{
 "categories": [
  "productivity",
  "notes",
  "knowledge-management"
 ],
 "deployment": "desktop",
 "evidence": [
  {
   "date": "2026-08-16",
   "fact": "homepage",
   "note": "Obsidian presents a local-first Markdown knowledge base with links, graph, plugins, themes, Bases, Sync, and Publish.",
   "source": "https://obsidian.md/",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-16",
   "fact": "platforms",
   "note": "Obsidian distributes desktop applications for Windows, macOS, and Linux and mobile applications for iOS and Android.",
   "source": "https://obsidian.md/download",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-16",
   "fact": "license",
   "note": "Obsidian is free for personal and organizational use, with paid optional Sync, Publish, Catalyst, and Commercial support offerings.",
   "source": "https://obsidian.md/pricing",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-16",
   "fact": "modalities.api.exists",
   "note": "Obsidian maintains official developer documentation for its plugin and theme extension interfaces.",
   "source": "https://docs.obsidian.md/Home",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-16",
   "fact": "modalities.api.kinds[0]",
   "note": "Official plugins are built in TypeScript against the `obsidian` package and run inside the application.",
   "source": "https://docs.obsidian.md/Plugins/Getting%20started/Build%20a%20plugin",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-16",
   "fact": "modalities.api.kinds[1]",
   "note": "Vault content is exposed as local files and folders, and the plugin Vault API reads, creates, modifies, renames, and deletes them.",
   "source": "https://docs.obsidian.md/Plugins/Vault",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-16",
   "fact": "modalities.api.kinds[2]",
   "note": "The registered `obsidian://` protocol opens, creates, appends, overwrites, searches, and returns x-callback-url results across vaults and notes.",
   "source": "https://help.obsidian.md/Extending%2BObsidian/Obsidian%2BURI",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-16",
   "fact": "modalities.api.coverage",
   "note": "The official developer surface covers vault files, metadata, editor operations, commands, workspaces, events, views, settings, themes, and plugins.",
   "source": "https://docs.obsidian.md/Home",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-16",
   "fact": "modalities.sdk",
   "note": "Obsidian publishes the official TypeScript API package, sample plugin, manifest schema, build workflow, and release process.",
   "source": "https://docs.obsidian.md/Plugins/Getting%20started/Build%20a%20plugin",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-16",
   "fact": "modalities.sdk.languages",
   "note": "The supported plugin-development language and public type surface are TypeScript.",
   "source": "https://docs.obsidian.md/Plugins/Getting%20started/Build%20a%20plugin",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-16",
   "fact": "modalities.cli.exists",
   "note": "Obsidian 1.12.7 and later includes an official cross-platform CLI and interactive terminal interface for application, vault, note, developer, Sync, and Publish operations.",
   "source": "https://obsidian.md/help/cli",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-16",
   "fact": "modalities.extensibility.scripting",
   "note": "TypeScript community plugins, CSS themes, URI actions, CLI commands, plugin commands, and direct local-file tooling extend Obsidian workflows.",
   "source": "https://docs.obsidian.md/Home",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-16",
   "fact": "modalities.data_access.export",
   "note": "Vaults are local Markdown and attachment files, while CLI queries return text, JSON, CSV, TSV, Markdown, or file-path output depending on the command.",
   "source": "https://obsidian.md/help/cli",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-16",
   "fact": "modalities.data_access.import",
   "note": "Standard file tools, the Vault API, URI actions, and CLI commands create and modify Markdown notes and associated vault files.",
   "source": "https://docs.obsidian.md/Plugins/Vault",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-16",
   "fact": "verdict.scores.api",
   "note": "The local file boundary and official typed plugin API provide broad, inspectable, low-lock-in automation, but plugins run in-process and require application lifecycle and vault-safety controls.",
   "source": "https://docs.obsidian.md/Home",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-16",
   "fact": "verdict.scores.cli",
   "note": "The official CLI covers broad note, search, task, property, Base, command, developer, Sync, and Publish workflows with structured output, but usually requires the desktop app and the separate headless client remains beta and service-scoped.",
   "source": "https://obsidian.md/help/cli",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-16",
   "fact": "freshness.watch[0].url",
   "note": "Opened and verified as the current desktop release line, including recent CLI compatibility fixes.",
   "source": "https://obsidian.md/changelog/2026-07-30-desktop-v1.13.4/",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-16",
   "fact": "freshness.watch[1].url",
   "note": "Opened and verified as the current complete desktop CLI command, output, platform, and lifecycle reference.",
   "source": "https://obsidian.md/help/cli",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-16",
   "fact": "freshness.watch[2].url",
   "note": "Opened and verified as the current open-beta headless Sync and Publish client overview for servers, CI, and agents.",
   "source": "https://obsidian.md/help/headless",
   "tier": "declared"
  }
 ],
 "freshness": {
  "last_verified": "2026-08-16",
  "volatility": "high",
  "watch": [
   {
    "type": "changelog",
    "url": "https://obsidian.md/changelog/2026-07-30-desktop-v1.13.4/"
   },
   {
    "type": "docs",
    "url": "https://obsidian.md/help/cli"
   },
   {
    "type": "docs",
    "url": "https://obsidian.md/help/headless"
   }
  ]
 },
 "homepage": "https://obsidian.md/",
 "id": "obsidian",
 "license": "freemium",
 "modalities": {
  "agent_docs": {
   "llms_txt": "unknown"
  },
  "api": {
   "auth": [],
   "coverage": "full",
   "docs": "https://docs.obsidian.md/Home",
   "exists": true,
   "kinds": [
    "typescript-plugin-api",
    "file-system",
    "uri"
   ]
  },
  "cli": {
   "exists": true
  },
  "computer_use": {
   "issues": [],
   "viability": "unknown"
  },
  "data_access": {
   "export": [
    "markdown",
    "json",
    "csv",
    "tsv",
    "file-system"
   ],
   "import": [
    "markdown",
    "file-system"
   ]
  },
  "extensibility": {
   "scripting": [
    "community-plugins",
    "css-themes",
    "obsidian-uri",
    "local-file-tools"
   ],
   "webhooks": "unknown"
  },
  "integrations": {
   "make": "unknown",
   "n8n": "unknown",
   "power_automate": "unknown",
   "zapier": "unknown"
  },
  "mcp": {
   "first_party": "unknown",
   "third_party": [],
   "verdict": "unknown"
  },
  "rpa": {
   "drivability": "unknown",
   "notes": "No repeatable UI probe was run. Local Markdown files, the official TypeScript plugin API, Obsidian URI, the desktop CLI, and headless service client provide supported automation without GUI manipulation.",
   "ui_stack": [
    "electron",
    "codemirror"
   ],
   "vendor_support": []
  },
  "sdk": {
   "exists": true,
   "languages": [
    "typescript"
   ],
   "official": true
  }
 },
 "name": "Obsidian",
 "platforms": [
  "windows",
  "macos",
  "linux",
  "ios",
  "android"
 ],
 "related": {
  "alternatives": [
   "notion",
   "logseq",
   "roam-research"
  ],
  "our_products": []
 },
 "schema_version": 1,
 "score_version": 1,
 "status": "active",
 "vendor": "Obsidian",
 "verdict": {
  "best_path": "cli",
  "scores": {
   "api": 8,
   "cli": 8,
   "computer_use": null,
   "integrations": null,
   "mcp": null,
   "overall": 8,
   "rpa": null
  },
  "summary": "Obsidian is no longer accurately described as having no official automation interface. Vault content remains ordinary local Markdown and attachments, so agents can safely read, diff, generate, and version notes with standard file tools while leaving application settings in the per-vault `.obsidian` directory. Obsidian also publishes a typed TypeScript plugin API for vault, metadata, editor, command, workspace, and lifecycle events, plus URI actions for opening, creating, appending, searching, and callback workflows. Since version 1.12, the official desktop CLI can read and create notes, search, query Bases, manage properties and tasks, execute application or plugin commands, inspect Sync history, and publish changes with JSON, CSV, TSV, Markdown, or path-oriented output. The desktop application normally must be running. A separate open-beta `obsidian-headless` client can synchronize or publish paid service vaults on servers without the desktop app, including pull-only and mirror modes. Core personal and organizational use is free; Sync, Publish, Catalyst, and optional Commercial support are paid. Plugins execute locally with broad vault and potentially Node or Electron access, so untrusted plugins and direct file edits need backups and an isolated test vault. A first-party MCP server, general external webhook boundary, and repeatable computer-use result were not established.\n"
 }
}