# Claude Notes (Obsidian plugin)
[](https://buymeacoffee.com/jeffersongoncalves)
Sidebar, generate-note command, and live refresh for Markdown notes written into your vault by the Claude Code [`obsidian-notes-cli`](https://github.com/jeffersongoncalves/obsidian-notes-cli). No custom note format, no lock-in — it reads plain Markdown with YAML frontmatter via Obsidian's own metadata cache.
Part of a 3-repo integration:
- [`obsidian-notes-cli`](https://github.com/jeffersongoncalves/obsidian-notes-cli) — writes the notes; this plugin reads them. Works fine without this plugin installed.
- **`obsidian-claude-notes`** (this repo, TypeScript).
- [`claude-code-obsidian-notes`](https://github.com/jeffersongoncalves/claude-code-obsidian-notes) — Claude Code plugin that shells out to the CLI.
## Requirements
- Obsidian >= 1.13.0
- Desktop only (see below)
## Features
- **Sidebar** — lists every note with `source: claude-code` frontmatter, grouped by `project`. Click to open. Read via Obsidian's own metadata cache (`getMarkdownFiles()` + `metadataCache.getFileCache()`) — the plugin keeps no index of its own.
- **"Generate note here" command** — spawns the CLI with the current selection (or, if nothing's selected, the whole active note) piped in as the body. **Desktop only**: it spawns a child process, which isn't available on Obsidian mobile. Set the CLI binary path in settings first, or the command shows a `Notice` telling you to.
- **Live refresh** — if the local bridge is enabled, the CLI pings `127.0.0.1:/notes` right after writing a file; the sidebar re-renders ~150ms later. With the bridge off, the sidebar still updates — just on Obsidian's normal file-watcher cadence instead of instantly.
## Settings
| Setting | Notes |
|---|---|
| CLI binary path | Absolute path to `obsidian-notes`. Required for the command; not needed just to browse the sidebar. |
| Folder pattern | `{project}` `{date}` `{slug}` placeholders. Written to `.claude-notes.json` at the vault root — the CLI reads the same file, so changing it here also changes where the CLI writes. |
| Enable local bridge | Off by default. An always-open local port is unnecessary attack surface for most setups; without it, Obsidian still picks up new notes natively on focus, just not instantly. |
| Bridge port | Default `27124`. Toggle the bridge off/on (or restart Obsidian) after changing this for it to take effect. |
On load, the plugin reads `.claude-notes.json` if one already exists (e.g. from `obsidian-notes vault:init`) and uses its `folderPattern`/`bridgePort` — that file is the shared source of truth, not the plugin's own settings storage.
## How it works
- **Reading** — no polling, no file watcher of its own: the sidebar is a live view over Obsidian's `MetadataCache`, so it's as current as Obsidian's index already is.
- **Writing (the CLI's job)** — this plugin never writes note content itself. The "Generate note here" command spawns the external CLI binary and lets it do the actual write + frontmatter; the plugin's role there is purely to invoke it with the right arguments and stdin.
- **The bridge** (`src/bridge.ts`) — an opt-in, loopback-only (`127.0.0.1`) HTTP server. It does not write or read vault content over the network; the POST body from the CLI is informational only, used solely to time a sidebar refresh shortly after a write. Nothing is exposed beyond localhost.
### Disclosed capabilities
Obsidian's plugin review surfaces what a plugin can technically do, for transparency:
- **Vault read/write/enumeration** — the sidebar reads every Markdown file's cached frontmatter (`getMarkdownFiles`) to find `source: claude-code` notes, and the settings tab reads/writes `.claude-notes.json` directly via the vault adapter (needed because Obsidian doesn't index dotfiles through the normal Vault API).
- **Shell execution** (`child_process.spawn`) — only from the explicit "Generate note here" command, only to run the CLI binary path you configured in settings. Never triggered automatically.
## Install
From Obsidian: **Settings → Community plugins → Browse**, search for "Claude Notes", install and enable. Or view it directly on the [community plugin list](https://community.obsidian.md/plugins/claude-notes).
### Manual install
1. `npm install && npm run build`.
2. Copy `manifest.json`, `main.js`, `styles.css` into `/.obsidian/plugins/claude-notes/`.
3. Enable "Claude Notes" in Obsidian's Community Plugins settings.
Or grab the built `main.js`/`manifest.json`/`styles.css` straight from a [release](https://github.com/jeffersongoncalves/obsidian-claude-notes/releases/latest) instead of building locally.
## Development
```bash
npm install
npm run dev # esbuild watch — rebuilds main.js on change
npm run build # type-check (tsc) + production build
npm run lint # eslint-plugin-obsidianmd, same checks as the plugin review
```
## License
[MIT](LICENSE).