diff --git a/server.py b/server.py
index b2be997..742b6e9 100644
--- a/server.py
+++ b/server.py
@@ -43,6 +43,18 @@ OBSIDIAN_HIDDEN = {".obsidian", ".trash", ".git", ".DS_Store", "node_modules"}
 MARKDOWN_EXT = {".md", ".markdown"}
 
 
+# ── Helpers ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+def _compact_date(timestamp: float) -> str:
+    """Return YYYY-MM-DD (no time/microseconds/tz — 1/10 the token cost)."""
+    return datetime.fromtimestamp(timestamp, tz=timezone.utc).strftime("%Y-%m-%d")
+
+
+def _is_hidden_path(rel: Path) -> bool:
+    """True if any path component is a dotfile/dotdir (excluding .obsidian)."""
+    return any(part.startswith(".") and part != ".obsidian" for part in rel.parts)
+
+
 # ── Helpers ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 def _vault_path(vault_name: str) -> Path:
@@ -69,18 +81,35 @@ def _resolve_doc(vault_name: str, doc_path: str) -> Path:
     return target
 
 
-def _file_info(p: Path, relative_to: Path) -> dict[str, Any]:
-    """Build a file/directory info dict."""
-    stat = p.stat()
+def _file_info_lean(p: Path, relative_to: Path) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    """Bare index entry — name, path, type only. ~55 chars vs ~120."""
     return {
         "name": p.name,
         "path": str(p.relative_to(relative_to)).replace("\\", "/"),
         "type": "directory" if p.is_dir() else "file",
-        "size_bytes": stat.st_size if p.is_file() else 0,
-        "modified": datetime.fromtimestamp(stat.st_mtime, tz=timezone.utc).isoformat(),
     }
 
 
+def _file_info_full(p: Path, relative_to: Path) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    """Full metadata for a single file — size, date, counts."""
+    stat = p.stat()
+    info: dict[str, Any] = {
+        "name": p.name,
+        "path": str(p.relative_to(relative_to)).replace("\\", "/"),
+        "type": "directory" if p.is_dir() else "file",
+        "size_bytes": stat.st_size if p.is_file() else None,
+        "modified": _compact_date(stat.st_mtime),
+    }
+    if p.is_file() and _is_markdown(p):
+        try:
+            content = p.read_text(encoding="utf-8", errors="replace")
+        except Exception:
+            content = ""
+        info["line_count"] = content.count("\n") + (1 if content else 0)
+        info["char_count"] = len(content)
+    return info
+
+
 def _is_markdown(p: Path) -> bool:
     return p.suffix.lower() in MARKDOWN_EXT
 
@@ -159,8 +188,13 @@ def list_vault(
     include_files: bool = True,
     include_directories: bool = True,
     file_extensions: list[str] | None = None,
+    include_hidden: bool = False,
 ) -> dict[str, Any]:
-    """FILESYSTEM TOOL (not memory) — List files and folders in vault on disk. See structure before reading docs.
+    """FILESYSTEM TOOL (not memory) — Index files and folders in vault on disk. Use to see structure before reading docs.
+
+    Returns a lean listing (name + path + type only). Use get_file_info for
+    size/date/counts on a specific file. Hidden dirs (.obsidian, .git, .trash)
+    are excluded by default.
 
     Args:
         vault_name: Name of the vault (subdirectory name under vaults root)
@@ -172,16 +206,16 @@ def list_vault(
         include_directories: Include directories in results (default True).
         file_extensions: Optional filter — only return files with these extensions
             (e.g. ['.md', '.canvas']). Case-insensitive.
+        include_hidden: If True, include .obsidian config directory (default False).
 
     Usage:
-        list_vault("obsidian-skt")              → root listing
-        list_vault("obsidian-skt", "")          → same, explicit
+        list_vault("obsidian-skt")              → root index
+        list_vault("obsidian-skt", "", True)     → recursive index
         list_vault("obsidian-skt", "NPCs")       → subfolder
-        list_vault("obsidian-skt", "", True)     → recursive from root
 
     Returns:
-        directories: list of subdirectory info dicts
-        files: list of file info dicts (name, path, type, size, modified)
+        directories: [{name, path, type}]
+        files: [{name, path, type}]
         total: combined count
     """
     vault = _vault_path(vault_name)
@@ -204,22 +238,13 @@ def list_vault(
         iterator = target.iterdir()
 
     for entry in sorted(iterator, key=lambda p: (not p.is_dir(), p.name.lower())):
-        # Skip hidden/obsidian metadata unless explicitly inside .obsidian
-        if entry.name.startswith(".") and entry.name not in (".obsidian",):
-            continue
-        if entry.name in OBSIDIAN_HIDDEN and not str(entry.resolve()).startswith(str(vault / ".obsidian")):
-            continue
-        # Also skip entries nested inside any hidden/excluded directory ancestor
-        # (e.g. .git/objects/ab/cdef — the file name looks innocent but it lives
-        #  under .git, which rglob walks into before we can stop it)
         rel = entry.relative_to(vault)
-        if any(
-            part.startswith(".") and part != ".obsidian"
-            for part in rel.parts
-        ):
+
+        # Filter hidden directories/files unless include_hidden is set
+        if _is_hidden_path(rel) and not include_hidden:
             continue
 
-        info = _file_info(entry, vault)
+        info = _file_info_lean(entry, vault)
         if entry.is_dir():
             if include_directories:
                 directories.append(info)
@@ -270,10 +295,27 @@ def get_vault_document(vault_name: str, doc_path: str) -> dict[str, Any]:
         "word_count": len(content.split()),
         "char_count": len(content),
         "size_bytes": stat.st_size,
-        "modified": datetime.fromtimestamp(stat.st_mtime, tz=timezone.utc).isoformat(),
+        "modified": _compact_date(stat.st_mtime),
     }
 
 
+@mcp.tool()
+def get_file_info(vault_name: str, doc_path: str) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    """FILESYSTEM TOOL (not memory) — Get size, date, and line count for a single file. Use after list_vault to inspect a specific note.
+
+    Args:
+        vault_name: Name of the vault.
+        doc_path: Relative path to the file within the vault (e.g. 'folder/note.md').
+
+    Returns metadata dict with: name, path, type, size_bytes, modified (YYYY-MM-DD),
+    and for markdown files: line_count, char_count.
+    """
+    target = _resolve_doc(vault_name, doc_path)
+    if not target.exists():
+        return {"error": f"File not found: {doc_path}", "vault": vault_name}
+    return _file_info_full(target, _vault_path(vault_name))
+
+
 @mcp.tool()
 def search_vault(vault_name: str, query: str, max_results: int = 50) -> dict[str, Any]:
     """FILESYSTEM TOOL (not memory) — Search markdown files on disk. Find notes about characters, locations, concepts.
@@ -290,18 +332,15 @@ def search_vault(vault_name: str, query: str, max_results: int = 50) -> dict[str
     files_searched = 0
 
     for md_file in vault.rglob("*.md"):
-        # Skip hidden/trash
-        rel = str(md_file.relative_to(vault))
-        if any(part.startswith(".") for part in md_file.relative_to(vault).parts):
-            continue
-        if ".trash" in rel or ".obsidian" in rel:
+        rel_path = md_file.relative_to(vault)
+        if _is_hidden_path(rel_path):
             continue
 
         files_searched += 1
         matches = _search_file(md_file, query)
         if matches:
             results.append({
-                "file": rel.replace("\\", "/"),
+                "file": str(rel_path).replace("\\", "/"),
                 "matches": matches[:max_results],
                 "match_count": len(matches),
             })
@@ -336,16 +375,14 @@ def get_recent_changes(vault_name: str, limit: int = 20) -> dict[str, Any]:
     md_files = []
 
     for md_file in vault.rglob("*.md"):
-        rel = str(md_file.relative_to(vault))
-        if any(part.startswith(".") for part in md_file.relative_to(vault).parts):
-            continue
-        if ".trash" in rel or ".obsidian" in rel:
+        rel_path = md_file.relative_to(vault)
+        if _is_hidden_path(rel_path):
             continue
+        rel = str(rel_path)
         stat = md_file.stat()
         md_files.append({
             "path": rel.replace("\\", "/"),
-            "size_bytes": stat.st_size,
-            "modified": datetime.fromtimestamp(stat.st_mtime, tz=timezone.utc).isoformat(),
+            "modified": _compact_date(stat.st_mtime),
         })
 
     md_files.sort(key=lambda f: f["modified"], reverse=True)
@@ -375,10 +412,8 @@ def get_backlinks(vault_name: str, doc_path: str) -> dict[str, Any]:
     backlinks = []
 
     for md_file in vault.rglob("*.md"):
-        rel = str(md_file.relative_to(vault)).replace("\\", "/")
-        if any(part.startswith(".") for part in md_file.relative_to(vault).parts):
-            continue
-        if ".trash" in rel or ".obsidian" in rel:
+        rel_path = md_file.relative_to(vault)
+        if _is_hidden_path(rel_path):
             continue
         if md_file.resolve() == target.resolve():
             continue  # skip self
@@ -404,10 +439,10 @@ def get_backlinks(vault_name: str, doc_path: str) -> dict[str, Any]:
         if matching_links:
             stat = md_file.stat()
             backlinks.append({
-                "file": rel,
+                "file": str(rel_path).replace("\\", "/"),
                 "links": matching_links,
                 "link_count": len(matching_links),
-                "modified": datetime.fromtimestamp(stat.st_mtime, tz=timezone.utc).isoformat(),
+                "modified": _compact_date(stat.st_mtime),
             })
 
     backlinks.sort(key=lambda b: b["link_count"], reverse=True)