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Claudian vs a terminal for Claude Code in Obsidian

Pick Claudian if you want Claude Code inside Obsidian: a sidebar chat that starts on the note you have open, inline edits with a word-level diff, and a rewind button. Pick a terminal beside the vault if you want Claude Code exactly as it ships, with no plugin to install and keep updated. If you mostly draft long pieces on a Mac rather than keep a notes system, Flywrite puts the terminal under the page and checkpoints the whole project when Claude Code starts.

Published by Flywrite. We make Flywrite, one of the options compared here. Facts are from each product's own pages, checked . · Updated

Pick Claudian if

  • you want to talk to Claude Code without leaving Obsidian
  • you want a new chat to start on the note you have open, with your selection
  • you want to review inline edits as a word-level diff and rewind from the chat

Pick a terminal if

  • you want Claude Code exactly as Anthropic ships it, with nothing added to Obsidian
  • you already work in a terminal and run other command-line tools there
  • you want the agent to reach Obsidian only when you ask, through Obsidian's own CLI

Or pick Flywrite if

  • you draft long pieces in Markdown on a Mac rather than keep a linked-notes system
  • you want the terminal under the page, knowing your file, line and selection
  • you want a whole-project checkpoint when Claude Code starts and backup to your own GitHub

Facts side by side

Facts checked October 20, 2026
FactClaudianTerminal beside the vaultFlywrite (third option)
What it is A free community plugin that runs Claude Code in an Obsidian sidebarClaude Code in a terminal app opened in the vault folder; no pluginA Mac writing app for Markdown with a terminal built in, right below your writing
Price Claudian and the terminal are free, and so is Obsidian (current pricing)$99 a year, every feature
Claude Code itself Needs a paid Claude plan or a Console account in every setup. Flywrite adds no AI fee.
Install and upkeep Turn off Restricted Mode and install it from Community Plugins. Not manually reviewed by Obsidian staff; updates are manualInstall Claude Code, open a terminal in the vault folder and run claude. Nothing to add to ObsidianOpen the vault with Open Folder and start Claude Code from its launcher. App updates arrive automatically while your license is active
Where you talk to the agent A sidebar chat, or Zen Mode's composer at the bottom of the noteA separate terminal windowThe terminal under your draft
What the agent sees The vault as its working folder. A new chat links the note you have open, and your selection comes alongThe vault folder. It doesn't get the open note on its own; it can read it by running Obsidian's CLI (obsidian read)The file you're in, the line you're on and the text you've highlighted, automatically for Claude Code
Reviewing an edit Inline Edit shows a word-level diff previewClaude Code edits the files; Obsidian refreshes the noteThe editor updates live as the agent edits
Undoing agent edits "Rewind to here" in Claudian, /rewind in the terminal; neither tracks files changed by shell commands. Obsidian's File recovery can also keep snapshots of notesA whole-project checkpoint when Claude Code starts. Restore the project or one file
Other agents Codex and other agents in the same sidebarAny other CLI agent, in the same terminalLaunchers for Claude Code, Codex and Cursor Agent, or any CLI agent that runs in your terminal
Platforms The agent runs on desktop only, in both setups. Obsidian also opens the vault on iOS and AndroidMac

Sources: Claudian's repository and community plugin page; Obsidian's help, pricing and download pages; Anthropic's Claude Code docs; Flywrite's docs and pricing. Full list with dates under Sources and limits.

Flywrite is $99 a year for Mac, with no AI fee. Buy Flywrite for Mac

Claudian Chat in an Obsidian sidebar Terminal beside the vault Obsidian, plus a separate terminal Flywrite Terminal under the page Claudian Chat in an Obsidian sidebar Terminal beside the vault Obsidian, plus a separate terminal Flywrite Terminal under the page
Illustration, not a screenshot.

Where each one wins

Where Claudian wins

  • No window switching. Claude Code runs in a sidebar chat, or Zen Mode's composer at the bottom of the note, so you never leave Obsidian.
  • It starts on your note. A new chat links the note you have open, and your selection or cursor line comes along with its note path.
  • Edits you can review. Inline Edit changes a selection or writes at the cursor, with a word-level diff preview.
  • Rewind and tabs in the chat. "Rewind to here" rolls back code and conversation, or just the conversation, and the chat has tabs.

Where a terminal wins

  • Claude Code exactly as it ships. Nothing third-party runs inside Obsidian: no community plugin to install with Restricted Mode off or to update by hand.
  • Works on any vault as it is. Open a terminal in the vault folder and run claude; the vault is an ordinary folder, and Obsidian refreshes notes changed outside it.
  • Obsidian's CLI when you want it. Turn on Obsidian's command line interface and the agent can read the open note, search the vault or create notes through the running app.
  • One terminal for everything. The same window runs any other command-line agent or tool you use.

Where Flywrite wins (third option)

  • A writing app you can make your own. A Rendered view that reads like the finished piece, with Source one keystroke away; your own theme, fonts and page width, per project or per file.
  • No vault. Any folder opens as a project of ordinary files you can see in Finder.
  • Free backup and sync to your own GitHub. One Sync button backs up the project and keeps your Macs in step, with no Git commands. It's included in Flywrite, and GitHub's free plan includes private repositories.
  • Any CLI agent. Launchers for Claude Code, Codex and Cursor Agent, plus any agent that runs in your terminal.
  • A terminal that knows what you're writing. Claude Code sees the file, the line and the text you've highlighted, and Flywrite checkpoints the whole project the moment it starts.

When Flywrite doesn't fit: if your writing lives in a vault of linked notes, or you need Windows, Linux or your phone, keep Obsidian with either setup. More in Flywrite vs Obsidian with Claude Code.

Agent edit and undo, step by step

How one Claude Code edit works in each setup, from each product's documentation and Claudian's source code, checked October 20, 2026
StepClaudianTerminal beside the vaultFlywrite
Start the agent Open Claudian from the ribbon or the command paletteOpen a terminal in the vault folder and run claudeStart Claude Code from its launcher in the terminal under your draft
Point it at your text A new chat links the open note; select text and the selection comes alongTell it which note. With Obsidian's CLI on, it can run obsidian read to get the open oneSelect text. Claude Code sees the file, the line and your selection
See the change Inline Edit shows a word-level diff preview; Obsidian shows the edited noteObsidian refreshes the note after Claude Code edits itThe editor updates live as the agent edits
Undo it "Rewind to here" on the message: code and conversation, or conversation only/rewind restores code, conversation or bothRestore the checkpoint for the whole project or one file; /rewind works too
Undo a change made by a shell command Not tracked by RewindNot tracked by /rewindRestoring the project brings every file back as it was when Claude Code started

Set up either one, and where Flywrite fits

  1. Install Claudian. Turn off Restricted Mode, then find Claudian under Settings → Community plugins → Browse. It needs Claude Code installed and Obsidian 1.13 or later, and like every community plugin it doesn't update on its own.
  2. Or run Claude Code in a terminal. Install Claude Code, open a terminal in your vault folder and run claude. Nothing changes in Obsidian.
  3. Turn on Obsidian's CLI if you want the terminal agent to reach the app. Go to Settings → General → Command line interface (it needs the 1.12.7 installer or later). With Obsidian running, obsidian read returns the note you have open.
  4. Open the same vault in Flywrite for long drafts. Choose Open Folder and pick the vault folder; your notes open as the Markdown files they are. Checkpoints need a Git repository, so Flywrite creates one in the folder unless you turn off checkpoints for new projects in Settings → Writing.
  5. Keep Obsidian on the same folder. Obsidian refreshes when files change outside it, so edits from Claudian, a terminal or Flywrite all show up there.

Questions

Can I use Claudian and a terminal on the same vault?

Yes. Claudian uses the vault as the agent's working folder, a terminal opened in the vault does the same, and Obsidian refreshes notes changed outside it.

Is Claudian made by Obsidian or Anthropic?

Neither. Claudian is a third-party community plugin with its own GitHub repository, released under the MIT license, and Obsidian's community plugin list describes it as not manually reviewed by Obsidian staff. It runs the Claude Code you install yourself, on your own Claude plan.

Do I need a Claude subscription for either?

Yes. Claude Code needs a Pro, Max, Team, Enterprise or Console account in every setup, and the free Claude plan doesn't include it. Obsidian and Claudian are free, and Flywrite adds no AI fee on top of its license.

Can Claude Code in a terminal see the note I have open?

Not on its own: Anthropic documents editor context for VS Code and JetBrains, not Obsidian. Turn on Obsidian's CLI and Claude Code can run obsidian read to get the open note. Claudian links it to a new chat for you.

Can I undo what the agent changed?

Yes, for edits made by Claude Code's own file tools: use "Rewind to here" in Claudian or /rewind in the terminal. Neither tracks files changed by shell commands, and Anthropic says checkpoints are not a replacement for Git. Obsidian's File recovery core plugin also keeps snapshots of notes, though Obsidian says it isn't a complete backup.

Does either work on iPhone or Android?

Not for the agent. Claudian is desktop only, and Claude Code runs on macOS, Windows and Linux. Obsidian opens the vault on iOS and Android, and Flywrite is a Mac app.

Bring your agent to Flywrite

$99 a year · Mac · every feature

Buy Flywrite for Mac See how the terminal works

Sources and limits

Plans and features change, so check each product's current pricing before you buy. Claudian's rewind and editor context are from its source code, not a test.