mcp-obsidian

---

• mcp-obsidian
  • Configure MCP
  • Setup and Troubleshooting
    * Setup
    * Verify that the Obsidian REST API is running Windows Host, MacOS, Linux
    * WSL2, Docker hosted on Ubuntu
    * Verify Windows Firewall
    * Disable/Enable Firewall
    * Verify Connectivity on BusyBox Container
  • Dockerized Obsidian

Configure MCP

{ "mcpServers": { "obsidian": { "command": "docker", "args": [ "run", "--name", "mcp-obsidian-windsurf", "--interactive", "--rm", "-e", "API_KEY", "-e", "API_HOST", "-e", "API_PORT", "-e", "DEBUG", "ghcr.io/oleksandrkucherenko/obsidian-mcp:latest" ], "env": { "API_KEY": "<secret_key>", // required "API_HOST": "https://172.26.32.1", // default: localhost "API_PORT": "27124", // default: 27124 "DEBUG": "mcp:*" // default: disabled logs } } } }

• --rm - Automatically remove the container and its associated anonymous volumes when it exits
• -i, --interactive - Keep STDIN open
• -e, --env - Set environment variables
• --name string - Assign a name to the container
• NPM Package Releases
• Docker Image Releases

Setup and Troubleshooting

Setup

• Run Obsidian Desktop Application and enable Local REST API in Settings.

This setting will allow you to connect to the Local REST API from any network interface (not only localhost, which is critical for WSL2 setup).

• Copy the API Key from Obsidian Settings; you will need it for the MCP configuration.
• Verify that the Obsidian Local REST API is running and accessible from your machine.
• Next Step is always to verify the network setup on your machine (firewall rules, etc).

Verify that the Obsidian REST API is running (Windows Host, MacOS, Linux)

Run in Windows CMD terminal:

windows CMD, verify that port is listening (that rest api is running)

netstat -an | findstr 27124

Expected output:

TCP 0.0.0.0:27124 0.0.0.0:0 LISTENING

Verify that Obsidian Local REST API is working

curl --insecure https://localhost:27124 wget --no-check-certificate -S https://localhost:27124 http --verify=no https://localhost:27124

Expected REST API response:

{ "status": "OK", "manifest": { "id": "obsidian-local-rest-api", "name": "Local REST API", "version": "3.2.0", "minAppVersion": "0.12.0", "description": "Get, change or otherwise interact with your notes in Obsidian via a REST API.", "author": "Adam Coddington", "authorUrl": "https://coddingtonbear.net/", "isDesktopOnly": true, "dir": ".obsidian/plugins/obsidian-local-rest-api" }, "versions": { "obsidian": "1.8.10", "self": "3.2.0" }, "service": "Obsidian Local REST API", "authenticated": false }

WSL2, Docker hosted on Ubuntu

graph LR subgraph "Windows Machine" obs("Obsidian Application")

  subgraph "WSL2"
    subgraph "Ubuntu"
      subgraph "Docker"
        mcp("mcp-obsidian:latest")
      end
    end
  end

  firewall(["Windows Firewall"]) -->|27124| obs

  mcp -->|https://$WSL_GATEWAY_IP:27124| firewall

  IDE -.->|MCP Server Tools| mcp
end

Run inside the WSL2 Ubuntu Terminal:

export WSL_GATEWAY_IP=$(ip route show | grep -i default | awk '{ print $3}') echo $WSL_GATEWAY_IP # expected something like: 172.26.32.1

Verify that Obsidian Local REST API is working

curl --insecure https://$WSL_GATEWAY_IP:27124 wget --no-check-certificate -S https://$WSL_GATEWAY_IP:27124 http --verify=no https://$WSL_GATEWAY_IP:27124

Verify Windows Firewall

Run GUI and Setup Manual The Rules:

Windows Defender Firewall / Inbound Rules. Press Win+R and type WF.msc or firewall.cpl

WF.msc firewall.cpl # and then press 'Advanced settings'

Or Run in Windows PowerShell as Administrator:

Add firewall rule to allow port 27124 (Run in Admin PowerShell)

New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "WSL2 Obsidian REST API" -Direction Inbound -LocalPort 27123,27124 -Protocol TCP -Action Allow

Or Run in Windows CMD terminal:

check firewall rules (CMD) that manage 27124 port

netsh advfirewall firewall show rule name=all | findstr /C:"Rule Name" /C:"LocalPort" /C:"RemotePort" | findstr /C:"27124"

display rules that has WSL2 keyword in own name

netsh advfirewall firewall show rule name=all | grep -A 13 WSL2

display rule definition by port number (4 line after, 9 lines before)

netsh advfirewall firewall show rule name=all | grep -A 4 -B 9 27124

Disable/Enable Firewall

Execute in Windows PowerShell as Administrator:

Temporarily turn off firewall (for testing ONLY, not recommended for regular use)

Set-NetFirewallProfile -Profile Domain,Public,Private -Enabled False

Restore Firewall state

Set-NetFirewallProfile -Profile Domain,Public,Private -Enabled True

Verify Connectivity on BusyBox Container

These steps allow us to confirm that the network setup is correct and the container can connect to the Local REST API.

Execute inside the WSL2 Ubuntu terminal:

export WSL_GATEWAY_IP=$(ip route | grep default | awk '{print $3}') echo "Windows host IP from WSL2: $WSL_GATEWAY_IP"

Output:

Windows host IP from WSL2: 172.26.32.1

run docker container to verify the connectivity from Docker inside

docker run --rm -it --network=host busybox sh

inside the container run:

which wget

/bin/wget

export WINDOWS_HOST_IP="172.26.32.1" echo $WINDOWS_HOST_IP

172.26.32.1

try to connect to the Local REST API

wget -qO- --no-check-certificate "https://$WINDOWS_HOST_IP:27124" wget -qO- --no-check-certificate https://172.26.32.1:27124

Dockerized Obsidian

Obsidian Dockerized