Obsidian Kanban MCP Server

$npm install && npm run build && node dist/index.js
README.md

An MCP server to manage Obsidian Kanban boards.

Obsidian Kanban MCP Server

An MCP server to manage Obsidian Kanban boards.

Features

  • List all Kanban boards in your vault.
  • Read board content (columns and tasks).
  • Add tasks to specific columns.
  • Move tasks between columns.
  • Create new Kanban boards.

Usage

Prerequisites

  • Node.js installed.
  • Obsidian vault with the Kanban plugin installed.

Configuration

The server points to the Obsidian vault specified by the VAULT_PATH environment variable. If not set, it defaults to ~/workspace/cursor-vault.

You can also optionally set:

  • OBSIDIAN_BOARD_NAME to a default board filename (e.g., MyBoard.md). If set, you don't need to provide the board_name argument.

Building

npm install
npm run build

Running

node dist/index.js

MCP Tools

  • list_boards: List all boards.
  • get_board_content(board_name): Get columns and tasks.
  • add_task(board_name, column_name, task_text, description?, labels?, acceptance_criteria?, create_note?): Add a task with optional details.
    • description: Multiline string for task details.
    • labels: Array of strings (e.g., ["urgent", "bug"]). Appended as tags to the title.
    • acceptance_criteria: Array of strings. Added as a checklist in the description.
    • create_note: Boolean. Defaults to true. If true, creates a new Markdown note with the details and links it on the board. Set to false to keep all details on the card itself.
  • move_task(board_name, task_text, from_column, to_column): Move a task.
  • create_board(board_name, columns): Create a new board.

Deployment & Integration

Integrating with Claude Desktop

Add the following to your claude_desktop_config.json (MacOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "obsidian-kanban": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/mcp-obsidian-kanban/dist/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "VAULT_PATH": "/path/to/your/obsidian/vault",
        "OBSIDIAN_BOARD_NAME": "MyBoard.md"
      }
    }
  }
}

Integrating with Cursor

  1. Go to Cursor Settings > Features > MCP.
  2. Click + Add New MCP Server.
  3. Fill in the details:
    • Name: Obsidian Kanban
    • Type: Stdio
    • Command: node /path/to/mcp-obsidian-kanban/dist/index.js
    • Environment Variables: VAULT_PATH=/path/to/your/obsidian/vault;OBSIDIAN_BOARD_NAME=MyBoard.md

Tools (5)

list_boardsList all boards.
get_board_contentGet columns and tasks.
add_taskAdd a task with optional details like description, labels, and acceptance criteria.
move_taskMove a task from one column to another.
create_boardCreate a new board with specified columns.

Environment Variables

VAULT_PATHThe path to the Obsidian vault. Defaults to ~/workspace/cursor-vault if not set.
OBSIDIAN_BOARD_NAMEDefault board filename (e.g., MyBoard.md) to use when board_name is not provided.

Configuration

claude_desktop_config.json
{"mcpServers": {"obsidian-kanban": {"command": "node", "args": ["/path/to/mcp-obsidian-kanban/dist/index.js"], "env": {"VAULT_PATH": "/path/to/your/obsidian/vault", "OBSIDIAN_BOARD_NAME": "MyBoard.md"}}}}

Try it

List all the Kanban boards in my Obsidian vault.
Add a new task 'Fix login bug' to the 'To Do' column on my Project board with the label 'bug'.
Move the task 'Update documentation' from 'In Progress' to 'Done' on my MyBoard.md.
Create a new Kanban board called 'Sprint Planning' with columns 'Backlog', 'In Progress', and 'Completed'.
Show me the content and tasks currently on my 'Personal Goals' board.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the key features of Obsidian Kanban MCP Server?

List all Kanban boards in your vault.. Read board content including columns and tasks.. Add tasks to specific columns with metadata like labels and acceptance criteria.. Move tasks between columns to track progress.. Create new Kanban boards directly from the MCP interface..

What can I use Obsidian Kanban MCP Server for?

Project management within Obsidian using AI to organize tasks.. Automating task creation on Kanban boards from chat conversations.. Syncing external task lists into Obsidian Kanban boards.. Quickly reorganizing project columns and moving tasks via natural language.. Creating detailed task notes automatically when adding items to a board..

How do I install Obsidian Kanban MCP Server?

Install Obsidian Kanban MCP Server by running: npm install && npm run build && node dist/index.js

What MCP clients work with Obsidian Kanban MCP Server?

Obsidian Kanban MCP Server works with any MCP-compatible client including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, and other editors with MCP support.

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