Does Obsidian have an MCP server?

Obsidian doesn't ship an official MCP server, but several community projects (mcp-obsidian and similar) expose an Obsidian vault to Claude by talking to the Local REST API plugin. You run them yourself on the machine that holds the vault.

Do I need Obsidian Sync to use MCP with a vault?

No, but MCP only sees the vault on the machine running the server. Without Obsidian Sync (or git/iCloud), the assistant can only reach whichever vault copy the server sits next to.

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Comparison

Obsidian MCP vs. a hosted notes workspace

Local vault charm — and its rough edges

Obsidian is a beloved local-first markdown editor, and there are several community MCP servers (like mcp-obsidian) that let Claude read and write to a vault. If you already live in Obsidian, that's a great setup. But it's also a real amount of plumbing.

What Obsidian + MCP actually requires

An Obsidian vault on disk.
The Local REST API community plugin, enabled and running.
A community MCP server (npm or Docker), pointed at the vault.
Claude Desktop or Claude Code configured to talk to that MCP server.
The machine has to be on for the assistant to reach anything.

And to see the same notes on your phone or a second laptop, you need Obsidian Sync (paid) or a manual sync (git, iCloud, Syncthing) plus an MCP server running somewhere both can reach.

Side-by-side

	Obsidian + MCP	Muninn
Setup	Vault + plugin + local MCP server	Sign in, copy MCP URL
Cross-device	Obsidian Sync or DIY sync	Automatic
Availability	Only when your machine is on	Always on
Works in ChatGPT / Codex	Whatever your MCP server exposes	Yes — remote MCP
Editing UI	Obsidian (excellent)	Muninn web editor
Best for	Existing Obsidian users on one machine	New setups, multi-device, cross-assistant

When Obsidian MCP wins

You already have a beloved vault and don't want to move it.
You want a rich local editor with plugins and graph view.
You're comfortable maintaining a small local server stack.

When Muninn wins

You want AI memory without installing anything.
You want it available from your phone and second laptop.
You want the same store working in ChatGPT and Codex too.
You don't want a machine-must-be-on constraint.

Can I have both?

Yes — configure Claude with both MCP servers. Muninn for cross-device memory, Obsidian for local vault notes. Claude will pick whichever has what it needs.