What Jan is
Jan is an MCP host that connects AI models with MCP servers. These servers can provide prompts, tools, and data sources for completing tasks.
How Jan uses MCP
MCP standardizes how AI models interact with external tools and data sources. Jan can use MCP to give models abilities such as searching a local codebase, querying a database, or interacting with web APIs.
Prepare Jan for MCP
Jan requires a model with tool-calling capability to use MCP effectively. For local models, enable tool calling under Model Capabilities, then configure servers under Settings > MCP Servers. The same settings include an option to pre-approve tool calls.
Connect the hosted KnowMan server
The hosted KnowMan server is available at https://api.knowman.io/mcp and uses Streamable HTTP. It supports OAuth sign-in or an API key sent as an Authorization Bearer header.
Search saved reading
KnowMan's kb_search tool searches saved items by keyword or meaning across titles, URLs, and metadata. You can also read the MCP server guide.
Ask questions and access memories
KnowMan MCP provides tools for searching, asking questions, retrieving saved items, saving links, viewing recent items, and accessing memories. Its OAuth read scope covers search, reading, and asking, while its write scope covers saving links.
Where KnowMan fits
Jan acts as the MCP host. KnowMan MCP supplies tools that connect saved reading, cited answers, and kept memories to that host. This fits into a broader personal knowledge base.
Questions people ask
What is Jan used for?
Jan is an MCP host that connects AI models with MCP servers for tools and data sources. It can support abilities such as searching local code, querying databases, and interacting with web APIs.
How do you add KnowMan to Jan?
Configure the hosted server URL, https://api.knowman.io/mcp, in Jan's MCP server settings. The hosted KnowMan server supports OAuth sign-in or an API key sent as an Authorization Bearer header.
What does KnowMan add to Jan?
KnowMan MCP provides tools for searching saved reading, asking questions with citations, retrieving items, saving links, viewing recent items, and accessing memories. See the guide to personal knowledge bases.
Does Jan need tool calling for MCP?
Yes. Jan requires a model with tool-calling capability to use MCP effectively. For local models, enable tool calling under Model Capabilities.