Guide · Open source

How to use Claudian: install and run Claude Code in Obsidian

Updated 2026-10-29 · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

Claudian is a community plugin for Obsidian, the note-taking app, that adds a chat panel where an AI coding agent such as Claude Code or Codex works directly on your vault. This guide explains what you need before installing, how to install it, and how to use its main features. By the end you will know how to open the panel, ask the agent to work on your notes, and what data leaves your machine.

ClaudianYishenTu/claudian · ★ 15.9k · MIT Install options & downloads

Quick start

1Check requirements. Confirm you have desktop Obsidian v1.13.0 or later, one supported harness such as Claude Code or Codex, and a provider account for it.
2Install the plugin. Open Settings, go to Community plugins, search for Claudian, click Install and enable it.
3Open the chat. Click the Claudian ribbon icon or open it from the command palette.
4Ask the agent about your vault. Type a request in the chat. Use @ to reference files or folders you want it to focus on.
5Try inline edit. Select text in a note and trigger Inline Edit, then review the word-level diff before accepting.
6Review the privacy section. Check which provider receives your input and files before using it on sensitive notes.

What you need before you install Claudian

Claudian does not include an AI model by itself. It runs on top of a coding agent harness that you already have, and it needs a compatible subscription or API provider for that harness.

Claudian is desktop only, on macOS, Linux or Windows. It is not designed for mobile Obsidian.

Obsidian v1.13.0 or later
At least one supported harness: Claude Code, Codex, DeepSeek Harness, Grok Build, OpenCode V2 or Pi
A compatible subscription or API provider for that harness
Node.js, only if you build from source

How to install Claudian in Obsidian

The simplest route is the Obsidian Community Plugins browser. Open Obsidian, go to Settings, then Community plugins, select Browse, search for Claudian, click Install and enable the plugin. You can also install it from the community plugin page.

To build from source instead, clone the repository into your vault's plugins folder, install dependencies and build. The source install requires Node.js. Then enable Claudian under Settings, Community plugins.

Community plugins: Settings → Community plugins → Browse → search "Claudian" → Install → Enable
Source install: Settings → Community plugins → Enable "Claudian" after building

cd /path/to/vault/.obsidian/plugins
git clone https://github.com/YishenTu/claudian.git realclaudian
cd realclaudian
npm install
npm run build

How to open the Claudian chat and ask it to work on your notes

Open the Claudian interface from the ribbon icon or from the command palette. Then talk to the agent as you would in its normal coding environment. Claudian's vault folder is the agent's working directory, so the agent can read, write, edit and search your notes and run commands.

Use this to draft new notes, reorganize existing ones or edit notes in a folder at once. Type @ to reference vault files, folders or other Claudian sessions, and type / or $ for reusable prompt templates or Skills.

Open the chat from the ribbon icon or the command palette
Reference files and folders with @
Use / or $ for slash commands and Skills
Use multiple tabs in single-pane mode, or a session manager in dual-pane mode

How to use inline edit for word-level changes

Inline Edit lets you change text directly in a note. Select text, or place the cursor where you want the edit, then use the hotkey. Claudian shows a word-level diff preview so you can see exactly what would change before accepting it.

Side Chat, started with /side or /btw, opens a separate temporary conversation with follow-ups and tools while your main chat stays unchanged.

Select text and trigger Inline Edit to edit in place
Review the word-level diff preview
Use /side or /btw for a temporary side conversation

Projects, MCP servers and other features

Projects group sessions that work toward a shared goal. Members share the project's instructions and a memory file that the agents keep current. Zen Mode collapses the sidebar and moves the chat into a compact composer at the bottom of your notes.

MCP servers connect external tools through each coding agent's native CLI-managed MCP configuration. Cross-session messaging lets agents read, message, steer or interrupt other Claudian sessions. The Plugin API is marked experimental and lets other Obsidian plugins send prompts to sessions.

Projects: shared instructions and a memory file across sessions
Zen Mode: compact composer at the bottom of your notes
MCP servers: configured through each agent's native CLI
Plugin API (experimental): other plugins can send prompts and read replies

What data Claudian sends to providers

Claudian's privacy section says your input, attached files, images and tool call outputs are sent to the provider you selected. Depending on the provider, that is Anthropic (Claude), OpenAI (Codex), xAI (Grok), or the providers configured in OpenCode, Pi or DeepSeek Harness. Destinations can be set through provider settings and environment variables.

Claudian states that it does not run telemetry beacons. Network activity is limited to explicit provider work, configured MCP endpoints, and a 127.0.0.1-only listener used by OpenCode, DeepSeek and Grok sessions. If your notes are sensitive, read this section before you use the plugin.

What people use it for

Drafting new notes from rough ideas in a vault folder
Reorganizing or renaming related notes across a folder
Editing a paragraph in place with a word-level diff preview
Running a side conversation with /side without changing the main chat
Trying several agent backends such as Claude Code, Codex or Pi from one interface

Frequently asked questions

Is Claudian free?

The source describes Claudian as MIT licensed and open source. It does not state pricing for the agents it works with, and it requires a compatible subscription or API provider, so check those services directly.

What do I need to use Claudian?

You need desktop Obsidian v1.13.0 or later, at least one supported harness such as Claude Code or Codex, and a compatible subscription or API provider. Claudian is desktop only on macOS, Linux and Windows.

How do I install Claudian?

Install it from Settings, then Community plugins, then Browse, by searching for Claudian. For a source install, clone the repository into your vault's .obsidian/plugins folder, then run npm install and npm run build.

Does Claudian work on mobile Obsidian?

No. The README says Claudian is desktop only, for macOS, Linux and Windows.

Does Claudian send my notes to AI providers?

Yes, your input, attached files, images and tool call outputs go to the provider you choose. The provider depends on your harness, such as Anthropic for Claude or OpenAI for Codex.

What are the alternatives to Claudian?

Comparable projects listed for this item are Smart Connections, Copilot for Obsidian and Text Generator. Claudian's distinguishing feature is running a full coding agent such as Claude Code or Codex on your vault.

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Our verdict

Claudian suits Obsidian users who already use Claude Code, Codex or another supported agent and want it working on their notes, on desktop. Skip it if you use Obsidian only on mobile, lack a harness and provider account, or do not want note contents sent to third-party AI providers.

Install options & downloads