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zettelkasten-mcp

MCP.Pizza Chef: entanglr

Fourteen commands let your assistant write single-idea notes, connect them with labelled relationships such as supports, contradicts or refines, tag them, search them, list the most connected notes and surface the ones nothing points to. Notes live as ordinary text files on your own machine alongside a small index, so you keep everything and no key or account is needed. Deleting a note erases its file outright, with no bin and no undo. The project has had no changes since April 2025.

Unmaintained · no changes since April 2025
Notes
Writing

Use This MCP server To

Turn a reading session into a set of one-idea notes Link a new idea to the older note it argues against Find which of my notes nothing else links to See which notes sit at the centre of my thinking Search my notes by tag or by wording Build an outline note that organises a topic

README

Zettelkasten MCP Server

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that implements the Zettelkasten knowledge management methodology, allowing you to create, link, explore and synthesize atomic notes through Claude and other MCP-compatible clients.

What is Zettelkasten?

The Zettelkasten method is a knowledge management system developed by German sociologist Niklas Luhmann, who used it to produce over 70 books and hundreds of articles. It consists of three core principles:

  1. Atomicity: Each note contains exactly one idea, making it a discrete unit of knowledge
  2. Connectivity: Notes are linked together to create a network of knowledge, with meaningful relationships between ideas
  3. Emergence: As the network grows, new patterns and insights emerge that weren't obvious when the individual notes were created

What makes the Zettelkasten approach powerful is how it enables exploration in multiple ways:

  • Vertical exploration: dive deeper into specific topics by following connections within a subject area.
  • Horizontal exploration: discover unexpected relationships between different fields by traversing links that cross domains.

This structure invites serendipitous discoveries as you follow trails of thought from note to note, all while keeping each piece of information easily accessible through its unique identifier. Luhmann called his system his "second brain" or "communication partner" - this digital implementation aims to provide similar benefits through modern technology.

Features

  • Create atomic notes with unique timestamp-based IDs
  • Link notes bidirectionally to build a knowledge graph
  • Tag notes for categorical organization
  • Search notes by content, tags, or links
  • Use markdown format for human readability and editing
  • Integrate with Claude through MCP for AI-assisted knowledge management
  • Dual storage architecture (see below)
  • Synchronous operation model for simplified architecture

Examples

Note Types

The Zettelkasten MCP server supports different types of notes:

Type Handle Description
Fleeting notes fleeting Quick, temporary notes for capturing ideas
Literature notes literature Notes from reading material
Permanent notes permanent Well-formulated, evergreen notes
Structure notes structure Index or outline notes that organize other notes
Hub notes hub Entry points to the Zettelkasten on key topics

zettelkasten-mcp FAQ

Do I need a key or an account?
No. Everything runs on your own computer. Your notes are plain text files in a folder you choose, and nothing is sent to an outside service by the server itself.
Can I use this to organise my reading notes?
Yes. It has separate kinds of note for quick thoughts, notes from reading, polished permanent notes, outlines and topic entry points, and your assistant can file each one properly as you go.
Can it delete my notes?
Yes, and permanently. The delete command removes the note's file from disk immediately, with no confirmation and no recycle bin. Keep the folder in version control or a backup before you let an assistant tidy up.
Does 'find similar notes' understand what the notes say?
No, and this surprises people. Similarity is worked out from shared tags and shared links only, never the wording. Two notes on the same subject with no tags or links in common score zero.
How hard is the setup?
Hard. You download the code, install Python tooling, create an environment and then point your assistant at a local command. There is no installer and no hosted version.
Can I still edit notes in my own text editor?
Yes, the files are the real thing and the index is just a helper. If you edit them outside the tool, run the rebuild command afterwards so searching stays accurate.
Which apps does it work in?
Claude Desktop is what the instructions cover, and any other MCP-compatible app that can start a local command will work the same way.
Is it still being worked on?
It has been quiet since April 2025, with no changes for well over a year. It still runs, but do not expect fixes or new features.