--- title: "Use an Obsidian vault as the knowledge base Claude Code reads" description: "Obsidian stores notes as local Markdown files. Learn what the app is, how Claude Code reads a vault as context, and when a plain editor is enough." canonical: "https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/what-is-obsidian-for-ai" date: "2026-01-28" modified: "2026-09-25" --- ## 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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You keep client notes in one app, project plans in another, and your pricing rules in your head. Each time you ask an AI for help, you copy pieces of all three into the chat. Obsidian gives those notes one home on your own disk. It is a note-taking app that stores every note as a plain-text Markdown file in a folder. It is not an AI product. The AI part comes from a second tool, such as Claude Code, that reads the same folder. Together, the two tools let your notes act as the context your AI reads. This page explains what Obsidian is and how Claude Code reads a vault. It also covers how to structure the notes and when you do not need Obsidian. ## Know what Obsidian is Obsidian is a Markdown editor with tools to organize, link, and search notes. A vault is the folder where the notes live. Four properties matter for AI work: - **Local files.** Notes sit on your computer. Obsidian copies them to a cloud only if you set up sync. An AI tool that reads a note sends that text to its model provider. - **Markdown format.** Each note is a text file with an `.md` extension. Any text editor can open it. - **Links and folders.** You organize notes in folders and connect them with `[[wiki-style links]]`. - **No lock-in.** If the Obsidian app stopped working, you would still have a folder of readable files. People use Obsidian for personal knowledge management, research, writing, and project planning. For business memory, the property that matters most is the file format. A folder of Markdown files is something an AI tool can read without an export step. ## Know what Obsidian is not The core Obsidian app has no built-in AI features, as of 2025. Community plugins add AI functions, but you do not need them for the setup on this page. Obsidian is also not these things: - **A full database.** The Bases core plugin, added in 2025, shows notes as tables built from note properties. The notes stay Markdown files. Notion and Airtable remain better for large structured records. - **A real-time collaborative editor.** Obsidian is built for one person first. Shared vaults through the paid Sync service exist, but they do not work like Google Docs. - **An AI assistant.** Obsidian does not generate text or answer questions. It is a place to write and organize text files. That narrow job is why it pairs well with an AI tool that reads text files. ## See why the pairing works Claude Code reads files in the folder where you start it. If your notes are Markdown files in a local folder, Claude Code can read them. You could write those files in any Markdown editor, such as VS Code, Typora, or iA Writer. A basic editor such as TextEdit or Notepad++ also works. Obsidian earns its place when the note count grows. Four features help at that point: - **Search** finds text across every note. - **Backlinks** show every note that links to the current note. - **Graph view** draws the links between notes as a map. - **Templates** give recurring notes, such as client profiles, the same structure. With 10 notes, a plain editor is fine. With 1,000 notes, you need search, links, and structure, and Obsidian provides them. ## Follow the flow from note to answer The workflow has seven steps: 1. Write notes in Obsidian and save them in the vault folder. 2. Open a terminal and move into the vault folder with `cd`. 3. Type `claude` to start a Claude Code session. 4. Claude Code reads `CLAUDE.md` from the vault root. 5. Ask a question or request work. 6. Claude Code searches the vault and opens the notes the task needs. 7. The answer uses your notes, not generic information. Claude Code does not build an index of the vault in advance. It searches the files when a task needs them. You upload nothing to a separate store. Claude Code sends the parts it reads to Anthropic's API as conversation context for that session. The [guide to Claude Code](/articles/what-is-claude-code) covers installation and the `CLAUDE.md` file in more detail. The [Claude and Obsidian connection guide](/articles/connect-claude-obsidian-business-memory) covers the business setup. ## Structure the vault for AI use A basic vault for Claude Code can look like this: ```text Business Vault/ ├── CLAUDE.md ├── Projects/ │ ├── Website rebuild.md │ └── Spring campaign.md ├── Clients/ │ ├── Client A.md │ └── Client B.md ├── Reference/ │ ├── Pricing rules.md │ └── Delivery procedures.md └── Archive/ └── Completed projects ``` `CLAUDE.md` is the entry point. It tells Claude Code who you are, how to respond, and where each kind of note lives. The other folders hold the detail. Claude Code can open any file in the vault. The folder structure helps you as much as it helps the AI, because it tells you where to put a new fact. It also lets `CLAUDE.md` point to a folder by name: "Client facts are in /Clients. Treat /Archive as history, not current rules." That last rule matters. An old note can hold an old price or a retired process. If the vault has no rule about which notes are current, Claude Code may use the old one. The [Obsidian business-memory guide](/articles/obsidian-ai-memory-for-business) covers source roles, current-state files, and boundary tests for that problem. ## Use templates, links, and tags ### Templates Obsidian's Templates core plugin inserts a saved structure into a new note. If every client note has the same sections, you create the template once and reuse it. ```markdown # {{title}} ## Overview What the client does and what we deliver. ## Contacts Primary contact, role, and preferred channel. ## Current projects Active work, with due dates. ## History Past projects and outcomes. ## Preferences Communication style, deliverable format, approval steps. ``` When Claude Code reads a note built from this template, it finds the same fields in the same place for every client. You do not write the structure from scratch each time. ### Links A link such as `[[Client A]]` connects two notes. Suppose a project note links to its client note. You can ask Claude Code to "read the client note linked from this project." It reads the link as text and opens the named file. A link does not make two notes equally current. A project note can link to a meeting note from last year. State in `CLAUDE.md` which folders hold current rules. ### Tags A tag such as `#client` groups notes across folders. Tags help you find and update related notes. Claude Code does not treat tags as special, but it can search for a tag as text. ## Match the vault to three common jobs **Personal knowledge base.** You write notes on books, articles, courses, and conversations. When you ask a question, Claude Code searches those notes and answers from what you already recorded. Ask it to name the notes it used, so you can check the answer. **Project documentation.** Each project has a note with goals, decisions, progress, and blockers. When you ask for help, Claude Code reads that note first. It knows what you tried and what failed, because the note says so. **Client management.** Each client has a note with contacts, project history, preferences, and communication style. When you ask for a client email draft, Claude Code reads the client note. It uses the right tone and context without a reminder from you. ## Choose local storage or sync Obsidian sells an optional Sync service that copies the vault across devices. You do not need it for Claude Code, which reads the files on the computer where it runs. If you work on several devices, sync helps. Obsidian Sync offers end-to-end encryption. You can also sync the vault folder with iCloud, Dropbox, or Google Drive. Obsidian states that sync is not backup, so keep a separate backup of the vault. ## Check what leaves your computer A local vault is visible only to people with access to your device, unless you turn on sync or share it. When Claude Code reads a note, it sends that note's content to Anthropic's API as part of the session. The note itself stays on your disk. Retention and training terms depend on your account type, and Anthropic has changed them over time. Check your account's current data settings before you put client records in the vault. Do not store passwords, API keys, or payment details in notes. Name the secret and its location instead, for example "The billing API key is in the password manager under Billing." ## Learn the minimum Obsidian has many settings, plugins, and themes. For the setup on this page, you need three skills: - create a new note - write basic Markdown: headings, lists, and links - search your notes Graph view, plugins, and custom themes are optional. If you can use Google Docs or Microsoft Word, you can learn this minimum in an afternoon. ## Decide whether you need Obsidian Use Obsidian when the knowledge base will grow to hundreds or thousands of notes. Search, links, and templates save time at that size. Skip it when you need one `CLAUDE.md` file with basic context. A plain text editor is enough, and you can move the file into a vault later without conversion. To test the fit, create a vault with `CLAUDE.md` and three client notes built from the template. Start Claude Code in the vault and ask for a status email to one client. Then ask which files it read. If it names the correct client note and uses its preferences, the structure works. If it reads the wrong note or misses a preference, fix the note or the rule in `CLAUDE.md`, not the prompt. ## Related: AI memory - [Choose Obsidian or Roam Research by where an AI can reach your notes](/articles/obsidian-vs-roam-for-ai) - [How to Connect Claude to Obsidian Without Giving It the Whole Vault](/articles/connect-claude-obsidian-business-memory) - [Owned Business Memory vs Notion AI](/articles/owned-business-memory-vs-notion-ai) ---- ```text .|########||. .|########||. .|########||. |##||. .||##|. |##||. .||##|. |##||. .||##|. |#|. .|#|. |#|. .|#|. |#|. .|#|. |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#. .#| .#. .#| .#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |# ...... #| |# ...... #| |# ...... #| .# ||#########| #| .# ||#########| #| .# ||#########| #| .#. |######||######|. .#. .#. |######||######|. .#. .#. |######||######|. .#. #. .##|###|##|#|######| .# #. .##|###|##|#|######| .# #. .##|###|##|#|######| .# || |##|#||||||||||||#||#| || || |##|#||||||||||||#||#| || || |##|#||||||||||||#||#| || # |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. # |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. # |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || # .#||||||||||||||||||||||||#| # # .#||||||||||||||||||||||||#| # # .#||||||||||||||||||||||||#| # || ....|||#||||||##|#|||#|#||##||||....|. || || ....|||#||||||##|#|||#|#||##||||....|. || || ....|||#||||||##|#|||#|#||##||||....|. || #. . ....|# ....#||| ||| .#||| ....#. .# #. . ....|# ....#||| ||| .#||| ....#. .# #. . ....|# ....#||| ||| .#||| ....#. .# # . ||||#| .#####|| . .#| .#||| ||||# #. # . ||||#| .#####|| . .#| .#||| ||||# #. # . ||||#| .#####|| . .#| .#||| ||||# #. .| ||||| #. |#|||||. || #. |#||. .||||| || .| ||||| #. |#|||||. || #. |#||. .||||| || .| ||||| #. |#|||||. || #. |#||. .||||| || || |.... #. ....|#. |. ...|. ....|| || || |.... #. ....|#. |. ...|. ....|| || || |.... #. ....|#. |. ...|. ....|| || #. .||||||##||||||##||####|||||||#||||||#| .# #. .||||||##||||||##||####|||||||#||||||#| .# #. .||||||##||||||##||####|||||||#||||||#| .# # .||####|###########################|. # # .||####|###########################|. # # .||####|###########################|. # # .#||||||.#.|| # |. ..# #| #|||||#| # # .#||||||.#.|| # |. ..# #| #|||||#| # # .#||||||.#.|| # |. ..# #| #|||||#| # # .#|||||| .. |# ## |#| ...#|#|||#| # # .#|||||| .. |# ## |#| ...#|#|||#| # # .#|||||| .. |# ## |#| ...#|#|||#| # # .#|||#|# .# .#| #| ##|.#..#|||||#| # # .#|||#|# .# .#| #| ##|.#..#|||||#| # # .#|||#|# .# .#| #| ##|.#..#|||||#| # # .#||||||############|######|||||#| # # .#||||||############|######|||||#| # # .#||||||############|######|||||#| # # |...||#||||||#||||#|#||||||#|||||#||| |.| # # |...||#||||||#||||#|#||||||#|||||#||| |.| # # |...||#||||||#||||#|#||||||#|||||#||| |.| # #. .. ||||# .|||##|. |#| .|| || .|||#. #| # .# #. .. ||||# .|||##|. |#| .|| || .|||#. #| # .# #. .. ||||# .|||##|. |#| .|| || .|||#. #| # .# || | ...|| ...##| | #| .|. |. ##### .. .| || || | ...|| ...##| | #| .|. |. ##### .. .| || || | ...|| ...##| | #| .|. |. ##### .. .| || || ||||| || ||||#| . |. |. |#. ||||| |#| || || || ||||| || ||||#| . |. |. |#. ||||| |#| || || || ||||| || ||||#| . |. |. |#. ||||| |#| || || .# |.....#|....|#.||||.|||##.|#|....||.#||.#. #. .# |.....#|....|#.||||.|||##.|#|....||.#||.#. #. .# |.....#|....|#.||||.|||##.|#|....||.#||.#. #. #.|||||||#############################| ||| .# #.|||||||#############################| ||| .# #.|||||||#############################| ||| .# || ##||#||#||||||#||#||#||#||##. || || ##||#||#||||||#||#||#||#||##. || || ##||#||#||||||#||#||#||#||##. || # .#|||||||||#||#|||||||||||#| # # .#|||||||||#||#|||||||||||#| # # .#|||||||||#||#|||||||||||#| # || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || .# |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. .# |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. .# |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. || |#||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||#| || #. .######|#|#########| .# #. .######|#|#########| .# #. .######|#|#########| .# .#. |#####||||#####| .#. .#. |#####||||#####| .#. .#. |#####||||#####| .#. |# ||########|| #. |# ||########|| #. |# ||########|| #. |# ...... #| |# ...... #| |# ...... #| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#. |#. .#. |#. .#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. |##||. .||##| |##||. .||##| |##||. .||##| .||########||. .||########||. .||########||. 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