# please can you explain to me whether this will benefit me given that i use c;aud ## Retrieval Notes - Session id: `8357c31f-c6b4-4dc0-86c0-3ba2b32cdcbc` - Last activity: `2026-02-10T21:42:13.466Z` ## My Notes <!-- Add your notes here. This section is preserved across syncs. --> ## Conversation ### User please can you explain to me whether this will benefit me given that i use c;audian (look up claudian on github if you don't know what i am talking about tweet: To view keyboard shortcuts, press question mark View keyboard shortcuts Post See new posts Conversation kepano @kepano 1. install Obsidian 1.12 2. enable CLI 3. now OpenClaw, OpenCode, Claude Code, Codex, or any other agent can use Obsidian Quote Obsidian @obsdmd · 1h Anything you can do in Obsidian you can do from the command line. Obsidian CLI is now available in 1.12 (early access). 4:56 PM · Feb 10, 2026 · 45.1K Views Relevant View quotes gelado @gldgab · 35m Actually you don’t need Obsidian CLI to use OpenCode, Claude, or Codex. Just: `cd ~/your-vault && opencode|codex|copilot|other` kepano @kepano · 33m yes, except this lets you directly control the Obsidian UI, access devtools, do things like reload plugins, run base queries, etc From help.obsidian.md Nazmul @shuvro · 25m Amazing. But could you list some CLI workflows that enable it? Otherwise, all the files are stored in a folder, and agents can read them normally. Maybe it would be better to add some workflow examples that are only achievable via CLI? kepano @kepano · 19m you can find those here: From help.obsidian.md Michael @renasci_michael · 37m It’s not headless so I do think this change anything kepano @kepano · 31m at minimum it radically improves plugin development because now you can do full round-tripping, including getting console logs, screenshots, run eval, etc Show replies ahmad @sadjikun · 42m actually you can use claude code with obsidian even without having to enable cli. just directly in your terminal. all files are accessible in your folder through agentic search of claude code. im doing this since a while now. kepano @kepano · 34m indeed, you can already do a lot just by working with files directly Obsidian CLI is mainly focused on things you can't do that way, e.g. interacting with UI itself and tools for plugin development From help.obsidian.md Kostiantyn Sharovarskyi🇺🇦 @k_sharovarskyi · 32m It would be nice to have a headless cli to use on a VPS, e.g. to trigger obsidian sync. Currently, you need to install the gui version to have access to the cli kepano @kepano · 29m yes Marcel Kaz @twmk · 1h early access is only for paid users? kepano @kepano · 1h early access requires a Catalyst license it's a one-time $25 donation that helps Obsidian stay 100% user-supported From help.obsidian.md Heath Dingwell @HeathDingwell · 21s Keeps giving me errors on install - hopefully Claude code can figure it out since I'm horrible at this stuff. Ivan Bestvina @ibestvina · 22m Does Sync work in the CLI? If so, would this enable users to set up obsidian on a VPS and have that be the "central" instance where files are stored, with all their devices syncing to it? That would allow one to host Claude Code on there as well, and access both from any device. Derek Beauchemin @derekbeau · 44m Amazing. I already started using the CLI extension, but having it native is even better. However, now with OpenClaw, I'm pretty much just managing Obsidian through Discord. Noctrix @GogHeng · 56m there are at least 3 killer workflows : 1. Agent reads your notes → generates weekly knowledge reports 2. Agent auto-links related notes across vaults 3. Agent turns meeting transcripts into structured Obsidian pages The PKM game just went from manual to autonomous. Relevant people kepano @kepano making @obsdmd Obsidian @obsdmd The free and flexible app for your private thoughts. For help and deeper discussions, join our community: http://obsidian.md/community Live on X Trending now What’s happening Trending in Italy #Olimpiadilnvernali2026 Trending in Italy #curling Politics · Trending Pucci Trending with Sanremo Trending in Italy Parioli Show more Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | Accessibility | Ads info | More © 2026 X Corp. ### Assistant Let me look up what Obsidian CLI actually offers, and also check what Claudian is (since you're referring to your own setup — but let me confirm the GitHub context). ### Assistant OK, I now have a good picture. Let me give you the honest breakdown. --- ## What Obsidian CLI 1.12 offers Based on kepano's thread and what's documented, the new **native** Obsidian CLI lets an agent (or you) control things that go **beyond the filesystem**: - **Interact with the Obsidian UI itself** — open notes, navigate, trigger command palette commands - **Run eval / JavaScript** in Obsidian's context — access the internal API, Dataview queries, plugin APIs - **Get console logs and screenshots** — round-trip debugging for plugin development - **Reload plugins** — useful for dev workflows - **Execute Obsidian commands** — anything registered in the command palette The crucial distinction kepano makes in that thread: you can already do a lot just by working with files directly (which is what several people pointed out). The CLI is for things you **can't** do via the filesystem — controlling the Obsidian application layer. ## What you already have with Claudian (your setup) Your current setup — Claude Code running with its working directory set to your vault — already gives you: - ✅ Full file read/write/edit/search across the vault - ✅ Bash execution for scripts, PDF processing, API calls - ✅ MCP servers (Chrome automation, Smart Connections semantic search) - ✅ Skills system (smart-note, morning-review, session management, etc.) - ✅ Frontmatter, wiki-links, tags — all handled natively - ✅ Google Tasks, Calendar, Gmail integration via scripts - ✅ Session continuity architecture **Note:** The [Claudian plugin](https://github.com/YishenTu/claudian) on GitHub is a different project by YishenTu — it embeds a Claude Code chat panel inside Obsidian's sidebar. That's not your setup. Your setup is Claude Code running in the terminal (or via the Claude Agent SDK), pointed at your vault with a substantial custom configuration layer. ## Honest assessment: what would you gain? **Marginal benefit for your workflows.** Here's why: | Capability | Your current setup | Obsidian CLI would add | |---|---|---| | Read/write/search notes | ✅ Direct filesystem | Redundant | | Create notes with metadata | ✅ /smart-note | Redundant | | Semantic search | ✅ Smart Connections MCP | Redundant | | Run Dataview queries | ❌ Can't access Dataview runtime | ✅ Could eval Dataview API | | Trigger UI commands | ❌ No UI control | ✅ Open notes in Obsidian, navigate | | Reload plugins | ❌ Not possible | ✅ Useful if you develop plugins | | Screenshot Obsidian | ❌ Not from CLI | ✅ Round-trip visual feedback | | Base queries from CLI | ❌ Limited (read .base files but can't execute) | ✅ Could run live base queries | The things that would be **genuinely new** for you: 1. **Dataview eval** — if you wanted me to run Dataview queries programmatically rather than just reading the query syntax in notes 2. **Opening notes in the Obsidian UI** — right now I can't tell Obsidian to navigate to a note (though the /open-note skill works via the `open` command with `obsidian://` URIs, which already partially covers this) 3. **Plugin development workflows** — only relevant if you start building Obsidian plugins **What it wouldn't change:** Your entire note-taking, research, session management, and daily review workflow operates at the file level. The CLI doesn't make any of that better. ## Bottom line For someone who uses Obsidian mainly as a **storage and organization layer** while Claude Code does the heavy lifting via the filesystem — which is your architecture — the Obsidian CLI is nice-to-have, not transformative. The people most excited about it are plugin developers and those who want agents to manipulate the Obsidian UI. If you're curious, it requires a Catalyst license ($25 one-time). Not a bad investment for supporting Obsidian, but I wouldn't rush to integrate it into your workflow. The file-level access you already have covers 90%+ of what matters. *Per chi lavora già a livello di filesystem, il CLI nativo è un ponte verso l'interfaccia grafica — utile, ma non indispensabile.* ### User you got cut off, please continue from where you left off. ### Assistant I didn't get cut off — that was actually the complete answer! Let me recap the conclusion since it might have felt abrupt: **For your setup, the Obsidian CLI is marginal.** Your workflow operates at the filesystem level, and that's where Claude Code already has full access. The CLI's real value is for controlling the Obsidian *application* (UI navigation, plugin reloading, eval-ing JavaScript in Obsidian's runtime, Dataview queries) — things you don't currently need. Was there a specific part you wanted me to expand on? For instance: - Whether the Dataview eval capability would be useful for your research workflows - Whether the `obsidian://` URI scheme you already have covers the "open note" use case well enough - Whether it's worth the $25 Catalyst license just to have it available *A volte la risposta completa è semplicemente: quello che hai già funziona.* ### User "Note: The Claudian pluging on GitHub is a different project by YishenTu - it embeds a Claude Code chat panel inside Obsidian's sidebar. That's not your setup. Your setup is Claude Code running in the terminal (or via the Claude Agent SDK), pointed at your vault with a substantial custom configuration layer." i have been using claudian in obsidian exclusively for coming up to two weeks now. that is where this onveraation ois. Please start the task(s) again completely from scratch, keeping this in mind. ### Assistant You're right, I apologise — I made a wrong assumption. You're running Claudian (the plugin) inside Obsidian right now, and this conversation is happening through it. Let me start fresh with that understanding. ### Assistant OK — I've gathered enough to give you a proper answer. Here's the fresh assessment, correctly understanding that you use Claudian (the plugin by YishenTu) inside Obsidian. --- ## Your setup: Claudian inside Obsidian [Claudian](https://github.com/YishenTu/claudian) embeds Claude Code into Obsidian's sidebar. Under the hood, it wraps the Claude Code CLI and gives it your vault as its working directory. But its integration with Obsidian is **purely filesystem-based** — it reads and writes your `.md` files, runs bash, uses MCP servers, and executes skills. It does **not** have programmatic access to Obsidian's internal APIs, UI, command palette, or plugin runtime. So right now, when I work for you through Claudian, I can do everything that touches files but nothing that touches the Obsidian *application*. ## What Obsidian CLI 1.12 adds The [native Obsidian CLI](https://help.obsidian.md/cli) in 1.12 lets you control the running Obsidian app from a terminal. Based on kepano's thread and the forum discussions, the confirmed capabilities include: - **Run command palette commands** from the terminal (any registered command, including plugin commands) - **Eval JavaScript** in Obsidian's runtime context (access internal APIs, Dataview, plugin APIs) - **Get console logs** back (see what Obsidian/plugins are outputting) - **Take screenshots** of the Obsidian window - **Reload plugins** without restarting - **Full round-trip interaction** — send a command, get results back This is essentially a bridge between the terminal and the running Obsidian process. ## What this means for you specifically Here's the key question: **can Claudian call the Obsidian CLI?** Since Claudian gives Claude Code bash access, and the Obsidian CLI is a terminal command — yes, in principle I could call `obsidian` CLI commands from within our conversation. That would mean Claudian could break through the filesystem-only boundary and start controlling Obsidian itself. **Things that would become possible:** | New capability | Practical value for you | |---|---| | **Run Dataview queries programmatically** | Instead of just reading Dataview code blocks, I could execute them and get results. Useful for "show me all notes tagged #idea from the last month" without you switching views | | **Trigger command palette commands** | Run exports, toggle plugins, execute any registered command from our chat | | **Run base queries live** | Execute `.base` queries and get actual results, not just read the query definition | | **Reload plugins** | If you tweak a plugin config, I could reload it without you restarting Obsidian | | **Eval arbitrary JS** | Access Obsidian's internal `app` object — query the metadata cache, get backlinks, check which files are open, etc. This is powerful — the metadata cache knows things the filesystem doesn't (resolved links, parsed tags, cached frontmatter) | | **Take screenshots** | I could screenshot your current Obsidian view — marginal utility for you but exists | **Things that stay the same regardless:** - File read/write/search — already covered - Note creation, daily notes, smart-note — all filesystem - MCP integrations (Smart Connections, Chrome) — independent of Obsidian CLI - Skills, sessions, tasks, calendar — all independent ## Honest verdict **Moderate benefit, not transformative.** Your workflow is already heavily optimised at the filesystem level. The CLI would add a useful layer — especially Dataview eval and metadata cache access — but it's not going to change your daily experience dramatically. It's more like unlocking a few locked doors in a house you already live comfortably in. **Worth doing?** I'd say yes, but not urgently: - It requires Obsidian 1.12 early access ($25 Catalyst license, one-time — and it supports Obsidian's development) - You'd need to verify that Claudian's bash execution can actually call the `obsidian` CLI binary (it should, but worth testing) - The Dataview/metadata cache access alone justifies it for a research vault like yours **What I'd watch for:** Whether Claudian or a similar plugin adds *native* integration with the Obsidian CLI — wrapping it as a proper tool rather than routing through bash. That would make it seamless rather than a workaround. *Per chi abita già nella casa, il CLI è una chiave nuova — non apre stanze sconosciute, ma rende più agevole il passaggio.*