Vault Operations
Obsilo can read, write, search, and organize files across your entire vault.
How it works
The agent does not access your vault directly. It uses tools, small single-purpose functions. When you ask the agent to find a note or create a file, it picks the right tools and calls them on your behalf.
Every tool call is visible in the activity block, and write operations require approval unless you enable auto-approve.
Reading your vault
These tools let the agent look at your files without changing anything. Available in both Ask and Agent mode.
| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
| read_file | Opens a note and reads its content |
| list_files | Lists files and folders in a given path |
| search_files | Finds notes by text content (keyword search) |
| search_by_tag | Finds all notes with a specific tag |
| get_frontmatter | Reads the YAML metadata at the top of a note |
| get_linked_notes | Follows wikilinks and backlinks from a note |
| get_daily_note | Opens today's daily note (or a specific date) |
Examples
- "What notes do I have in the Projects folder?" (uses
list_files) - "Find everything I wrote about client onboarding" (uses
search_files) - "Show me all notes tagged #review" (uses
search_by_tag) - "What links to my quarterly goals note?" (uses
get_linked_notes) - "Read today's daily note" (uses
get_daily_note)
Semantic search goes further
Keyword search matches exact words. To find notes by meaning (e.g., "notes about improving sleep" finding a note titled "Evening Routine"), see Knowledge Discovery.
Writing and editing
These tools modify your vault. Only available in Agent mode and require approval by default.
| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
| write_file | Creates a new note or replaces an existing one |
| edit_file | Makes targeted changes to part of a note |
| append_to_file | Adds content to the end of an existing note |
| update_frontmatter | Changes YAML metadata fields |
Examples
- "Create a note summarizing our Q1 results" (uses
write_file) - "Replace the second paragraph in @project-brief with a shorter version" (uses
edit_file) - "Add today's action items to @task-list" (uses
append_to_file) - "Set the status field to 'complete' in @project-brief" (uses
update_frontmatter)
Checkpoints protect your files
Before any write operation, Obsilo saves a snapshot. If something goes wrong, click Undo in the undo bar to restore the original.
Organizing files and folders
These tools help you restructure your vault.
| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
| create_folder | Creates a new folder (including nested paths) |
| move_file | Moves a note to a different folder or renames it |
| delete_file | Sends a note to the Obsidian trash |
Examples
- "Create an Archive/2025 folder and move all notes tagged #archived there" (uses
create_folder+move_file) - "Rename @old-project-name to new-project-name" (uses
move_file) - "Delete all empty notes in the Inbox folder" (uses
delete_file)
Deletion uses Obsidian trash
Deleted files go to Obsidian's trash (.trash folder), not permanent deletion. You can recover them from there.
Vault statistics
The agent can give you an overview of your vault using get_vault_stats:
- Total number of notes, folders, and attachments
- Vault size
- Tag distribution
- Recently modified files
Example: "Give me a summary of my vault: how many notes, what are the most used tags?"
Canvas and visual maps
Obsilo can create visual representations of your notes and their relationships.
| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
| generate_canvas | Creates an Obsidian Canvas (.canvas) with cards and connections |
| create_excalidraw | Creates an Excalidraw drawing (requires the Excalidraw plugin) |
Example: "Create a canvas map showing all notes in the Projects folder and their connections"
Bases (structured data)
Bases let you work with your notes as structured data, similar to a database view.
| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
| create_base | Creates a new Base from notes matching certain criteria |
| query_base | Queries an existing Base with filters and sorting |
| update_base | Modifies entries in a Base |
Example: "Create a Base of all notes tagged #book with columns for author, rating, and status from frontmatter"
Requires Obsidian 1.8+
Bases use Obsidian's built-in Bases feature. Make sure your Obsidian version supports it.
Tips
- Be specific about paths. "The Projects folder" is clearer than "my project notes."
- Use @-mentions to reference specific files. The agent does not have to search for them.
- Let the agent chain tools. A request like "find all notes about X, summarize them, and create a new note with the summary" uses multiple tools automatically.
- Check the activity block to see which files were read or changed.
- Start in Ask mode if you only want to explore. Switch to Agent mode when you are ready to make changes.
Next steps
- Knowledge Discovery: Semantic search and the knowledge graph
- Chat Interface: Attachments, history, and shortcuts
- Office Documents: Create PPTX, DOCX, and XLSX from your notes