# A digital nomad research library A digital nomad research library is one place for the articles and links you collect about where to go next. KnowMan is that place: it saves articles and links, reads and tags them, and [answers questions](https://www.knowman.io/guides/ai-knowledge-base) with citations. An [MCP server](https://www.knowman.io/guides/mcp-server-knowledge-base) also lets [AI agents](https://www.knowman.io/guides/knowledge-base-for-ai-agents) search your library and save new links to it. ## What a nomad research library holds A research library is one place for the links you would otherwise lose across tabs, chats, and screenshots. It can hold guides, articles, and official pages, whatever you are planning. KnowMan treats each saved link the same way: it reads the page, tags it, and keeps it searchable. Months later you search once instead of digging through your browser history. KnowMan fits this pattern as a [personal knowledge base](https://www.knowman.io/guides/personal-knowledge-base). ## Save pages as you research KnowMan saves articles and links, then reads and tags them for you. The [browser extension](https://www.knowman.io/guides/ai-article-saver) works in Chrome, so the page you are reading is one save away. The MCP tool kb_save can also add a URL to the Inbox or the Knowledge Base with an optional note. If your saved items already live in Pocket, [Instapaper](https://www.knowman.io/vs/instapaper), Omnivore, Readwise, or Wallabag, KnowMan can import them, along with a [browser bookmarks](https://www.knowman.io/guides/best-bookmark-manager-chrome-extension) file. ## Search by meaning, not just keywords Six months of collecting links means exact wording fades. kb_search searches [saved items](https://www.knowman.io/guides/how-to-save-articles) by keyword or by meaning and returns titles, URLs, and metadata, so you do not need to remember the exact phrasing of a headline. The same search is available to AI agents through the MCP server. For a wider look at this approach, read about an [AI knowledge base](https://www.knowman.io/guides/ai-knowledge-base). ## Ask questions and get citations Ask turns your library into answers. Ask a question and KnowMan answers with citations, so you can check where each answer comes from. Memories keep the claims, decisions, and playbooks you settle on along the way. The Free plan includes five Ask questions a day. ## Track spending across currencies Research tells you where to go; a budget tells you how long you can stay. For the money side, [Nomad Money](https://nomad.money/) is a free iOS and Android app built for digital nomads and backpackers that tracks expenses across 150+ currencies, converts at live rates, and recalculates your daily allowance as you spend. It works offline with no account, so you can log in Thai baht and view in dollars. ## Connect an AI agent to your library KnowMan exposes your library to AI agents through an MCP server. It runs locally as a [stdio server](https://www.knowman.io/guides/what-is-an-mcp-server) started with `npx -y @knowman/mcp` on Node 22 or newer, and as a hosted remote server at https://api.knowman.io/mcp with OAuth sign-in or an API key. The project is open source under MIT, and the hosted flow was verified with the official MCP SDK client. See the [repository](https://github.com/Essatt/knowman-mcp). Agents gain kb_search, kb_ask, kb_get_item, kb_save, kb_recent, and kb_memories, so they can answer from your saved items and save new links. Start with [an MCP server knowledge base](https://www.knowman.io/guides/mcp-server-knowledge-base) or [persistent memory for AI agents](https://www.knowman.io/guides/persistent-memory-for-ai-agents). ## Where KnowMan fits KnowMan is the research half of a nomad setup. It saves the articles and links you collect, makes them searchable by meaning, answers questions with citations, and keeps your decisions as memories. Daily budgets and currency conversion are a job for a spending app. If that split matches how you travel, start with [a second brain app](https://www.knowman.io/guides/second-brain-app) or [RAG versus a personal knowledge base](https://www.knowman.io/guides/rag-vs-personal-knowledge-base). Nomad Money pairs research with spending in [keep country research next to your budget](https://nomad.money/articles/keep-country-research-next-to-your-budget). ## Questions ### How do I save pages to KnowMan? Use the Chrome browser extension to save the page you are reading, or save a link straight to your Inbox. The MCP tool kb_save can also add a URL to the Inbox or the Knowledge Base with an optional note. ### Can I ask questions about what I saved? Yes. Ask answers questions with citations to your saved items, and the Free plan includes five Ask questions a day. For more, see an AI knowledge base. ### Can my AI assistant search my research? Yes. KnowMan ships an MCP server, locally with `npx -y @knowman/mcp` on Node 22 or newer, and hosted at https://api.knowman.io/mcp with OAuth or an API key. Agents can call kb_search, kb_ask, and kb_save, as described in the knowman-mcp repository. ### How much does KnowMan cost? The Free plan is $0 and includes five Ask questions a day. Pro is $12.99 a month or $99 a year, with a 14-day Pro trial and no credit card. ## Related guides - [What is a personal knowledge base, and how do you build one?](https://www.knowman.io/guides/personal-knowledge-base) - [Understand AI knowledge bases through the sources behind an answer](https://www.knowman.io/guides/ai-knowledge-base) - [Connect your knowledge base through KnowMan's MCP server](https://www.knowman.io/guides/mcp-server-knowledge-base) - [Choose a second brain app around the knowledge you need](https://www.knowman.io/guides/second-brain-app) ## More in this topic - [Keep the files your AI writes findable](https://www.knowman.io/guides/keep-ai-written-files-findable) - [Keep the health reading you trust](https://www.knowman.io/guides/keep-health-reading-and-lab-questions) - [Where to keep your meeting notes](https://www.knowman.io/guides/meeting-notes-knowledge-base) ## Keep every country straight KnowMan offers a 14-day Pro trial with no credit card. [Start your research library](https://app.knowman.io/signup) [Start free](https://app.knowman.io/signup) Every new account starts with 14 days of Pro. No credit card. Source: https://www.knowman.io/guides/digital-nomad-research-library