# Obsidian > Manage Obsidian vaults via CLI (`obsidian` command). Covers notes, daily notes, search, tags, properties, tasks, templates, backlinks, plugins, themes, sync, and developer tools. Use when reading, creating, editing, searching, or organizing notes in Obsidian from the terminal. - Skill: `adipp/obsidian` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add adipp/obsidian` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/adipp/obsidian/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Coding & Dev Tools - Author: AdiPP (https://skillmd.com/u/adipp) - Updated: 2026-09-22 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/adipp/obsidian --- # Obsidian CLI Skill The `obsidian` CLI controls the Obsidian desktop app from the terminal. It communicates with the running app — Obsidian must be open. ## Prerequisites - Obsidian desktop app running - `obsidian` CLI installed and on PATH ## How file arguments work | Form | Behavior | |---|---| | `file=` | Wikilink-style name matching (fuzzy, resolves by note name) | | `path=` | Exact filesystem path (`folder/note.md`) | | Omitted | Defaults to the active file in Obsidian | Quote values with spaces: `name="My Note"`. Use `\n` for newline, `\t` for tab in content values. ## Vault targeting Pass `vault=` to target a specific vault. Omit when only one vault exists. ## Command tree ``` obsidian ├── File ops: create | read | append | prepend | delete | move | rename | open | file | files | folders | folder ├── Daily notes: daily | daily:read | daily:append | daily:prepend | daily:path ├── Search: search | search:context | search:open ├── Tags: tags | tag ├── Properties: properties | property:read | property:set | property:remove ├── Tasks: tasks | task ├── Templates: templates | template:read | template:insert ├── Links: backlinks | links | orphans | deadends | unresolved ├── History: history | history:list | history:read | history:restore | history:open ├── Sync: sync | sync:status | sync:history | sync:read | sync:restore | sync:deleted | sync:open ├── Plugins: plugins | plugins:enabled | plugins:restrict | plugin | plugin:install | plugin:enable | plugin:disable | plugin:reload | plugin:uninstall ├── Themes: themes | theme | theme:install | theme:set | theme:uninstall ├── Bookmarks: bookmarks | bookmark ├── Tabs: tabs | tab:open ├── Bases: bases | base:create | base:query | base:views ├── Snippets: snippets | snippets:enabled | snippet:enable | snippet:disable ├── Dev tools: eval | devtools | dev:dom | dev:css | dev:console | dev:errors | dev:screenshot | dev:debug | dev:cdp | dev:mobile └── Misc: vault | vaults | reload | restart | version | random | random:read | recents | outline | aliases | wordcount | commands | command | hotkeys | hotkey | workspace | diff ``` ## File operations ### create ```bash obsidian create name="My Note" content="# Hello" obsidian create path=journal/entry.md template=daily overwrite open obsidian create name="Project" content="# Notes" newtab ``` | Param | Purpose | |---|---| | `name=` | File name (wikilink resolution) | | `path=` | Exact file path | | `content=` | Initial content | | `template=` | Template to use | | `overwrite` | Overwrite if exists | | `open` | Open after creating | | `newtab` | Open in new tab | ### read / append / prepend ```bash obsidian read file="Meeting Notes" # read by name obsidian read path=journal/2024-01-01.md # read by path obsidian append path=log.md content="New entry\nline two" # append content obsidian prepend path=log.md content="# Header" # prepend content obsidian append path=log.md content="inline text" inline # no trailing newline ``` `append` and `prepend` require `content=`. ### delete / move / rename / open ```bash obsidian delete file="Draft" # trash (safe) obsidian delete path=temp.md permanent # skip trash obsidian move file=Chapter1 to="Archive/Chapter1" # move to folder obsidian rename file=WIP name="Final" # rename file obsidian open path=dashboard.md # open in current tab obsidian open file="Daily" newtab # open in new tab ``` ### file / files / folders / folder — list and inspect ```bash obsidian file path=note.md # file info (metadata) obsidian files # all files obsidian files folder=Projects ext=.md total # filtered + count obsidian folders # all folders obsidian folders folder=Projects total # subfolder count obsidian folder path=References # folder info obsidian folder path=References info=size # size only ``` `files` supports `folder=`, `ext=`, `total`. `folder` supports `info=files|folders|size`. ## Daily notes ```bash obsidian daily # open today's daily obsidian daily paneType=split # open in split pane obsidian daily:read # read today's daily obsidian daily:append content="Task: review PR" # append to daily obsidian daily:prepend content="## Morning" # prepend to daily obsidian daily:append content="line" inline # append without newline obsidian daily:path # get daily note path ``` Use `open` flag on append/prepend to open the file after adding content. `paneType=tab|split|window` controls where daily opens. ## Search ```bash obsidian search query="meeting notes" # search vault obsidian search query="API key" path=Projects limit=10 # filtered + limited obsidian search query="TODO" case # case-sensitive obsidian search query="schema" total # match count only obsidian search:context query="function" format=json # with line context obsidian search:open query="@mentioned" # open search view ``` | Param | Purpose | |---|---| | `query=` | Search query (required) | | `path=` | Limit to folder | | `limit=` | Max results | | `case` | Case-sensitive | | `total` | Match count only | | `format=text|json` | Output format | ## Tags ```bash obsidian tags # all vault tags obsidian tags counts # with occurrence counts obsidian tags sort=count format=json # sorted by count obsidian tags file="Note" # tags on a file obsidian tags active # tags on active file obsidian tag name=project # tag info + files obsidian tag name=project verbose # include file list ``` ## Properties ```bash obsidian properties # all vault properties obsidian properties file="Note" # properties on a file obsidian properties name=status counts # property occurrence count obsidian property:read name=status file="Note" # read property value obsidian property:set name=status value=done type=text # set property obsidian property:set name=priority value=high type=list # list property type obsidian property:remove name=status file="Note" # remove property ``` `property:set` supports `type=text|list|number|checkbox|date|datetime`. ## Tasks ```bash obsidian tasks # all incomplete tasks obsidian tasks done # completed tasks obsidian tasks todo # incomplete tasks (alt) obsidian tasks status="?" # tasks with specific status obsidian tasks file="Project" verbose # tasks grouped by file obsidian tasks active # active file tasks obsidian tasks daily # daily note tasks obsidian task ref="note.md:42" toggle # toggle task status obsidian task path=note.md line=42 done # mark task done obsidian task path=note.md line=42 status="?" # set custom status ``` `task` targets a specific task by `ref=` or `file`+`line`. Supported actions: `toggle`, `done`, `todo`, `status=""`. ## Templates ```bash obsidian templates # list templates obsidian template:read name=standard # read template content obsidian template:read name=project resolve # resolve variables obsidian template:insert name=standard # insert into active file ``` `template:read` with `resolve` substitutes template variables. Optionally pass `title=` for variable resolution context. ## Links and backlinks ```bash obsidian backlinks path=note.md # incoming links obsidian backlinks file="Note" counts total # link counts obsidian backlinks path=note.md format=json # JSON output obsidian links file="Note" # outgoing links obsidian links path=note.md total # outgoing link count obsidian orphans # no incoming links obsidian deadends # no outgoing links obsidian unresolved # broken wikilinks ``` `orphans` and `deadends` support `all` (include non-markdown) and `total`. `unresolved` supports `counts`, `verbose`, `total`, `format`. ## History ```bash obsidian history path=note.md # version history obsidian history:list # files with history obsidian history:read path=note.md version=3 # read old version obsidian history:restore path=note.md version=2 # restore version obsidian history:open path=note.md # open recovery view ``` ## Sync ```bash obsidian sync on # resume sync obsidian sync off # pause sync obsidian sync:status # sync status obsidian sync:history path=note.md # sync versions obsidian sync:read path=note.md version=3 # read sync version obsidian sync:restore path=note.md version=2 # restore sync version obsidian sync:deleted # deleted sync files obsidian sync:open path=note.md # open sync history ``` ## Plugins ```bash obsidian plugins # all installed plugins obsidian plugins filter=community versions # community plugins with versions obsidian plugins:enabled # enabled plugins obsidian plugins:restrict on # enable restricted mode obsidian plugins:restrict # check restricted mode status obsidian plugin id=obsidian-map-view # plugin info obsidian plugin:install id=obsidian-git enable # install + enable obsidian plugin:enable id=obsidian-git # enable plugin obsidian plugin:disable id=obsidian-git # disable plugin obsidian plugin:reload id=my-plugin # reload (dev) obsidian plugin:uninstall id=obsidian-git # uninstall ``` Plugin lifecycle: `list → install → enable → disable → uninstall`. Use `filter=core|community` to narrow lists. ## Themes ```bash obsidian themes # installed themes obsidian theme # current theme info obsidian theme name=Minimal # theme details obsidian theme:install name=Minimal enable # install + activate obsidian theme:set name=Minimal # activate theme obsidian theme:uninstall name=Minimal # remove theme ``` ## Bookmarks ```bash obsidian bookmarks # list bookmarks obsidian bookmarks verbose format=json # with types (JSON) obsidian bookmark file=note.md # bookmark a file obsidian bookmark folder=Projects # bookmark a folder obsidian bookmark search="meeting" # bookmark a search obsidian bookmark url=https://example.com title="Example" # bookmark a URL obsidian bookmark subpath="#section" file=note.md # bookmark heading ``` ## Tabs ```bash obsidian tabs # list open tabs obsidian tabs ids # include tab IDs obsidian tab:open file=note.md # open in new tab obsidian tab:open file=dashboard.md group=<id> # open in tab group obsidian tab:open view=graph-view # open a view type ``` ## Bases ```bash obsidian bases # list base files obsidian base:create file=inventory name="Item 1" # create base item obsidian base:create file=inventory view="Grid" open newtab # open after create obsidian base:query file=inventory # query base (JSON) obsidian base:query file=inventory format=csv # CSV output obsidian base:views # views in current base ``` `base:query` supports `format=json|csv|tsv|md|paths`. ## Snippets ```bash obsidian snippets # list CSS snippets obsidian snippets:enabled # enabled snippets obsidian snippet:enable name=my-style # enable snippet obsidian snippet:disable name=my-style # disable snippet ``` ## Dev tools ```bash obsidian eval code='console.log("hello")' # execute JS obsidian devtools # toggle dev tools obsidian dev:dom selector=".markdown-source-view" # query DOM obsidian dev:dom selector="h1" text # text content obsidian dev:dom selector=".nav-file" all attr=data-path # attribute values obsidian dev:css selector=".markdown-preview-view" prop=color # inspect CSS obsidian dev:console # console messages obsidian dev:console level=error limit=10 # filter + limit obsidian dev:console clear # clear buffer obsidian dev:errors # captured errors obsidian dev:errors clear # clear error buffer obsidian dev:screenshot path=~/Desktop/shot.png # screenshot obsidian dev:debug on # attach CDP debugger obsidian dev:debug off # detach obsidian dev:cdp method=Target.getTargets # CDP command obsidian dev:cdp method=Page.navigate params='{"url":"..."}' # CDP with params obsidian dev:mobile on # mobile emulation obsidian dev:mobile off # disable ``` ## Misc commands ```bash obsidian vault # vault info obsidian vault info=files # file count obsidian vaults # known vaults obsidian vaults verbose # with paths obsidian reload # reload vault obsidian restart # restart app obsidian version # Obsidian version obsidian random # open random note obsidian random folder=Projects # from folder obsidian random:read # read random note obsidian recents # recently opened obsidian outline # active file headings obsidian outline path=note.md format=json # headings as JSON obsidian aliases file=note.md # aliases for file obsidian aliases active # active file aliases obsidian wordcount path=note.md # word + char count obsidian wordcount path=note.md words # words only obsidian diff path=note.md # local/sync diff obsidian diff path=note.md from=1 to=3 # version range obsidian commands # all commands obsidian commands filter=editor: # filtered obsidian command id=editor:insert-link # execute command obsidian hotkeys # all hotkeys obsidian hotkey id=editor:insert-link verbose # specific hotkey obsidian workspace # workspace tree obsidian workspace ids # with item IDs ``` ## Tips - **Quoting**: always quote values with spaces: `name="My Note"`, `query="search phrase"`. - **Escapes**: `\n` for newline, `\t` for tab in content values. - **Format flags**: most list commands accept `format=json|tsv|csv`. JSON is best for scripting. - **Active file default**: most file commands default to the active file when `file`/`path` is omitted. - **Counts**: pass `total` to get counts instead of detailed output. - **Vault targeting**: single-vault users can omit `vault=<name>`. Multi-vault users must specify it. - **Help**: `obsidian help <command>` for syntax on any command. - **File vs path**: `file=<name>` does wikilink resolution (fuzzy, by note name). `path=<path>` is a literal filesystem path.