What are the two ways to connect this MCP server to my Obsidian vault?

You can use local filesystem mode by setting VAULT_PATH to your vault directory, or use Self-hosted LiveSync mode by configuring CouchDB credentials (COUCHDB_URL, COUCHDB_USER, COUCHDB_PASSWORD, COUCHDB_DATABASE). The CouchDB mode also supports E2E encryption via COUCHDB_PASSPHRASE.

Do I need to set up authentication to use this server?

For local filesystem mode, no authentication is required beyond setting VAULT_PATH. For CouchDB mode, you must provide COUCHDB_USER and COUCHDB_PASSWORD. Optional OAuth authentication is available via MCP_AUTH_TOKEN and BASE_URL if you're using a tunnel.

What does the COUCHDB_OBFUSCATE_PROPERTIES setting do?

When set to 'true', it obfuscates file paths, file sizes, and modification dates in your vault. Enable this only if you have 'Obfuscate Properties' enabled in your LiveSync plugin settings to ensure consistency.

Can I use this server with Obsidian's official sync service instead of Self-hosted LiveSync?

No, this server only supports local filesystem access or Self-hosted LiveSync with CouchDB. Official Obsidian Sync is not supported.

What is the VAULT_NAME environment variable used for?

VAULT_NAME is used to identify your vault for deep links and index storage, helping the server organize and reference your notes correctly.

MCP ServerSTDIOOfficialv0.5.2

Es617 Obsidian Sync MCP Server

Access your Obsidian vault through AI agents via local filesystem or Self-hosted LiveSync CouchDB. Enables AI to read, query, and work with your notes directly from your vault.

io.github.es617/obsidian-sync-mcp

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Hosted URL

Local install

Transport

STDIO

Auth

No auth required

What the Es617 Obsidian Sync MCP server does

How models use it and what it is built for.

Access your Obsidian vault through AI agents via local filesystem or Self-hosted LiveSync CouchDB. Enables AI to read, query, and work with your notes directly from your vault.

Connect to Es617 Obsidian Sync

Local install — runs as a subprocess.

npx obsidian-sync-mcp@0.5.2

Environment variables

Configuration this server reads at startup.

VAULT_PATH
Path to your Obsidian vault directory (filesystem mode)
COUCHDB_URL
CouchDB server URL (CouchDB mode)
COUCHDB_USER
CouchDB username
COUCHDB_PASSWORDSecret
CouchDB password (required in CouchDB mode)
COUCHDB_DATABASE
CouchDB database name
COUCHDB_PASSPHRASESecret
LiveSync E2E encryption passphrase (must match plugin setting)
COUCHDB_OBFUSCATE_PROPERTIES
Set to 'true' if 'Obfuscate Properties' is enabled in LiveSync (obfuscates file paths, sizes, dates)
VAULT_NAME
Vault name for deep links and index storage
MCP_AUTH_TOKENSecret
Password for OAuth authentication
BASE_URL
Public URL for OAuth callbacks (required when using a tunnel)
PORT
HTTP port

Resources

Where to find authoritative docs and source for Es617 Obsidian Sync.

Source repository

Example prompts for Es617 Obsidian Sync

Paste any of these into Agent Studio after connecting Es617 Obsidian Sync.

List all notes in my Obsidian vault and show their file paths
Search for notes containing 'project planning' and summarize their content
Connect to my CouchDB LiveSync instance and retrieve recent vault changes
Explain how to set up the COUCHDB_PASSPHRASE environment variable for E2E encryption

Es617 Obsidian Sync MCP server — FAQ

Common questions about connecting and running Es617 Obsidian Sync.

What are the two ways to connect this MCP server to my Obsidian vault?
You can use local filesystem mode by setting VAULT_PATH to your vault directory, or use Self-hosted LiveSync mode by configuring CouchDB credentials (COUCHDB_URL, COUCHDB_USER, COUCHDB_PASSWORD, COUCHDB_DATABASE). The CouchDB mode also supports E2E encryption via COUCHDB_PASSPHRASE.
Do I need to set up authentication to use this server?
For local filesystem mode, no authentication is required beyond setting VAULT_PATH. For CouchDB mode, you must provide COUCHDB_USER and COUCHDB_PASSWORD. Optional OAuth authentication is available via MCP_AUTH_TOKEN and BASE_URL if you're using a tunnel.
What does the COUCHDB_OBFUSCATE_PROPERTIES setting do?
When set to 'true', it obfuscates file paths, file sizes, and modification dates in your vault. Enable this only if you have 'Obfuscate Properties' enabled in your LiveSync plugin settings to ensure consistency.
Can I use this server with Obsidian's official sync service instead of Self-hosted LiveSync?
No, this server only supports local filesystem access or Self-hosted LiveSync with CouchDB. Official Obsidian Sync is not supported.
What is the VAULT_NAME environment variable used for?
VAULT_NAME is used to identify your vault for deep links and index storage, helping the server organize and reference your notes correctly.

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