--- title: "Route Claude Code to your Obsidian context files." description: "Build a root CLAUDE.md, domain records, links, and a routing table. Test a fresh-session request and confirm which files your task reads." canonical: "https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/obsidian-ai-vault-setup-guide" date: "2026-01-28" modified: "2026-10-02" --- ## Site navigation - [Scale With Search](https://scalewithsearch.com/) - Real estate - Real estate - [Real estate](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/real-estate) - Work - Start here - [Send your brief](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#send-your-brief) - [Prepare your six-question brief](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#prepare-your-six-question-brief) - Build - [Site build, content library with SEO, signal desk](https://scalewithsearch.com/work) - For your business - Trades and home services - [Auto body and collision shops](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/auto-body-and-collision-shops) - [Foundation and home repair contractors](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/foundation-and-home-repair) - [Garage door and fencing contractors](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/garage-door-and-fencing-contractors) - 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[The Complete Guide to Leaving Vendor AI Memory](https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/leaving-vendor-ai-memory-guide) - Articles by cluster - [Business memory](https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/business-memory-for-ai-agents-guide) - [Agent governance](https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/ai-agent-governance-guide-small-business) - [Migration and ownership](https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/leaving-vendor-ai-memory-guide) - For machines - [llms.txt](https://scalewithsearch.com/llms.txt) - [llms-full.txt](https://scalewithsearch.com/llms-full.txt) - [Machine view](https://scalewithsearch.com/?view=machine) - Company - Evidence - [Proof](https://scalewithsearch.com/proof) - Company - [About](https://scalewithsearch.com/about) # Set up an Obsidian vault that routes Claude Code to the right context. Claude Code reads Markdown files. Obsidian organizes Markdown files. Together they give you an assistant that starts each session with your business context, not a blank page. This guide builds the routing inside the vault. When you finish, a request such as "draft the weekly ClientA update" points to the right files without a manual file selection. If you have not installed either tool, start with [your first Obsidian and Claude Code connection](/articles/how-to-set-up-ai-vault). For an existing pile of notes, use [the vault reorganization guide](/articles/how-to-organize-ai-knowledge-vault). ## Know why Obsidian fits AI context A new Claude chat does not know your business. You explain the clients, the preferences, and the rules again in each chat. An Obsidian vault holds that explanation in files that every session can read. Obsidian helps in three ways. **Local files.** The context files stay on your disk, under your control. The content of a file still goes to the model's API when a session reads it, and retention and training terms depend on your plan. The model's context window still limits how much one session can use. **Plain text.** Markdown is readable by people and by models. It has no proprietary format, so you can change editors or AI tools and keep the files. **Links.** Obsidian's links connect a client file to a project file to a template. Claude Code does not follow links on its own. It opens a linked file when a context file or your request tells it to. A link still tells the agent that a related file exists. With the vault in place, a request for client emails reads the client folder, and a project question reads the project file. You stop pasting context into chat. ## Check the tool prerequisites You need Obsidian to edit local `.md` files and Claude Code to read them during a task. Claude Code needs a supported paid Claude plan or an Anthropic Console account. Check the current plans before choosing. Start it in the folder that holds this vault. Anthropic documents the instruction-file load in [How Claude remembers your project](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/memory). Keep private notes outside the folders this workflow may read. Local storage does not mean local processing: text read by the session goes to the model provider. ## Build three layers The vault has three layers. Each has one job. ### Layer 1: root CLAUDE.md This file sits at the vault root. It is the master instruction set, and Claude Code reads it at the start of every session. Put five kinds of content in it: - who you are: name, roles, and working hours; - your domains: business areas, clients, and projects; - routing: keywords that point to specific context files; - voice and output rules; - critical warnings: actions the assistant must never take. The file answers one question: who does the assistant work for, and what does that person want to do? ### Layer 2: domain folders Each major area of work gets a folder. A consultant with three clients can use one folder per client. A business with sales, operations, and content can use one folder per function. Number the folder names so that they sort in a fixed order: ``` 01 - Client Work/ 02 - Business Operations/ 03 - Content Production/ 04 - Personal/ ``` Each folder gets a `_context.md` file. It states what is different about that area of work. The underscore sorts it to the top of the folder. ### Layer 3: project files Inside each domain folder, keep the working files: client details, project specifications, past decisions, style guides, templates, logs, and data. The route runs from the top down: root `CLAUDE.md`, then the domain `_context.md`, then the project files. ## Set up the vault in seven steps ### Step 1: create the root CLAUDE.md In Obsidian, create a file named `CLAUDE.md` at the vault root. Start with this structure: ``` # [Your Name]'s Vault ## WHO [Your name, roles, schedule] ## WHAT (Domains) | Domain | Context File | Load when prompt mentions... | |--------|--------------|------------------------------| | [Domain Name] | [path to _context.md] | [keywords] | ## VOICE [How you want AI to write] ## RULES 1. Read before edit 2. Ask if unclear 3. [Your specific rules] ## KEY FILES [Important files AI should know about] ``` This is the map. Claude Code reads it first, matches the request to a domain, and opens that domain's files. For a complete business version of this file, see the [CLAUDE.md template for business context](/articles/claude-md-template-business-context). ### Step 2: build the domain structure Create a folder for each major work area. Three to five folders are enough for most owners. Put a `_context.md` file in each folder. ``` /CLAUDE.md /01 - Client Work/ /_context.md /ClientA.md /ClientB.md /02 - Content/ /_context.md /Style-Guide.md /Templates.md /03 - Personal/ /_context.md /Tasks.md ``` ### Step 3: write the domain context files Each `_context.md` file answers one question: what is different about work in this domain? For a client work folder: ``` # Client Work Context ## Current Clients - ClientA: [one-line description] - ClientB: [one-line description] ## Deliverables [What you produce for clients] ## Process [Your workflow steps] ## Templates [Links to template files] ## Active Projects [What's in progress right now] ``` For a content production folder: ``` # Content Context ## Voice Rules [How you write] ## Platforms [Where you publish] ## Topics [What you write about] ## Templates [Article structures, post formats] ## Publication Schedule [When things go out] ``` Keep each context file under 500 words. If it grows past that, split the detail into linked files. These fictional records show the difference between standing client context and a dated project: ```markdown # Clients/Birch/_context.md Client: Birch Street Dental Location: Columbus, OH Services: family dentistry, cleanings, implants Voice: professional, approachable, calm Content schedule: 2 articles a month # Projects/WebsiteRedesign/_context.md Project: website redesign Client: Oakline Metalworks Deadline: 2026-02-15 Tech stack: static HTML, hosted on Netlify Brand colors: #1a1a1a, #ff6b00 ``` Add `Birch` and `dental` routes to the client file. Add `Oakline` and `metalwork` routes to its client file, and `website redesign` to the project file. Do not treat the example deadline as current. Put the live date in your own project record. Choose task inputs using [what context an agent should read](/articles/what-context-should-an-agent-read). ### Step 4: set naming conventions Consistent names help the assistant find files. Choose one convention for each file type and keep it. - People: `FirstLast.md` or `Company - Contact.md`. - Projects: `YYYY-MM-DD - Project Name.md` or `ClientName - Project.md`. - Templates: `TEMPLATE - Use Case.md`. - Logs: `_log.md`, with the underscore to keep it at the top of the folder. Date-first names suit time-sensitive work. They sort in date order, so the newest item is easy to find. ### Step 5: link related files Links tell the assistant where related context lives. Use three kinds. **Upward links.** A project file links to its client file. A client file links to the domain context. The assistant can trace back to the broader context. **Related links.** A client file links to another client in the same industry. A template links to finished examples. The assistant can find a relevant precedent. **Template links.** A context file links to its templates. When you ask for a deliverable, the assistant knows where the format lives. Use `[[wiki-style]]` links. Obsidian completes them as you type. Add a "Related" section at the end of important files: ``` ## Related - [[Client Context]] - [[Project Template]] - [[Past Work Examples]] ``` ### Step 6: build the routing table Return to the root `CLAUDE.md` and fill in the routing table. It maps keywords to context files: ``` ## WHAT (Domains) | Domain | Context File | Load when prompt mentions... | |--------|--------------|------------------------------| | **Client Work** | `01 - Client Work/_context.md` | client, project, deliverable, ClientA, ClientB | | **Content** | `02 - Content/_context.md` | article, post, write, publish, blog | | **Personal** | `03 - Personal/_context.md` | task, reminder, schedule, personal | ``` When you write "write the ClientA report," the word "ClientA" points to the Client Work context. The table is an instruction that the model follows. It is not an access control. Client data that must not mix needs a hard boundary. The method is in Obsidian as business memory for AI agents. ### Step 7: add voice and rules The VOICE section states how the assistant writes for you. The RULES section states what it must never do. A voice example: ``` ## VOICE Write direct. Use contractions. Short sentences when they hit harder. Longer ones when the idea needs room to breathe. No corporate speak. No buzzwords. No "solutions" or "leverage" or "synergy." If it sounds like a press release, rewrite it. ``` A rules example: ``` ## RULES 1. Read files before editing them 2. Ask before deleting anything 3. Use YYYY-MM-DD date format 4. Keep responses dense, no fluff 5. Never move files without confirmation (breaks Obsidian sync) ``` These rules guide the model. Check each output; instructions are not enforced access controls. Default output tends to be long and general. Your rules ask for short and specific output. ## Trace one request You type: "Draft the weekly ClientA update." 1. Claude Code has already read `CLAUDE.md` at session start. 2. The word "ClientA" matches the Client Work row of the routing table. 3. Claude Code opens `01 - Client Work/_context.md`. 4. It opens `ClientA.md` for the client details. 5. It follows the template link in the context file. 6. It writes the update in your voice, with the current project details. Test this in a fresh session before you rely on it. Ask "Which clients do I work with?" Compare every name with the root and domain records. Then ask a routed question, such as "What is Birch's content schedule?" Check the answer and the file-read evidence. If a route fails, check the working folder, the exact `CLAUDE.md` filename, every routing path, and the field format. Ask Claude Code to list the files it read, then compare that list with the tool log. A self-reported list alone does not prove a file opened. Repeat after changing one harmless fact, so an old answer cannot pass the test. A prompt hook can supply matched context deterministically; it still does not enforce output behavior. With the vault in place, the assistant has these facts at the start of each task: - who your clients are and what they need; - how you write; - which projects are active and what happened before; - where templates live and when to use them; - which rules you follow and which mistakes to avoid. ## Keep the vault current The vault needs a small, regular amount of upkeep. **Weekly.** Update project status in the context files. Mark what is done, what is in progress, and what is next. **Monthly.** Move finished projects and completed client work to an Archive folder. Keep active context short. **Quarterly.** Review the routing table. Add keywords for new work, and remove domains that you no longer use. The vault is not a one-time setup. Its value depends on how current the files are. ## Avoid five common mistakes **Too many folders.** Start with three to five domains. Split later when a real need appears. Heavy structure at the start makes files harder to find. **No routing table.** Without a table, the assistant guesses which context applies. A guess costs you a correction. **Everything in CLAUDE.md.** Keep the root file under 1,000 words. Put detail in the context files. **No links.** An isolated file is hard for the assistant to find. Link each file to at least one other file. **Notes written for a machine.** The vault is yours first. Write notes the way you think. Models read ordinary prose well. Rigid formats written "for the algorithm" often read worse, for people and for models. ## Compare owned files with product instructions Custom-instruction limits depend on the product and plan. As checked on 2026.09.19, ChatGPT allowed 1,500 characters for Free and Go accounts and 5,000 for paid plans. [The dated field-limit comparison](/articles/chatgpt-custom-vs-project-instructions-limits) records each field's scope. ChatGPT Projects also hold instructions and files for their chats. Those features remain inside one vendor's product. Your root file, domain records, and routes remain on storage you control. An attachment serves the chat or project where you attach it. Owned files persist across tools, provided the next tool can load them. ## Plan the first three hours The infrastructure is small. The content takes the time. 1. Write the root `CLAUDE.md`, about 30 minutes. 2. Create the domain folders and context files, about one hour. 3. Move existing files into the structure, about one hour. 4. Add links between related files, about 30 minutes. 5. Run the request trace above for each domain. You need no technical background. Obsidian is a note app for plain text files. Markdown formatting is simple: `**word**` makes bold text, and a line that starts with `#` is a heading. Claude Code runs in a terminal. Anthropic's setup documentation lists the install command for each operating system. You can keep Notion or Google Docs for project management and use the vault only for AI work where context must persist. For a scoped connection between Claude and the vault, read how to connect Claude to Obsidian for business memory. The setup works when Claude Code reads the right files without you naming them. ## Related: AI memory - [Plan the 25 to 50 hours a hand-built Claude Code memory system takes](/articles/claude-code-init-vs-professional-setup) - [Give Clawdbot the business context it loses between sessions](/articles/clawdbot-ai-memory-setup) - [Plan AI memory that keeps working as context windows and memory features change](/articles/future-of-ai-memory) ---- ```text .|########||. .|########||. .|########||. |##||. .||##|. |##||. .||##|. |##||. .||##|. |#|. .|#|. |#|. .|#|. |#|. .|#|. |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#. .#| .#. .#| .#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |# ...... #| |# ...... #| |# ...... #| .# ||#########| #| .# ||#########| #| .# ||#########| #| .#. |######||######|. .#. .#. |######||######|. .#. .#. |######||######|. .#. #. .##|###|##|#|######| .# #. .##|###|##|#|######| .# #. .##|###|##|#|######| .# || |##|#||||||||||||#||#| || || |##|#||||||||||||#||#| || || |##|#||||||||||||#||#| || # |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. # |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. # |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || # .#||||||||||||||||||||||||#| # # .#||||||||||||||||||||||||#| # # .#||||||||||||||||||||||||#| # || ....|||#||||||##|#|||#|#||##||||....|. || || ....|||#||||||##|#|||#|#||##||||....|. || || ....|||#||||||##|#|||#|#||##||||....|. || #. . ....|# ....#||| ||| .#||| ....#. .# #. . ....|# ....#||| ||| .#||| ....#. .# #. . ....|# ....#||| ||| .#||| ....#. .# # . ||||#| .#####|| . .#| .#||| ||||# #. # . ||||#| .#####|| . .#| .#||| ||||# #. # . ||||#| .#####|| . .#| .#||| ||||# #. .| ||||| #. |#|||||. || #. |#||. .||||| || .| ||||| #. |#|||||. || #. |#||. .||||| || .| ||||| #. |#|||||. || #. |#||. .||||| || || |.... #. ....|#. |. ...|. ....|| || || |.... #. ....|#. |. ...|. ....|| || || |.... #. ....|#. |. ...|. ....|| || #. .||||||##||||||##||####|||||||#||||||#| .# #. .||||||##||||||##||####|||||||#||||||#| .# #. .||||||##||||||##||####|||||||#||||||#| .# # .||####|###########################|. # # .||####|###########################|. # # .||####|###########################|. # # .#||||||.#.|| # |. ..# #| #|||||#| # # .#||||||.#.|| # |. ..# #| #|||||#| # # .#||||||.#.|| # |. ..# #| #|||||#| # # .#|||||| .. |# ## |#| ...#|#|||#| # # .#|||||| .. |# ## |#| ...#|#|||#| # # .#|||||| .. |# ## |#| ...#|#|||#| # # .#|||#|# .# .#| #| ##|.#..#|||||#| # # .#|||#|# .# .#| #| ##|.#..#|||||#| # # .#|||#|# .# .#| #| ##|.#..#|||||#| # # .#||||||############|######|||||#| # # .#||||||############|######|||||#| # # .#||||||############|######|||||#| # # |...||#||||||#||||#|#||||||#|||||#||| |.| # # |...||#||||||#||||#|#||||||#|||||#||| |.| # # |...||#||||||#||||#|#||||||#|||||#||| |.| # #. .. ||||# .|||##|. |#| .|| || .|||#. #| # .# #. .. ||||# .|||##|. |#| .|| || .|||#. #| # .# #. .. ||||# .|||##|. |#| .|| || .|||#. #| # .# || | ...|| ...##| | #| .|. |. ##### .. .| || || | ...|| ...##| | #| .|. |. ##### .. .| || || | ...|| ...##| | #| .|. |. ##### .. .| || || ||||| || ||||#| . |. |. |#. ||||| |#| || || || ||||| || ||||#| . |. |. |#. ||||| |#| || || || ||||| || ||||#| . |. |. |#. ||||| |#| || || .# |.....#|....|#.||||.|||##.|#|....||.#||.#. #. .# |.....#|....|#.||||.|||##.|#|....||.#||.#. #. .# |.....#|....|#.||||.|||##.|#|....||.#||.#. #. #.|||||||#############################| ||| .# #.|||||||#############################| ||| .# #.|||||||#############################| ||| .# || ##||#||#||||||#||#||#||#||##. || || ##||#||#||||||#||#||#||#||##. || || ##||#||#||||||#||#||#||#||##. || # .#|||||||||#||#|||||||||||#| # # .#|||||||||#||#|||||||||||#| # # .#|||||||||#||#|||||||||||#| # || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || .# |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. .# |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. .# |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. || |#||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||#| || #. .######|#|#########| .# #. .######|#|#########| .# #. .######|#|#########| .# .#. |#####||||#####| .#. .#. |#####||||#####| .#. .#. |#####||||#####| .#. |# ||########|| #. |# ||########|| #. |# ||########|| #. |# ...... #| |# ...... #| |# ...... #| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#. |#. .#. |#. .#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. |##||. .||##| |##||. .||##| |##||. .||##| .||########||. .||########||. .||########||. Scale With Search 2026 [scalewithsearch.com](https://scalewithsearch.com) ```