| name | memory-system |
| description | Use Obsidian as Claude's primary workspace and persistent memory. Activates for ALL file
operations during sessions - working notes, scratchpads, analysis, task tracking - not just
permanent knowledge. Prefer Obsidian MCP tools over local disk writes. Use proactively for
any information worth preserving beyond the current conversation turn.
|
| version | 2.0.0 |
Obsidian Memory System
Obsidian is my primary workspace, not just long-term storage. Use it for:
- Working memory during sessions (scratchpads, analysis, task tracking)
- Permanent knowledge (decisions, lessons, patterns)
- Everything in between
Why Obsidian Over Local Disk
| Aspect | Local Disk | Obsidian |
|---|
| Folder creation | Need mkdir first | Auto-created |
| Searchability | Grep/Glob | search_notes with frontmatter |
| User visibility | Hidden in filesystem | Visible in Obsidian app |
| Cross-session | Lost or scattered | Organized, persistent |
| Linking | None | [[wiki-links]] work |
Default choice: Obsidian. Only use local disk for generated code or build artifacts.
MCP Tools for Workspace
| Need | Tool | Example |
|---|
| Create/overwrite | write_note | Session context, scratchpad |
| Surgical edit | patch_note | Update status, add findings |
| Read | read_note | Load previous context |
| Search | search_notes | Find related work |
| List | list_directory | Browse folder contents |
Session Workspace Protocol
For ANY working memory during a session:
1. Create Session Folder (Auto-Created)
Just write your first file - folder is created automatically:
agent-workspaces/claude-[YYYYMMDD]-[HHMMSS]-[context]/context.md
Context examples: vault-setup, feature-auth, debug-api, pr-review-123
2. Standard Session Files
| File | Purpose |
|---|
context.md | Session state, current task, status |
scratchpad.md | Working notes, analysis, draft content |
findings.md | Discoveries, results, outputs |
tasks.md | Task tracking if complex |
3. Update Status When Done
Use patch_note to mark session completed:
status: completed
When to Write to Obsidian
Always (Proactive)
| Trigger | What to Capture | Where |
|---|
| Starting any task | Session context | agent-workspaces/claude-[timestamp]-[context]/ |
| "Let's do X instead of Y" | Decision + rationale | decisions/ folder as ADR |
| "I prefer..." | User preference | agent-workspaces/shared/persistent.md |
| "That worked/didn't work" | Lesson learned | knowledge-base/lessons-learned/ |
| Person mentioned | Facts about them | people/[name].md |
| Recurring pattern | Pattern documentation | knowledge-base/ with #pattern |
| Important constraint | Project context | engagements/active/[project]/ |
| Quick note, unsure where | Inbox for triage | agent-workspaces/shared/inbox.md |
During Complex Tasks
- Multi-step analysis → write intermediate findings to scratchpad
- Research → capture sources and summaries
- Debugging → log what you tried and results
- Code review → note issues found before reporting
When to Read from Obsidian
Before Starting Work
- Any task → Check
agent-workspaces/shared/persistent.md for standing context
- Client work → Read
engagements/active/[client]/context.md
- Technical decision → Check relevant
decisions/ folder
- Person mentioned → Check
people/[name].md
- Implementation → Check
playbooks/ and knowledge-base/
Resuming Work
- Check
agent-workspaces/ for previous sessions on same topic
- Search by context identifier if you know it
Write Location Decision Tree
ANY working memory (scratchpad, analysis, tasks)?
└─ YES → agent-workspaces/claude-[timestamp]-[context]/
Decision or choice made?
└─ YES → relevant decisions/ folder as ADR
Reusable pattern or lesson?
└─ YES → knowledge-base/lessons-learned/
About a person?
└─ YES → people/[name].md
Engagement-specific?
└─ YES → engagements/active/[project]/
Reference material?
└─ YES → knowledge-base/[technology]/
Unsure?
└─ agent-workspaces/shared/inbox.md
Standard Frontmatter
Always include when creating notes:
---
type: context | scratchpad | decision | lesson | person | note
status: active | completed | archived
date: YYYY-MM-DD
summary: "1-2 sentences for quick scanning without reading content"
tags: [relevant, tags]
related: [[other-note]]
---
The summary field is critical for efficient navigation.
Shared Persistent Context
agent-workspaces/shared/persistent.md stores cross-session knowledge:
- User preferences and corrections
- Standing instructions
- Patterns specific to this user
- Things learned that should persist
Update this file when you learn something that should survive session boundaries.
Tag Taxonomy
| Category | Tags |
|---|
| Status | #draft #active #completed #archived |
| Type | #decision #pattern #lesson #meeting #blocker |
| Priority | #urgent #backlog |
| Sharing | #shareable #internal #sensitive |
What NOT to Store in Obsidian
- Generated code (belongs in git)
- Build artifacts
- Secrets or credentials
- Large binary files
- Ephemeral single-turn conversation details
Related
obsidian-memory:search-navigation - Efficient vault searchingCLAUDE.md in vault root - User-specific instructions
