What is the key difference between Mcp Obsidian and Obsidian Mcp Server?

Mcp Obsidian belongs to the Knowledge & Memory category with local stdio execution, while Obsidian Mcp Server belongs to the Knowledge & Memory category with local stdio execution.

How do I install Mcp Obsidian or Obsidian Mcp Server in Claude Desktop or Cursor?

Copy the mcpServers JSON configuration snippet provided on this page into your claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json file and restart your AI client.

Are Mcp Obsidian and Obsidian Mcp Server free or paid?

Mcp Obsidian operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required). Obsidian Mcp Server operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required).

Which MCP server has more tools and community activity?

Mcp Obsidian lists 6 tools with 2 views and 1,595 GitHub stars. Obsidian Mcp Server lists 31 tools with 0 views and 18 GitHub stars.

Can I use both Mcp Obsidian and Obsidian Mcp Server together in the same MCP host?

Yes! MCP hosts like Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, and VS Code support configuring multiple servers under the mcpServers object simultaneously.

How do I install Mcp Obsidian or Obsidian Mcp Server in Claude Desktop, Cursor, or Windsurf?

Both servers follow the standard Model Context Protocol configuration format. Simply copy the JSON block from the configuration section above and paste it into your AI client's mcpServers configuration object (for instance in claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json ), then completely restart or refresh the application.

Are Mcp Obsidian and Obsidian Mcp Server free to use, or do they require API keys?

Mcp Obsidian is listed under a Free / Open Source model with No auth required . Obsidian Mcp Server operates under a Free / Open Source model with No auth required . If environment variables are required (such as API keys), be sure to define them under the env key in your MCP client's configuration file.

Can I run both Mcp Obsidian and Obsidian Mcp Server at the same time in my AI client?

Yes! MCP clients support multi-server orchestration. You can include both bitbonsai-mcp-obsidian and smith-and-web-obsidian-mcp-server as distinct keys inside the single mcpServers object in your configuration file. Your AI assistant will automatically select and call the appropriate tool from either server during chat sessions.

Which MCP server has higher directory engagement and quality ratings?

On AllMCPs, Mcp Obsidian has a Quality Score of 52 /100 ( Fair ) with 2 views, 0 installs, and 1,595 GitHub stars. Obsidian Mcp Server holds a Quality Score of 52 /100 ( Fair ) with 0 views, 0 installs, and 18 GitHub stars.

Side-by-Side Model Context Protocol Comparison

Mcp Obsidian vs Obsidian Mcp Server

In-depth architectural comparison of the Mcp Obsidian and Obsidian Mcp Server MCP servers. Compare execution transports, security boundaries, tool capabilities, quality scores, and ready-to-paste client installation snippets for Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, and VS Code.

At a Glance & Executive Verdict

Mcp Obsidian

Knowledge & Memory · Local stdio

Quality: 52/100 (Fair) | Auth: No auth required

Obsidian Mcp Server

Knowledge & Memory · Local stdio

Quality: 52/100 (Fair) | Auth: No auth required

Verdict Summary: Choose Mcp Obsidian if you need specialized Knowledge & Memory tools running via a local process. Choose Obsidian Mcp Server if your workspace requires Knowledge & Memory integration with local subprocess execution. Both servers can be configured concurrently in your client's mcpServers manifest.

Which MCP Server Should You Choose?

Choose Mcp Obsidian when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Knowledge & Memory domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).
Primary tools included: Safe YAML frontmatter parsing and AST-aware updates, File operations: read, write, patch, delete, move notes/files, Partial reads: get note outlines and specific line ranges.

Explore Mcp Obsidian Details

Choose Obsidian Mcp Server when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Knowledge & Memory domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).
Primary tools included: read-note, read-multiple-notes, create-note.

Explore Obsidian Mcp Server Details

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	Mcp Obsidian bitbonsai Knowledge & Memory	Obsidian Mcp Server smith-and-web Knowledge & Memory
Summary	Universal AI bridge for Obsidian vaults using MCP. Provides safe read/write access to notes with 11 comprehensive methods for vault operations including search, batch operations, tag management, and frontmatter handling. Works with Claude, ChatGPT, and any MCP-compatible AI assistant.	SSE-enabled MCP server for remote Obsidian vault management with 29 tools for notes, directories, frontmatter, tags, search, and link operations. Docker-ready with health monitoring.
Category & Scope	Knowledge & Memory	Knowledge & Memory
Quality signal	52/100 (Fair)	52/100 (Fair)
Transport Protocol	Local Subprocess (stdio)	Local Subprocess (stdio)
Auth Requirement	No auth required	No auth required
Pricing Model	Free / Open Source	Free / Open Source
Required Env Vars	None required	None required
Compatible Clients	Claude DesktopCursorWindsurfClineVS Code	Claude DesktopCursorWindsurfClineVS Code
Install path signal	`npx · low`	`npx · high`
Engagement & Health	2 views 0 copies 0 upvotes 1,595 stars	0 views 0 copies 0 upvotes 18 stars
Verified / Official	Community Listing	Community Listing
Open full listing	View Mcp Obsidian Listing	View Obsidian Mcp Server Listing

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

Mcp Obsidian Tools (6)

Safe YAML frontmatter parsing and AST-aware updates

File operations: read, write, patch, delete, move notes/files

Partial reads: get note outlines and specific line ranges

Directory listing and batch reading of notes

Search with BM25 relevance reranking

Tag management: add, remove, list tags

Obsidian Mcp Server Tools (31)

read-note

Read note contents (supports `frontmatterOnly` for efficiency)

read-multiple-notes

Batch read multiple notes

create-note

Create a new note

edit-note

Replace note contents

write-note

Write with modes: overwrite, append, or prepend

delete-note

Delete a note (requires confirmation)

move-note

Move/rename a note

duplicate-note

Copy a note to a new location

get-notes-info

Get file metadata without reading content

list-vault

List files and directories

create-directory

Create a new directory

delete-directory

Delete a directory (with recursive option)

+19 more tools listed on main page

Ready-to-Paste Client Configurations

Paste either (or both) of these JSON server blocks into your client config file (e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json).

Mcp Obsidian Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "bitbonsai-mcp-obsidian": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "bitbonsai-mcp-obsidian"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Obsidian Mcp Server Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "smith-and-web-obsidian-mcp-server": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@smith-and-web/obsidian-mcp-server"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions

Mcp Obsidian is categorized under Knowledge & Memory and uses a local stdio subprocess. In contrast, Obsidian Mcp Server belongs to Knowledge & Memory using local stdio subprocess. Select Mcp Obsidian when you need capabilities focused on knowledge & memory and Obsidian Mcp Server when you require tools for knowledge & memory.

More alternatives to Mcp Obsidian More alternatives to Obsidian Mcp Server Knowledge & Memory category hub