[Bug]: Obsidian Git should not list/stage/commit files outside the vault

Author: m-thomsonCreated Sep 5, 2026Updated Sep 18, 2026

Labelsbug

Describe the bug

When the Obsidian vault is a subdirectory of a larger Git repository, Obsidian Git operates on the entire repository rather than only the vault.

Example:

repo/
├── src/
├── package.json
└── docs/   ← Obsidian vault

Changes in src/ and other files outside docs/ appear in Source Control and may be staged/committed by Obsidian Git.

This is surprising and unsafe for an Obsidian plugin. Supporting a vault inside a parent Git repo should not imply managing unrelated files outside the vault.

Expected behavior: Git status/staging/commits should be scoped to the vault path, e.g.:

bash

git status -- docs/
git add -A -- docs/

Current version: 2.39.0

Relevant errors (if available) from notifications or console (`CTRL+SHIFT+I`)

bash

Steps to reproduce

Create a repo
Inside a subfolder create an Obsidian Vault.
Add or edit a repo file that is not in the Obsidian vault
Obsidian git lists that file

Expected Behavior

Obsidian Git should only operate on the files within the Obsidian vault.

Addition context

Debug info below. Note basePath = '..'

{
    "settings": {
        "commitMessage": "vault backup: {{date}}",
        "autoCommitMessage": "vault backup: {{date}}",
        "commitMessageScript": "",
        "commitDateFormat": "YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm:ss",
        "autoSaveInterval": 0,
        "autoPushInterval": 0,
        "autoPullInterval": 0,
        "autoPullOnBoot": false,
        "autoCommitOnlyStaged": false,
        "disablePush": false,
        "pullBeforePush": true,
        "squashCommitsBeforePush": false,
        "disablePopups": false,
        "showErrorNotices": true,
        "disablePopupsForNoChanges": false,
        "listChangedFilesInMessageBody": false,
        "showStatusBar": true,
        "updateSubmodules": false,
        "syncMethod": "merge",
        "mergeStrategy": "none",
        "customMessageOnAutoBackup": false,
        "autoBackupAfterFileChange": false,
        "treeStructure": false,
        "refreshSourceControl": true,
        "basePath": "..",
        "differentIntervalCommitAndPush": false,
        "changedFilesInStatusBar": false,
        "showedMobileNotice": true,
        "refreshSourceControlTimer": 7000,
        "showBranchStatusBar": true,
        "setLastSaveToLastCommit": false,
        "submoduleRecurseCheckout": false,
        "gitDir": "",
        "showFileMenu": true,
        "authorInHistoryView": "hide",
        "dateInHistoryView": false,
        "diffStyle": "split",
        "hunks": {
            "showSigns": false,
            "hunkCommands": false,
            "statusBar": "disabled"
        },
        "lineAuthor": {
            "show": false,
            "followMovement": "inactive",
            "authorDisplay": "initials",
            "showCommitHash": false,
            "dateTimeFormatOptions": "date",
            "dateTimeFormatCustomString": "YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm",
            "dateTimeTimezone": "viewer-local",
            "coloringMaxAge": "1y",
            "colorNew": {
                "r": 255,
                "g": 150,
                "b": 150
            },
            "colorOld": {
                "r": 120,
                "g": 160,
                "b": 255
            },
            "textColorCss": "var(--text-muted)",
            "ignoreWhitespace": false,
            "lastShownAuthorDisplay": "initials",
            "lastShownDateTimeFormatOptions": "date"
        }
    },
    "pluginVersion": "2.39.0"
}

### Operating system

macOS

### Installation Method

None

### Plugin version

2.39.0

Source: Vinzent03/obsidian-git