Obsidian Editor API

Read and modify the active markdown editor via the Editor class.

Accessing the Editor

Inside an editor command (preferred)

import { Editor, MarkdownView } from 'obsidian';

this.addCommand({
  id: 'my-editor-command',
  name: 'My editor command',
  editorCallback: (editor: Editor, view: MarkdownView) => {
    // editor is directly available here
  },
});

From anywhere else

const view = this.app.workspace.getActiveViewOfType(MarkdownView);
if (!view) {
  new Notice('No active markdown editor');
  return;
}
const editor = view.editor;

Reading Content

// Selected text
const selection = editor.getSelection();

// Cursor position
const cursor = editor.getCursor();  // { line: number, ch: number }

// Entire document
const content = editor.getValue();

// A specific line
const lineText = editor.getLine(lineNumber);  // 0-indexed

// Number of lines
const lineCount = editor.lineCount();

Modifying Content

// Replace selected text
editor.replaceSelection('replacement text');

// Insert at cursor
editor.replaceRange('inserted text', editor.getCursor());

// Insert at specific position
editor.replaceRange('text', { line: 5, ch: 0 });

// Replace a range
editor.replaceRange(
  'new content',
  { line: 2, ch: 0 },   // from
  { line: 2, ch: 20 }   // to
);

// Replace entire document
editor.setValue('entirely new content');

Cursor & Selection Control

// Move cursor
editor.setCursor({ line: 0, ch: 0 });

// Set a selection
editor.setSelection(
  { line: 1, ch: 0 },   // anchor (start)
  { line: 1, ch: 10 }   // head (end)
);

// Focus the editor
editor.focus();

Common Patterns

Wrap selection in Markdown

editorCallback: (editor: Editor) => {
  const sel = editor.getSelection();
  if (sel) {
    editor.replaceSelection(`**${sel}**`);
  } else {
    // No selection — insert at cursor
    const cursor = editor.getCursor();
    editor.replaceRange('**bold text**', cursor);
    // Move cursor inside the markers
    editor.setCursor({ line: cursor.line, ch: cursor.ch + 2 });
  }
}

Insert a template at cursor

editorCallback: (editor: Editor) => {
  const template = `## Section\n\n- Item 1\n- Item 2\n`;
  const cursor = editor.getCursor();
  editor.replaceRange(template, cursor);
}

Get the active file + its content

const view = this.app.workspace.getActiveViewOfType(MarkdownView);
if (view?.file) {
  const file = view.file;
  const content = view.editor.getValue();
  // Now you have both the TFile metadata and the raw content
}

Notes on CodeMirror

Obsidian uses CodeMirror 6 as the underlying editor, but the Editor abstraction ensures your plugin works across both CM6 and legacy desktop. Use the Obsidian Editor API rather than accessing the CodeMirror instance directly unless you need advanced features not exposed by Obsidian.

Full API Reference

${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/obsidian-dev/references/api-reference.md → Editor API section