ObsidianREST

Files (2)

• SKILL.md
• SKILL.yaml

SKILL.md (first lines)

# ObsidianREST

> **Deprecated** — The official Obsidian CLI (1.12+) replaces this functionality. See `/ObsidianCLI` for the current reference. This skill remains for users on Obsidian < 1.12 or headless/remote environments where the CLI is unavailable.

Reference for the Obsidian Local REST API plugin. Provides an HTTPS server inside Obsidian for vault queries — list files, search content, check existence, read/write. Returns JSON to `curl`.

Falls back to file-system operations (Glob, Grep, `safe-read`) when unavailable.

## Setup

1. Install: Obsidian Settings → Community Plugins → search "Local REST API"
2. Copy the API key from Settings → Local REST API
3. Add to `Modules/forge-obsidian/.env` (gitignored):

```
OBSIDIAN_REST_API_KEY=<your-api-key>
```

HTTPS on port **27124**. Insecure HTTP (27123) is disabled by default. All requests require `-k` for the self-signed certificate.

## Authentication

```bash
export $(cat Modules/forge-obsidian/.env 2>/dev/null | xargs 2>/dev/null)
curl -sk "https://localhost:27124/..." -H "Authorization: Bearer $OBSIDIAN_REST_API_KEY"
```

## Endpoints

### Server info / health check

```bash
curl -sk "https://localhost:27124/" -H "Authorization: Bearer $OBSIDIAN_REST_API_KEY"
# { "authenticated": true, "service": "Obsidian Local REST API", ... }
```

### List files in a directory

```bash
# Vault root (trailing slash = directory listing)
curl -sk "https://localhost:27124/vault/" -H "Authorization: Bearer $OBSIDIAN_REST_API_KEY"
# { "files": ["Topics/", "Resources/", "Orchestration/", "Vault.md", ...] }

# Subdirectory
curl -sk "https://localhost:27124/vault/Topics/" -H "Authorization: Bearer $OBSIDIAN_REST_API_KEY"
# { "files": ["Security.md", "Proton.md", ...] }
```

Trailing slash distinguishes directory listing from file access. Without trailing slash, the path is treated as a filename.

### Check if a note exists

```bash
curl -sk -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" \
  "https://localhost:27124/vault/Resources/Applications/Obsidian.md" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $OBSIDIAN_REST_API_KEY"
# 200 = exists, 404 = doesn't
```

### Read file content

```bash
# Raw markdown
curl -sk "https://localhost:27124/vault/Topics/Security.md" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $OBSIDIAN_REST_API_KEY"

# Structured JSON (frontmatter parsed, tags extracted)
curl -sk "https://localhost:27124/vault/Topics/Security.md" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $OBSIDIAN_REST_API_KEY" \
  -H "Accept: application/vnd.olrapi.note+json"
```

### Search vault content

```bash
# Simple text search (POST method, query in URL params)
curl -sk -X POST \
  "https://localhost:27124/search/simple/?query=forge-tlp&contextLength=100" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $OBSIDIAN_REST_API_KEY"
# [{ "filename": "...", "score": N, "matches": [{ "match": { "start": N, "end": N }, "context": "..." }] }]

# Dataview DQL query (POST, body is the query)
curl -sk -X POST "https://localhost:27124/search/" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $OBSIDIAN_REST_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/vnd.olrapi.dataview.dql+txt" \
  -d 'TABLE file.name FROM "Topics" WHERE contains(file.name, "Security")'

# JsonLogic query (POST, JSON body)
curl -sk -X POST "https://localhost:27124/search/" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $OBSIDIAN_REST_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/vnd.olrapi.jsonlogic+json" \
  -d '{"glob": ["*.md", {"var": "path"}]}'
```

### Write / create a file

```bash
curl -sk -X PUT "https://localhost:27124/vault/Topics/NewNote.md" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $OBSIDIAN_REST_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: text/markdown" \
  -d '---
title: New Note
---

Content here.'
```

### Open a note in Obsidian

```bash
curl -sk -X POST "https://localhost:27124/open/Topics/Security.md" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $OBSIDIAN_REST_API_KEY"
```

## Detecting Availability

```bash
export $(cat Modules/forge-obsidian/.env 2>/dev/null | xargs 2>/dev/null)
if curl -sk --max-time 2 "https://localhost:27124/" \

From N4M3Z/forge-obsidian, EUPL-1.2.

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