Obsidian Git Sync: One Prompt to Auto-Backup Your Vault to GitHub

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Give this one prompt to Claude Code, and it will automatically:

• Locate your Obsidian vault
• git init + create a .gitignore tuned for Obsidian
• Create a private GitHub repo and push your vault
• Configure Obsidian Git plugin (auto-commit, auto-pull)
• Set up an hourly cron fallback sync
• Print a final summary with everything configured

No manual terminal commands. No GitHub token setup. No debugging SSH issues. One shot.

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The Problem

You write daily notes in Obsidian. Your vault grows — ideas, projects, journals, your second brain. But:

• iCloud sync is unreliable and has no version history
• Manual git backups are easy to forget
• Every sync guide assumes you know the terminal inside out

You need a set-it-and-forget-it backup that costs nothing (GitHub private repos are free) and takes 30 seconds to set up.

The Solution

A prompt. Paste it into Claude Code, and the agent does everything — from git init to cron job — while explaining each step. Your vault is backed up to GitHub, auto-synced every 15 minutes by the Obsidian Git plugin, with an hourly cron fallback as a safety net.

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Quick Start (30 seconds)

# 1. Clone this repo
git clone https://github.com/forrestIsRunning/obsidian-sync-agent.git
cd obsidian-sync-agent

# 2. Feed the prompt to Claude Code
cat prompt.md | claude

# 3. That's it. Watch the agent do the rest.

Using Cursor, Windsurf, or another AI agent? Open prompt.md, copy the contents, and paste it into your AI chat panel.

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The Prompt

Copy the entire block below into your AI agent:

You are a macOS automation expert. I have an Obsidian Vault on my local Mac. The vault path might be under ~/Documents/ObsidianVault, ~/Documents/Obsidian\ Vault, ~/Desktop, or ~ — find it.

Please complete ALL of the following steps. Before each step, tell me what you are about to do:

Step 1: Check Environment — verify git, GitHub CLI (gh), user config, and locate the vault.

Step 2: Initialize Git — git init, create an Obsidian-tuned .gitignore (exclude workspace files, .DS_Store, .trash), git add and commit.

Step 3: Create Private GitHub Repo — gh repo create obsidian-vault --private --source=. --remote=origin --push. Verify the push.

Step 4: Configure Obsidian Git Plugin — check data.json for current settings, output recommended config (15-min auto backup, auto pull on startup, merge strategy).

Step 5: Cron Fallback Sync — create ~/bin/obsidian-sync.sh with git add -A, auto-commit with timestamp, pull-rebase, and push. Add an hourly crontab entry.

Step 6: Verify — git log --oneline -5, git remote -v, and a summary table.

Full prompt files:

• prompt.md — English (copy-paste ready)
• prompt-zh.md — 中文版

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What Gets Configured

Component	Method	Automation Level
Git repository	git init on vault directory	Fully automated
Private GitHub repo	gh repo create --private --push	Fully automated
Obsidian .gitignore	Written by agent (excludes workspace/tmp/trash)	Fully automated
Obsidian Git plugin	Reads data.json + recommends settings	Manual (in Obsidian)
Hourly cron sync	~/bin/obsidian-sync.sh + crontab entry	Fully automated
First backup push	Auto-pushed during repo creation	Fully automated

What You Need

• macOS (Ventura / Sonoma / Sequoia)
• Obsidian (used at least once — the vault directory must exist)
• GitHub account (free — the repo will be private)
• Claude Code (or any AI agent with shell access: Cursor, Windsurf, etc.)

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Why This Approach Works

Approach	Setup Time	Cost	Version History	Auto-Sync
This prompt	30 seconds	Free	Full git history	Plugin + cron
Manual git	15-30 min	Free	Full git history	Manual only
Obsidian Sync	5 min	$5/month	30-day	Built-in
iCloud	0 (built-in)	Free	None	Unreliable
Dropbox	10 min	$10/month	30-day	Yes

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About the Author

Built by Forrest — a macOS automation engineer who got tired of losing Obsidian notes and decided that a well-crafted AI prompt should do the work instead of writing yet another blog tutorial.

• GitHub: @forrestIsRunning
• Building: AI agent workflows, developer tooling, macOS automation

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Support

If this saved you time or gave you peace of mind:

• Star this repo — it helps others find it on GitHub
• Share on Twitter or LinkedIn — tag me so I can connect with you
• Follow @forrestIsRunning for more automation tools and AI agent workflows

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License

MIT — free to use, fork, and share.