dhruv's obsidian mcp

i'm working on learning ML compilers + some os concepts this summer so i set up an obsidian vault to track my learning

coincidentally i also wanted some more experience working with mcp so im gonna create an mcp server that connects to codex and gives it some pointers on how to evaluate my learning + make sure my projects are on the right track

stay tuned for updates! we're just getting started ☺︎

Roadmap

This project is a local MCP server for turning an Obsidian vault into a structured compiler-learning interface.

The goal is not just "AI can read my notes."
The goal is to build a real MCP-native learning system with:

• tools for computation and analysis
• resources for stable context surfaces
• prompts for reusable workflows

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Current State

Phase 1 — Existing MCP integration

• [x] Connect Codex to an existing Obsidian MCP server
• [x] Validate basic vault access and note summarization

Phase 2 — Custom local MCP server

• [x] Build a custom Python MCP server
• [x] Expose initial tools:
  • [x] extract_concepts
  • [x] get_learning_gaps
  • [x] generate_study_session
  • [x] compare_notes_to_project
• [x] Register server in Codex
• [x] Verify with MCP Inspector
• [x] Get working end-to-end local tool calls

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Next Up

Phase 3 — Flesh out the MCP interface

Goal: evolve from "bag of tools" into a real MCP-backed learning interface.

3.1 Resources

Expose stable, inspectable views of the learning system.

Planned resources:

• [ ] vault://compiler/concepts
• [ ] vault://compiler/gaps
• [ ] vault://compiler/recent-notes
• [ ] vault://project/alignment
• [ ] vault://weekly-review/latest

Why:

• tools are good for actions
• resources are good for persistent context
• this makes the server feel more like a system and less like one-off functions

3.2 Prompts

Add reusable workflow templates directly through MCP.

Planned prompts:

• [ ] weekly_learning_review
• [ ] generate_study_plan
• [ ] notes_vs_project_analysis
• [ ] paper_to_implementation_breakdown

Why:

• removes the need to remember good prompt phrasing
• turns repeated workflows into first-class interfaces

3.3 Better analysis heuristics

Upgrade from raw keyword counting to more meaningful note analysis.

Planned improvements:

• [ ] frontmatter-aware filtering
• [ ] tag-aware concept grouping
• [ ] recency-aware analysis
• [ ] note depth scoring
• [ ] backlinks / note-link graph analysis
• [ ] better "shallow vs deep" detection
• [ ] concept clustering instead of only exact keyword hits

Why:

• current heuristics are useful but primitive
• this is where the actual intelligence of the server improves

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Phase 4 — Multi-source learning system

Goal: compare and synthesize across more than just markdown notes.

Planned sources:

• [ ] Obsidian vault
• [ ] local project repo(s)
• [ ] paper notes / reading notes
• [ ] PDFs or exported paper summaries
• [ ] lightweight project tracker / task file

Planned capabilities:

• [ ] compare notes to implementation
• [ ] compare paper concepts to project gaps
• [ ] detect studied-but-not-built topics
• [ ] generate implementation ideas from recent learning

Why:

• this is where MCP starts becoming genuinely high leverage
• the server becomes a bridge between learning, planning, and building

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Phase 5 — Codex workflow integration

Goal: make the server easy and natural to use inside daily Codex workflows.

Planned work:

• [ ] improve tool naming and descriptions
• [ ] make outputs more structured and predictable
• [ ] add AGENTS.md guidance for when to use each MCP feature
• [ ] add example prompts for each tool/resource/prompt
• [ ] reduce need for manual tool invocation phrasing

Why:

• a powerful MCP server is useless if the host/client doesn’t use it well
• ergonomics matter just as much as capabilities

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Future / Stretch Ideas

Sampling

Potential future direction:

• [ ] let the server request model-generated synthesis through MCP sampling

Possible use cases:

• [ ] auto-generate weekly reviews
• [ ] synthesize study guides from grouped notes
• [ ] produce concept summaries from note clusters

Note: This is intentionally not a near-term priority.
The server should first have strong tools/resources/prompts before adding more agentic behavior.

Remote / hosted version

Potential future direction:

• [ ] move from local stdio server to remote server
• [ ] support HTTP transport
• [ ] add auth if needed
• [ ] support broader clients beyond local Codex usage

Note: This is productization, not the immediate learning goal.

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Immediate Priorities

Priority 1

Implement resources:

• [ ] concepts
• [ ] gaps
• [ ] recent notes digest
• [ ] notes/project alignment summary

Priority 2

Implement prompts:

• [ ] weekly review
• [ ] study session
• [ ] notes vs project comparison

Priority 3

Improve heuristics:

• [ ] frontmatter and tag support
• [ ] recency filters
• [ ] better depth scoring

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Guiding Principle

This project should move toward:

a real MCP interface for a compiler-learning workflow

and away from:

a pile of loosely related note-analysis functions

If a new feature does not improve one of these, it probably should not be added:

• learning feedback loops
• study planning
• notes-to-project alignment
• reusable Codex workflows
• structured MCP-native interfaces