SiYuan MCP
A self-hosted knowledge base with block-level references and a built-in MCP server for connecting AI agents to your notes
- 47,204 ★ on the repository
- Last commit
- AGPL-3.0
Extended access
Why this level
- The MCP server gives an agent read and write access to your entire notes base
- Requires self-hosting and securing access yourself, including OAuth
Install
- Works in
Manual install
docker run b3log/siyuan serve --workspace=<путь>Container run; since v3.7.0 the serve subcommand is required. See parameters via docker run --rm b3log/siyuan serve --help.
Access and checks
How we reviewExtended accessThe tool runs code or makes network calls and only reads external data.
- The MCP server gives an agent read and write access to your entire notes base
- Requires self-hosting and securing access yourself, including OAuth
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
SiYuan is a privacy-first knowledge management system with a block-based Markdown editor, two-way links between blocks, SQL queries over content, and export to several formats. It installs as a desktop app, a mobile app, or a Docker container, and stores data locally or in its own workspace. Separately from the main interface, SiYuan's kernel implements an MCP server with tools for working with blocks, assets, attributes and bookmarks, plus OAuth support, so an AI agent can read and edit notes over MCP instead of touching files directly.
Who it is for. For people who keep a personal knowledge base in SiYuan and want an agent to read and edit notes directly rather than through file exports.
Good fit when
- You keep notes in SiYuan and want to connect an agent to them over MCP instead of manually copying text
- You need a private, self-hosted alternative to cloud note services with block-level references
- You need a SQL query or programmatic access to your notes' structure from an agent
Not a fit when
- You already use a different notes system and aren't planning to move to SiYuan just for MCP
- You only need simple access to plain text files, not SiYuan's block model
Example request
Connect to my SiYuan knowledge base over MCP and find all notes about this projectMCP
- Transport
- http
- Authentication
- OAuth
Limitations
The MCP server is a built-in feature of the SiYuan kernel, not a separately installable package: to use it you need to deploy and run the full SiYuan application, enable the server in settings, and point your agent at the local or networked instance's address. The project's README covers the notes system itself in detail but doesn't include a separate step-by-step MCP setup guide.
How to disable. Turn off the MCP server in SiYuan's settings, or simply don't expose it externally; fully removing it means uninstalling the SiYuan application itself.
FAQ
Is the MCP server a separate program?
No, it's a built-in part of SiYuan's Go kernel: the tools for blocks, assets, attributes and bookmarks run inside the already-running application.
Can I deploy it without the desktop app?
Yes, the README covers Docker and Kubernetes hosting with a serve subcommand, which fits running it on a server without a GUI.
Discussion
No questions or reviews yet.
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README in short
The README presents SiYuan as a privacy-first knowledge management system with block-level references, a WYSIWYG Markdown editor, SQL queries, spaced-repetition flashcards, and export to PDF, Word and HTML. Installation is documented in detail: an App Market listing, installer packages, package managers, Docker, Kubernetes, Unraid and TrueNAS hosting, plus a separate command-line interface section. The README text itself doesn't mention MCP directly, though the kernel source includes a dedicated kernel/mcp package with tools for blocks, assets and bookmarks, and OAuth support.