Obsidian Integration

Expert guidance for integrating Claude workflows with Obsidian vault, including note creation, task management, and knowledge organization using Obsidian's markdown-based system.

When to Use This Skill

• Creating notes during development sessions with Claude
• Tracking tasks and TODOs in Obsidian
• Documenting decisions and solutions discovered with Claude
• Building a knowledge base of project insights
• Organizing research findings from Claude sessions
• Creating meeting notes or session summaries

Core Principles

1. Vault Location - Use $OBSIDIAN_CLAUDE environment variable for vault path
2. Atomic Notes - Each note focuses on a single concept or topic
3. Linking - Use wikilinks [[note-name]] to connect related ideas
4. Tags - Organize with hierarchical tags like #project/feature
5. Tasks - Use checkbox syntax for actionable items
6. Timestamps - Include dates for temporal context

Vault Configuration

Environment Setup

The Obsidian vault location is stored in the $OBSIDIAN_CLAUDE environment variable:

# Check vault location
echo $OBSIDIAN_CLAUDE

# Should return something like:
# /Users/username/Documents/ObsidianVault

If not set, you'll need to configure it in your shell profile:

# Add to ~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc
export OBSIDIAN_CLAUDE="/path/to/your/vault"

Obsidian Markdown Syntax

Wikilinks (Internal Links)

# Link to another note
[[Note Name]]

# Link with custom display text
[[Note Name|Display Text]]

# Link to heading in another note
[[Note Name#Heading]]

# Link to block
[[Note Name#^block-id]]

Tags

# Simple tags
#tag

# Hierarchical tags
#project/feature
#status/in-progress
#type/note
#type/task

# Tags in YAML frontmatter
---
tags:
  - project/feature
  - status/active
---

Tasks

# Basic task
- [ ] Task to do

# Completed task
- [x] Completed task

# Task with priority
- [ ] High priority task ⚠️
- [ ] Medium priority task 🔸
- [ ] Low priority task 🔹

# Task with date (if using Obsidian Tasks plugin)
- [ ] Task 📅 2026-01-23
- [ ] Task ⏳ 2026-01-30
- [ ] Task ✅ 2026-01-20

# Task with metadata
- [ ] Implement feature #coding #high-priority @claude-session

Callouts (Obsidian-specific)

> [!note]
> This is a note callout

> [!tip]
> Helpful tip here

> [!warning]
> Important warning

> [!todo]
> Task to complete

> [!example]
> Example code or content

> [!quote]
> Quote or citation

Note Templates

Session Note Template

---
date: {{date}}
type: session-note
tags:
  - claude-session
  - project/{{project-name}}
---

# Session: {{topic}} - {{date}}

## Context
What we're working on and why

## Summary
Key points and outcomes from this session

## Decisions
- Decision 1
- Decision 2

## Action Items
- [ ] Task 1
- [ ] Task 2

## Links
- [[Related Note 1]]
- [[Related Note 2]]

## Code References
- `file.py:123` - Description of code location

---
**Session with**: Claude
**Duration**: {{duration}}

Technical Note Template

---
date: {{date}}
type: technical-note
tags:
  - technical
  - {{topic}}
---

# {{Title}}

## Problem
Description of the issue or topic

## Solution
How it was resolved or implemented

## Implementation Details
```language
code example

Related Concepts

• [[Concept 1]]
• [[Concept 2]]

References

• External links or documentation

Notes

Additional thoughts or considerations

### Task Note Template

```markdown
---
date: {{date}}
type: task
tags:
  - task
  - status/pending
project: {{project-name}}
---

# Task: {{task-name}}

## Description
What needs to be done

## Requirements
- Requirement 1
- Requirement 2

## Checklist
- [ ] Step 1
- [ ] Step 2
- [ ] Step 3

## Dependencies
- [[Related Task 1]]
- [[Related Task 2]]

## Notes
Additional context or considerations

## Completion
**Status**: Pending
**Priority**: Medium
**Due**: {{date}}

Working with Claude: Common Patterns

Pattern 1: Creating a Session Note

When starting a work session with Claude:

# Create new session note in Obsidian vault
cat > "$OBSIDIAN_CLAUDE/Sessions/$(date +%Y-%m-%d)-session.md" <<EOF
---
date: $(date +%Y-%m-%d)
type: session-note
tags:
  - claude-session
---

# Session: $(date +%Y-%m-%d)

## Context


## Summary


## Action Items
- [ ]

## Links

EOF

Pattern 2: Adding Quick Notes

For quick insights during development:

# Append to daily note
echo "## $(date +%H:%M) - Quick Note

Content here

" >> "$OBSIDIAN_CLAUDE/Daily/$(date +%Y-%m-%d).md"

Pattern 3: Creating Task from Claude Session

# Create task file
TASK_NAME="implement-feature-x"
cat > "$OBSIDIAN_CLAUDE/Tasks/$TASK_NAME.md" <<EOF
---
date: $(date +%Y-%m-%d)
type: task
tags:
  - task
  - status/pending
---

# Task: $TASK_NAME

## Description


## Checklist
- [ ]

## Created by
Claude session on $(date +%Y-%m-%d)
EOF

Pattern 4: Documenting Code Solutions

# Create solution note
SOLUTION_NAME="fix-api-error"
cat > "$OBSIDIAN_CLAUDE/Solutions/$SOLUTION_NAME.md" <<EOF
---
date: $(date +%Y-%m-%d)
type: solution
tags:
  - solution
  - coding
---

# Solution: $SOLUTION_NAME

## Problem


## Solution


## Code
\`\`\`language
code here
\`\`\`

## Related
- [[Related Note]]
EOF

Folder Organization for Claude Integration

Recommended folder structure within Obsidian vault:

$OBSIDIAN_CLAUDE/
├── Daily/                      # Daily notes
│   └── YYYY-MM-DD.md
├── Sessions/                   # Claude session notes
│   └── YYYY-MM-DD-topic.md
├── Tasks/                      # Task tracking
│   ├── active/
│   └── completed/
├── Projects/                   # Project documentation
│   └── project-name/
│       ├── index.md
│       ├── architecture.md
│       └── decisions.md
├── Solutions/                  # Code solutions and fixes
│   └── solution-name.md
├── Research/                   # Research notes
│   └── topic.md
├── Knowledge/                  # Permanent notes
│   └── concept.md
└── Templates/                  # Note templates
    ├── session.md
    ├── task.md
    └── solution.md

Helper Functions for Obsidian Integration

Bash Helper Functions

Add these to your shell profile for easy integration:

# Create new session note in Obsidian
obs-session() {
    local topic="${1:-general}"
    local date=$(date +%Y-%m-%d)
    local file="$OBSIDIAN_CLAUDE/Sessions/${date}-${topic}.md"

    cat > "$file" <<EOF
---
date: $date
type: session-note
tags:
  - claude-session
  - project/$topic
---

# Session: $topic - $date

## Context


## Summary


## Action Items
- [ ]

## Links

EOF

    echo "Created session note: $file"
}

# Create task in Obsidian
obs-task() {
    local task_name="$1"
    local date=$(date +%Y-%m-%d)
    local file="$OBSIDIAN_CLAUDE/Tasks/${task_name}.md"

    cat > "$file" <<EOF
---
date: $date
type: task
tags:
  - task
  - status/pending
---

# Task: $task_name

## Description


## Checklist
- [ ]

## Created
$date via Claude session
EOF

    echo "Created task: $file"
}

# Append to daily note
obs-note() {
    local date=$(date +%Y-%m-%d)
    local time=$(date +%H:%M)
    local daily_note="$OBSIDIAN_CLAUDE/Daily/${date}.md"

    # Create daily note if doesn't exist
    if [ ! -f "$daily_note" ]; then
        cat > "$daily_note" <<EOF
---
date: $date
type: daily-note
---

# $date

EOF
    fi

    # Append note
    cat >> "$daily_note" <<EOF

## $time


EOF

    echo "Added entry to daily note: $daily_note"
}

# Quick search in Obsidian vault
obs-search() {
    grep -r "$1" "$OBSIDIAN_CLAUDE" --include="*.md"
}

Integration Workflow with Claude

Before Session

1. Set up environment

   echo $OBSIDIAN_CLAUDE  # Verify vault location
   

2. Create session note (optional)

   obs-session "feature-implementation"
   

During Session

1. Add notes as you go

   • Use Claude to create notes for important insights
   • Document decisions and reasoning
   • Track code locations with file.py:line references

2. Create tasks for follow-ups

   obs-task "refactor-authentication"
   

3. Link to existing notes

   • Reference related documentation
   • Build knowledge graph through links

After Session

1. Review and organize

   • Add tags to notes
   • Create links between related notes
   • Update project index

2. Update task status

   • Mark completed tasks
   • Add new discovered tasks

3. Archive session notes

   • Move to appropriate project folder if needed
   • Link from project index

Best Practices

Note Creation

DO:

• ✅ Create notes during the session, not after
• ✅ Use descriptive file names (kebab-case)
• ✅ Include YAML frontmatter with metadata
• ✅ Link to related notes and concepts
• ✅ Add relevant tags for organization
• ✅ Include timestamps for temporal context

DON'T:

• ❌ Create huge monolithic notes
• ❌ Forget to link related concepts
• ❌ Skip metadata and tags
• ❌ Use unclear or generic titles
• ❌ Duplicate information across notes

Task Management

DO:

• ✅ Use checkbox syntax - [ ] for tasks
• ✅ Add priority indicators
• ✅ Link tasks to relevant notes
• ✅ Include context in task description
• ✅ Break down large tasks into subtasks

DON'T:

• ❌ Create tasks without context
• ❌ Leave tasks orphaned (unlinked)
• ❌ Forget to update task status
• ❌ Mix tasks and notes in disorganized way

Linking and Tags

DO:

• ✅ Use wikilinks [[note]] liberally
• ✅ Create hierarchical tags #project/area/topic
• ✅ Link bidirectionally when relevant
• ✅ Tag by type, status, and project
• ✅ Build a web of knowledge

DON'T:

• ❌ Over-tag (diminishing returns)
• ❌ Use inconsistent tag hierarchies
• ❌ Create links without purpose
• ❌ Forget to use tag search features

Obsidian Plugins for Claude Integration

Recommended Plugins

1. Templater - Advanced templates with dynamic content
2. Dataview - Query and display notes dynamically
3. Tasks - Enhanced task management
4. Calendar - Visual daily note navigation
5. Git - Version control for vault (if using)
6. Quick Add - Rapid note creation with macros

Dataview Examples for Claude Sessions

# Recent Claude sessions
TABLE date, summary
FROM #claude-session
SORT date DESC
LIMIT 10

# Pending tasks from sessions
TASK
FROM #claude-session
WHERE !completed

Troubleshooting

Issue 1: $OBSIDIAN_CLAUDE not set

Problem: Environment variable not defined

Solution:

# Add to shell profile
echo 'export OBSIDIAN_CLAUDE="/path/to/vault"' >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc

Issue 2: Note not appearing in Obsidian

Problem: File created but not visible

Solution:

• Ensure file has .md extension
• Check file permissions
• Verify path is within vault
• Refresh Obsidian file list

Issue 3: Links not working

Problem: Wikilinks don't navigate correctly

Solution:

• Ensure exact note name match (case-sensitive)
• Check for file extension in link (shouldn't include .md)
• Verify linked note exists
• Use Obsidian's link autocomplete

Issue 4: Frontmatter rendering in preview

Problem: YAML frontmatter shows as text

Solution:

• Ensure frontmatter is first thing in file
• Use proper YAML syntax (three dashes before and after)
• Check for trailing spaces

Quick Reference

Creating Notes with Claude

# Session note
cat > "$OBSIDIAN_CLAUDE/Sessions/$(date +%Y-%m-%d)-topic.md" <<'EOF'
---
date: 2026-01-23
type: session-note
tags: [claude-session]
---
# Content here
EOF

# Task note
cat > "$OBSIDIAN_CLAUDE/Tasks/task-name.md" <<'EOF'
---
date: 2026-01-23
type: task
tags: [task, status/pending]
---
# Task: task-name
- [ ] Step 1
EOF

# Quick append to daily
echo "## Note

Content" >> "$OBSIDIAN_CLAUDE/Daily/$(date +%Y-%m-%d).md"

Essential Obsidian Syntax

# Wikilinks
[[Note Name]]
[[Note#Heading]]
[[Note|Display Text]]

# Tags
#tag
#hierarchical/tag

# Tasks
- [ ] Pending
- [x] Done

# Callouts
> [!note]
> Content

# Block references
^block-id
[[Note#^block-id]]

Integration with Other Skills

This skill works well with:

• folder-organization - Vault structure standards
• managing-environments - Development workflow
• claude-collaboration - Team knowledge sharing

References and Resources

• Obsidian Documentation
• Obsidian Community Plugins
• Zettelkasten Method
• PARA Method - Projects, Areas, Resources, Archives

---

Remember: The goal is to build a searchable, linked knowledge base that grows with each Claude session. Start simple, add structure as needed.