Cortex Local

Cortex Local is a small Obsidian side panel for working with notes using a local AI model.

The main idea is simple:

• open a note
• ask Cortex Local about it
• use one-click actions like Summarize or Improve writing
• approve edits before Cortex changes the file

It is Ollama-first, so you can use it without an API key.

Status: early local plugin. It is not in the Obsidian community plugin store yet. Name note: there is already a community plugin called Cortex Chat, so this project uses Cortex Local and the plugin id cortex-local.

What it can do

• Chat about the note you have open.
• Improve or rewrite the active note after asking you first.
• Use saved prompt buttons for common tasks.
• Import a ChatGPT conversations.json export into Markdown notes.
• Optionally connect ACP-compatible agents like Claude Code or Codex.

Install manually

Download or build these three files:

• main.js
• manifest.json
• styles.css

Create this folder inside your vault:

<your-vault>/.obsidian/plugins/cortex-local/

Put the three files there, then open Obsidian:

1. Settings
2. Community plugins
3. Turn off Restricted mode if needed
4. Enable Cortex Local
5. Reload Obsidian if the brain icon does not appear

Set up Ollama

Cortex Local works best with Ollama running locally.

Install Ollama, then run:

ollama pull llama3.2
ollama serve

Check your model:

ollama list

Default Cortex Local settings:

Address: http://127.0.0.1:11434
Model: llama3.2:latest

Use Cortex Local

Click the brain icon in the left ribbon, or use the command palette:

Cortex Local: Open Cortex Local

Try:

• "Summarize this note"
• "Explain this simply"
• "Improve the active note's clarity"

For note edits, Cortex Local shows a permission card before replacing the file. Pick Apply edit or Keep original.

Privacy and permissions

Local Ollama requests stay on your machine.

If you add an external ACP agent, that agent may use its own CLI, account, or API. Be careful with private notes. Cortex keeps open-note context off for external agents unless you enable it.

File access is clamped to the Obsidian vault. Writes ask before changing a file unless you turn on auto-save behavior in settings.

Do not put API keys in Cortex settings. Use your operating system environment instead.

Import ChatGPT history

Cortex Local can import ChatGPT exports:

1. Export your ChatGPT data from ChatGPT settings.
2. Unzip the export.
3. In Obsidian, run:

Cortex Local: Import ChatGPT export

Pick conversations.json.

By default, notes go into:

ChatGPT/

Each conversation becomes one Markdown note.

Related standalone tool:

• chatgpt-to-obsidian

Build from source

npm install
npm run build

The build writes main.js in the project root.

For manual install, copy:

main.js
manifest.json
styles.css

into:

<your-vault>/.obsidian/plugins/cortex-local/

Troubleshooting

If Cortex Local says Ollama is not available:

ollama serve
ollama list

If the plugin does not show in Obsidian:

• check the folder name is exactly cortex-local
• check manifest.json is in that folder
• reload Obsidian

If note edits feel risky, leave write approval on. Cortex Local will ask before replacing the current note.