Overview
Obsidian keeps your notes as plain Markdown files in a folder on your own disk, so long-running research stays yours and works offline. It ships no AI itself. Agent access comes from a community plugin that adds a REST API and MCP server, letting an assistant search and edit notes. That surface is one person's project, not a vendor commitment.
Key Features
- ✓Local-first vault of plain Markdown files you own
- ✓Third-party community plugin adds a REST API and MCP server
- ✓Structural edits by heading, block or frontmatter via that plugin
- ✓Large plugin ecosystem including community AI add-ons
- ✓Free for personal use; paid Sync and Publish add-ons
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