Code: Setup & Config

MCP Server for Obsidian connects VS Code to an Obsidian vault through the Local REST API plugin.

MCP Server for Obsidian VS Code configuration

  1. Choose VS Code configuration scope

    For MCP Server for Obsidian, open Workspace: .vscode/mcp.json. Merge into servers; preserve existing inputs.

  2. Add MCP Server for Obsidian to VS Code

    Use the mcp-obsidian entry below in servers. Keep MCP Server for Obsidian's documented stdio connection fields and your other VS Code entries.

  3. Check MCP Server for Obsidian in VS Code

    MCP Server for Obsidian: Start in VS Code’s MCP controls; inspect output and trust prompts.

Config file · Workspace: .vscode/mcp.json

JSON
{
  "servers": {
    "mcp-obsidian": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "mcp-obsidian"
      ],
      "env": {
        "OBSIDIAN_API_KEY": "<API key from your Obsidian Local REST API plugin>",
        "OBSIDIAN_HOST": "<Obsidian API host; defaults to 127.0.0.1>",
        "OBSIDIAN_PORT": "<Obsidian API port; defaults to 27124>"
      }
    }
  }
}

MCP Server for Obsidian in VS Code: stdio checks

  • Make uvx mcp-obsidian (from uv, for Python tools) available in the workspace, container, or remote environment hosting MCP Server for Obsidian. Start through VS Code's MCP controls; inspect output and trust prompts.
  • For MCP Server for Obsidian, keep OBSIDIAN_API_KEY, OBSIDIAN_HOST, OBSIDIAN_PORT out of version control; VS Code documents input variables and secret handling.
  • MCP Server for Obsidian uses stdio here: VS Code must keep the configured process running; protocol output belongs on stdout and diagnostics on stderr.
Tools
list_files_in_vault, list_files_in_dir, get_file_contents

MCP Server for Obsidian — details. VS Code guide

Frequently asked questions

For MCP Server for Obsidian, edit workspace .vscode/mcp.json. VS Code requires servers rather than mcpServers; preserve the displayed type on each entry.

VS Code's mcp-obsidian example uses stdio.

MCP Server for Obsidian's VS Code configuration invokes uvx mcp-obsidian (from uv, for Python tools).

VS Code's MCP Server for Obsidian example references OBSIDIAN_API_KEY, OBSIDIAN_HOST, OBSIDIAN_PORT. Check these names if startup or authentication fails; the example alone does not distinguish required from optional values.

MCP Server for Obsidian's stored list contains 7 tools, including list_files_in_vault, list_files_in_dir, get_file_contents. Compare those names with VS Code's connected tool list; the stored list is not a live check.