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Before we start capturing, let’s get all your tools installed and connected.
You will need: a laptop with internet access. No coding experience is required — we will guide you through every step.
1

Install Node.js

Already have Node.js? If you installed it for a previous tutorial, skip this step. Run node --version in your terminal to check — you should see a version number like v22.x.x.
Node.js is a free tool that lets you run Gemini CLI on your computer.
  1. Go to nodejs.org
  2. Click the big green LTS button to download the installer
  3. Open the downloaded .msi file
  4. Click Next through all the screens — the default settings are fine
  5. Click Install, then Finish
Open your terminal and type:
node --version
You should see a version number like v22.x.x. If you see an error, try closing and reopening your terminal, then run the command again.
2

Install Gemini CLI

Already have Gemini CLI? If you installed it for a previous tutorial, skip this step. Just run gemini in your terminal to check it still works.
Gemini CLI is Google’s free AI assistant. It runs in your terminal and helps you with tasks based on your descriptions.Open your terminal and type:
npm install -g @google/gemini-cli
Wait for the installation to finish. Then start it by typing:
gemini
The first time you run it, Gemini CLI will ask you to sign in:
  • Choose “Sign in with Google”
  • A browser window will open — sign in with your Google account
  • Come back to the terminal when it says you’re connected
Free tier: 60 requests per minute, 1,000 requests per day — more than enough for this tutorial and everyday use.
This means Node.js isn’t installed correctly. Go back and reinstall Node.js. After reinstalling, close your terminal completely and open a new one before trying again.
Windows: Close PowerShell and reopen it by right-clicking and choosing “Run as Administrator”. Then try the install command again.macOS: Add sudo before the command:
sudo npm install -g @google/gemini-cli
Enter your computer password when prompted (you won’t see characters as you type — that’s normal).
Type /quit to exit Gemini CLI for now. We will start it again once everything else is set up.
3

Install Obsidian and enable the CLI

Obsidian is a free note-taking app that stores your notes as plain text files on your computer. The CLI lets you control it from the terminal.
  1. Go to obsidian.md/download and click Download for Windows
  2. Run the installer and follow the prompts
  3. Open Obsidian — if this is your first time, click Create new vault, give it a name (e.g. “My Notes”), and choose where to save it
Already have Obsidian? Make sure you are running version 1.12.4 or later. Go to Settings → General → check the version number at the top. If you need to update, download the latest installer from obsidian.md/download.
Now enable the CLI:
  1. In Obsidian, open Settings (gear icon in the bottom-left)
  2. Go to General
  3. Find Command line interface and toggle it on
  4. Follow the prompt to register the CLI
  5. Close and reopen your terminal for the changes to take effect
Test it by opening your terminal and typing:
obsidian help
You should see a list of available commands. If you do, the CLI is ready.
Restart your terminal after enabling the CLI — the PATH changes only take effect in new terminal windows.macOS: Check that your ~/.zprofile file contains this line:
export PATH="$PATH:/Applications/Obsidian.app/Contents/MacOS"
If it is missing, add it manually, then restart your terminal.Windows: Make sure you are using the Obsidian 1.12.4+ installer. The installer adds a terminal redirector that allows the CLI to work. If the command still isn’t found, try restarting your computer.
The CLI connects to the running Obsidian app. Make sure Obsidian is open before running CLI commands. If Obsidian is not running, the first CLI command should launch it automatically — but this may take a few seconds.
By default, the CLI uses the vault in your current terminal directory, or the most recently active vault. To target a specific vault, add vault=<name> before your command:
obsidian vault="My Notes" help
4

Enable Daily Notes

Daily notes give you a fresh page for each day — like a digital journal that creates itself.
  1. Open Obsidian
  2. Click the Settings icon (gear icon) in the bottom-left corner
  3. In the left sidebar, click Core plugins
  4. Find Daily notes in the list
  5. Toggle it on
What are daily notes? Each day, Obsidian can create a new note with today’s date as the title. It becomes your running log for the day — everything you capture goes here. Tomorrow, you get a fresh note automatically.
Make sure you are looking under Core plugins, not Community plugins. Core plugins are built into Obsidian and are always available. Scroll through the list — Daily notes should be there.
5

Install Wispr Flow (optional)

This step is optional. Wispr Flow lets you speak instead of type — handy if you prefer talking over typing. Skip this step if you’d rather type your prompts.
Sign up using this invite link to get a free month of Pro: https://wisprflow.ai/r?CHAN115Both you and the tutorial author benefit — you get a free month of Pro, and they get a free month when you dictate 2,000 words!
  1. Sign up at wisprflow.ai/r?CHAN115
  2. Download and install the app for your operating system
  3. Configure settings — enable these options for the best experience:
    • Experimental > Command Mode — Enable advanced voice commands
    • Press Enter Command — Automatically press enter when you say “press enter”
    • Bulk Import — Import snippets and dictionary items
Wispr Flow is a voice-to-text tool that lets you dictate instead of type. It works in any application, including your terminal. Instead of typing a long prompt to Gemini CLI, you can just say it out loud. This is especially useful if you find typing slow or tiring.
6

Test everything together

Let’s make sure Gemini CLI can control Obsidian. Make sure Obsidian is open, then start Gemini CLI in your terminal:
Copy this command
gemini
Now say (with Wispr Flow) or type this prompt:
Say this or copy this prompt
Run the command obsidian daily to open today's note in Obsidian
Gemini CLI should run the obsidian daily command for you, and Obsidian should open today’s daily note. If Gemini asks for permission to run the command, type y and press Enter — this is normal.
What just happened? You asked Gemini CLI in plain language to open your daily note. It understood your request, ran the right command, and Obsidian responded. This is the core workflow — you describe what you want, and Gemini handles the rest.
Make sure Obsidian is running and the CLI is enabled. Test the CLI directly by running obsidian help in a separate terminal window. If that works, try the Gemini prompt again.
Make sure Obsidian is open and you have at least one vault set up. A vault is simply a folder where Obsidian stores your notes. If you have not created one yet, open Obsidian and follow the prompts to create your first vault.

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Verify your setup

Run node --version in your terminal. You should see a version number.
Run gemini in your terminal. It starts up and shows a prompt where you can type.
The app opens and you can run obsidian help in your terminal without errors.
The Daily notes core plugin is toggled on in Settings → Core plugins.
Asking Gemini to open your daily note works — it runs the command and Obsidian responds.
All set? Head to Capture, track, and review to start using your daily notes with natural language.