# Obsidian > Interact with Obsidian vaults using the Obsidian CLI. Use when the user wants to manage notes, search vaults, create/read/edit files, manage tags, tasks, properties, plugins, sync, publish, or any other Obsidian vault operation from the terminal. Use when this capability is needed. - Skill: `tomevault-io/obsidian-19` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add tomevault-io/obsidian-19` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tomevault-io/obsidian-19/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Coding & Dev Tools - Author: tomevault-io (https://skillmd.com/u/tomevault-io) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tomevault-io/obsidian-19 --- # Obsidian CLI Control Obsidian from the terminal. Requires Obsidian 1.12+ running with CLI enabled. ## Quick Usage Single command: `obsidian [params] [flags]` Interactive TUI: `obsidian` (then type commands interactively) ## Syntax Rules - **Parameters** take values: `parameter=value` or `parameter="value with spaces"` - **Flags** are boolean switches: `silent`, `overwrite`, `total` - **Newlines** in content: use `\n` for newlines, `\t` for tabs - **Vault targeting**: `vault=` (defaults to current working directory vault) - **File targeting**: `file=` (wikilink resolution) or `path=` (exact path) - **Copy output**: append `--copy` to any command ## Core Commands ### Files & Notes ```bash # List, read, create, modify files obsidian files # list all vault files obsidian files folder=projects ext=md # filter by folder/extension obsidian read file="My Note" # read file contents (wikilink) obsidian read path="folder/note.md" # read file contents (exact path) obsidian create name="New Note" content="# Title\nBody text" obsidian create name="From Template" template="Meeting Notes" obsidian create path="projects/idea.md" content="content" overwrite obsidian open file="My Note" # open in Obsidian obsidian open file="My Note" newtab # open in new tab obsidian append file="My Note" content="\n- New item" obsidian prepend file="My Note" content="Top content" obsidian move file="Old Name" to="new/path.md" obsidian delete file="My Note" # trash obsidian delete file="My Note" permanent # permanent delete obsidian file file="My Note" # show file info ``` ### Search ```bash obsidian search query="search term" obsidian search query="regex pattern" format=json matches obsidian search query="keyword" path=projects limit=10 total obsidian search:open query="open in UI" ``` ### Daily Notes ```bash obsidian daily # open today's daily note obsidian daily silent # create without opening obsidian daily:read # read today's daily note obsidian daily:append content="- Task done" obsidian daily:prepend content="## Morning\nNotes here" ``` ### Tags ```bash obsidian tags # list all tags obsidian tags file="My Note" # tags in specific file obsidian tags sort=count counts # sorted by frequency obsidian tag name=project total verbose ``` ### Tasks ```bash obsidian tasks # all tasks obsidian tasks todo # uncompleted only obsidian tasks done # completed only obsidian tasks file="My Note" # tasks in specific file obsidian tasks daily # tasks in daily note obsidian task ref="path/note.md:15" toggle # toggle task on line 15 obsidian task file="My Note" line=15 done # mark done ``` ### Properties (Frontmatter) ```bash obsidian properties # list all properties obsidian properties file="My Note" format=yaml obsidian property:read name=status file="My Note" obsidian property:set name=status value=done file="My Note" obsidian property:set name=tags value="[a,b]" type=list file="My Note" obsidian property:remove name=draft file="My Note" obsidian aliases all # list all aliases ``` ### Links & Graph ```bash obsidian backlinks file="My Note" # what links to this obsidian backlinks file="My Note" counts total obsidian links file="My Note" # outgoing links obsidian unresolved total counts # broken links obsidian orphans # no backlinks obsidian deadends # no outgoing links ``` ### Outline & Wordcount ```bash obsidian outline file="My Note" # headings obsidian outline file="My Note" format=tree obsidian wordcount file="My Note" obsidian wordcount file="My Note" words # words only obsidian wordcount file="My Note" characters # chars only ``` ### Bookmarks ```bash obsidian bookmarks # list bookmarks obsidian bookmarks total verbose obsidian bookmark file="My Note" # bookmark a file obsidian bookmark file="My Note" subpath="Section" obsidian bookmark search="query" title="Saved Search" obsidian bookmark url="https://..." title="Web Link" ``` ### Templates ```bash obsidian templates # list templates obsidian template:read name="Meeting Notes" obsidian template:read name="Meeting Notes" title="Q1 Review" resolve obsidian template:insert name="Meeting Notes" ``` ### Plugins ```bash obsidian plugins # all installed obsidian plugins:enabled filter=community versions obsidian plugin id=dataview # plugin info obsidian plugin:enable id=dataview obsidian plugin:disable id=dataview obsidian plugin:install id=dataview enable # install + enable obsidian plugin:uninstall id=dataview obsidian plugin:reload id=my-plugin # dev reload obsidian plugins:restrict on # restricted mode ``` ### Sync ```bash obsidian sync:status # sync status + usage obsidian sync on # resume sync obsidian sync off # pause sync obsidian sync:history file="My Note" # version history obsidian sync:read file="My Note" version=2 obsidian sync:restore file="My Note" version=2 obsidian sync:deleted # list deleted files ``` ### Publish ```bash obsidian publish:site # site info obsidian publish:list total # published files obsidian publish:status # pending changes obsidian publish:add file="My Note" # publish file obsidian publish:add changed # publish all changes obsidian publish:remove file="My Note" # unpublish obsidian publish:open file="My Note" # open on site ``` ### Vault & Workspace ```bash obsidian vault # vault info obsidian vault info=size # specific info obsidian vaults # list all vaults obsidian folders # list folders obsidian folder path=projects info=size obsidian workspaces # list workspaces obsidian workspace:save name=coding obsidian workspace:load name=coding obsidian workspace:delete name=old obsidian workspace # show workspace tree obsidian tabs # list open tabs obsidian recents # recent files ``` ### Bases (Database) ```bash obsidian bases # list .base files obsidian base:views file="My Base" obsidian base:create name="New Item" content="data" obsidian base:query file="My Base" format=json obsidian base:query file="My Base" view="Table View" format=csv ``` ### File History (Local Recovery) ```bash obsidian history file="My Note" # list versions obsidian history:list # all files with history obsidian history:read file="My Note" version=1 obsidian history:restore file="My Note" version=1 obsidian diff file="My Note" # compare versions obsidian diff file="My Note" from=1 to=3 ``` ### Themes & Snippets ```bash obsidian themes versions obsidian theme name="Minimal" obsidian theme:set name="Minimal" obsidian theme:install name="Minimal" enable obsidian theme:uninstall name="Minimal" obsidian snippets obsidian snippet:enable name="custom" obsidian snippet:disable name="custom" ``` ### Developer ```bash obsidian eval code="app.vault.getFiles().length" obsidian dev:console limit=20 level=error obsidian dev:errors obsidian dev:screenshot path="screenshot.png" obsidian dev:dom selector=".workspace" text obsidian dev:css selector=".nav-header" prop=background obsidian devtools ``` ### Other ```bash obsidian commands # list command palette commands obsidian command id="editor:toggle-bold" # execute command obsidian hotkeys # list hotkeys obsidian random # open random note obsidian random:read folder=journal # read random note obsidian unique name="Zettel" # create unique note obsidian web url="https://example.com" # open in web viewer obsidian version obsidian reload obsidian restart ``` ## Guidelines When using the Obsidian CLI on behalf of the user: 1. **Check vault context first**: Run `obsidian vault` to confirm which vault is active if uncertain 2. **Use `file=` for note names** (wikilink-style resolution) and `path=` for exact file paths 3. **Prefer non-destructive operations**: Use `read` before `append`/`prepend` to understand existing content 4. **Escape content properly**: Use `\n` for newlines in content parameters, quote values with spaces 5. **Use `silent` flag** when creating/modifying notes that don't need to be opened in the UI 6. **Use `format=json`** for search results when you need to parse the output programmatically 7. **Batch operations**: For multiple operations, consider the TUI mode or chain commands For the full command reference with all parameters and flags, see [reference.md](reference.md). --- > Converted and distributed by [TomeVault](https://tomevault.io/claim/sidedwards) — claim your Tome and manage your conversions.