obsidian-cli Skill for Claude Code: Read, Write and Search Obsidian Notes from the CLI

Lets your assistant read, create, search and edit notes in an open Obsidian vault through the obsidian command line, and debug plugins.

Installs: 82.1K; on skills.sh
Stars: 50.6K; on GitHub
Updated: Sep 2026; last repo commit

obsidian-cli makes your assistant drive Obsidian with its obsidian command line. It requires Obsidian to be open. The assistant reads, creates, appends to and searches notes, works with daily notes, tasks, tags, backlinks and properties, and can target a file by name, an exact path or a specific vault.

The second half is for plugin and theme developers: reload a plugin, check errors, take a screenshot or inspect the DOM, read console output, run JavaScript in the app and toggle mobile emulation. The skill tells the assistant to run obsidian help for the current command list. It bundles no scripts and names no API key.

Good for

Obsidian users who want an assistant to search and edit their vault
Plugin and theme developers who need a reload and error loop
People who manage daily notes, tasks and properties by command

Install obsidian-cli

Claude Code

Copy this prompt.

Install the obsidian-cli skill in Claude Code. Run this command:

npx skills add https://github.com/kepano/obsidian-skills --skill obsidian-cli

Then check that it loaded and tell me how to use it.

2
Paste it into Claude Code. It shows the change and asks before running it.

Requires Node.js.

From its listing on skills.sh. Source.

What's in the skill

When it loads

Interact with Obsidian vaults using the Obsidian CLI to read, create, search, and manage notes, tasks, properties, and more. Also supports plugin and theme development with commands to reload plugins, run JavaScript, capture errors, take screenshots, and inspect the DOM. Use when the user asks to interact with their Obsidian vault, manage notes, search vault content, perform vault operations from the command line, or develop and debug Obsidian plugins and themes.

Sections in SKILL.md

Command reference
Syntax
File targeting
Vault targeting
Common patterns
Plugin development
Develop/test cycle
Additional developer commands

Key facts

Author: kepano (obsidian-skills)
Repo: kepano/obsidian-skills
Installs on skills.sh: 82,088 (Nov 2, 2026)
GitHub stars (whole repo): 50,577 (Nov 2, 2026)
License: MIT
Last repo commit: Sep 15, 2026
Files in the skill folder: 1 file: SKILL.md
skills.sh audits: Gen Agent Trust Hub warn, Socket pass, Snyk pass
Needs: Obsidian open, with the obsidian command available
Full command docs: help.obsidian.md/cli

What it includes

Read a note, create one (optionally from a template) or append text
Write · read, create, append
Search the vault with a query and a result limit
Read · search
Read today's daily note or add a line, such as a task
Write · daily:read, daily:append
Set a property such as status on a note
Write · property:set
List tasks, tags with counts, and backlinks for a note
Read · tasks, tags, backlinks
Reload a plugin and list errors, in a fix-and-repeat loop
Runs code · plugin:reload, dev:errors
Take a screenshot, inspect the DOM, read console output, check CSS
Read · dev:screenshot, dev:dom, dev:console, dev:css
Run JavaScript code inside the Obsidian app
Runs code · eval
Toggle mobile emulation
Runs code · dev:mobile

From the official docs

Permissions

Medium risk

The skill lets your assistant change notes and run code inside Obsidian. Back up your vault and name the vault you want it to use.

What it can do

Read your data
Create and change things
Delete things
Read-only mode

Watch out for

It can create and overwrite notes in your vault
The create command accepts an overwrite flag, and append and property:set change existing notes. Keep a backup or version history of your vault. github.com
It can run JavaScript inside the Obsidian app
The eval command runs code in the app context. Use it only on a vault and plugins you trust. github.com
It acts on the most recently focused vault
Without a vault name, commands target the last focused vault. Name the vault in your prompt if you have several. github.com

Technical details

Scopes	Your Obsidian vaults

Questions

What does the obsidian-cli skill do?

It makes your assistant manage an Obsidian vault with the obsidian command line. It can read, create, search and edit notes, and help develop plugins and themes.

How do I install the obsidian-cli skill?

Use the install box at the top of this page.

What does it need to run?

Obsidian must be open. The skill uses the obsidian CLI and says to run obsidian help for the current commands; the full docs are on the Obsidian help site.

Can it delete notes?

The SKILL.md shows commands to read, create, append, search and set properties, and does not show a delete command. It does show an overwrite flag on create.

How is it different from obsidian-markdown or obsidian-bases?

The kepano/obsidian-skills README lists obsidian-markdown for writing Obsidian Flavored Markdown and obsidian-bases for .base files. This skill is about operating a running vault through the CLI.

Is the obsidian-cli skill safe to install?

It bundles no scripts, but it lets the assistant edit your notes and run JavaScript inside Obsidian. Back up your vault before you try it.

Information

updated Nov 2, 2026

Repository: kepano/obsidian-skills
Folder: skills/obsidian-cli

kepano/obsidian-skills skills.sh

Sources

Docs, issue trackers and discussions this page is built from.

Show all 3

obsidian-cli SKILL.md · github.com
kepano/obsidian-skills README · github.com
obsidian-cli on skills.sh · skills.sh