Add the KnowMan server in Roo Code
Open the MCP settings view by clicking the icon in the top navigation of the Roo Code pane, then scroll to the bottom of the view (Roo Code docs). Click "Edit Global MCP" to open the global mcp_settings.json, or "Edit Project MCP" to open .roo/mcp.json; Roo Code creates that file if it does not exist (Roo Code docs).
Add the knowman entry from the config on this page under mcpServers. Both files use JSON with an mcpServers object containing named server configurations (Roo Code docs). For a stdio config with a command, the type key defaults to stdio and can be omitted (Roo Code docs). The entry follows KnowMan's documented server setup: command npx, args ["-y", "@knowman/mcp"], and env with KNOWMAN_API_KEY, run on Node 22 or newer.
Global and project config files
Global MCP settings are stored in mcp_settings.json and can be opened from the MCP settings view (Roo Code docs). Project MCP settings live in .roo/mcp.json at the project root, and Roo Code automatically detects and loads this file if it exists (Roo Code docs). If a server name exists in both global and project configurations, the project-level configuration takes precedence (Roo Code docs).
For a STDIO server, command is required, while args, cwd and env are optional. When cwd is omitted, it defaults to the first workspace folder path or the main process's working directory (Roo Code docs).
Sign in once with knowman login
Run npx -p @knowman/mcp knowman login once. It opens your browser for sign-in, and the saved credential is shared by the knowman CLI and the MCP server, so the env block with KNOWMAN_API_KEY can be dropped from the config.
If you prefer a key, open the KnowMan web app and create one at Settings > Connections > Connect an AI agent; keys look like km_.... The server package is @knowman/mcp and needs Node 22 or newer.
Verify the install
After configuring an MCP server, Roo Code automatically detects its available tools and resources (Roo Code docs). If successful, the new server and its tools appear in your MCP server list, ready to use (Roo Code docs).
Check that "Enable MCP Servers" is on; it is on by default, and turning it off prevents connections and removes MCP tools from Roo Code (Roo Code docs). To restart, press the button next to the knowman server in its MCP server panel (Roo Code docs).
The KnowMan MCP server tools
The KnowMan MCP server provides kb_search, which searches saved items by keyword or meaning and returns titles, URLs and metadata, kb_ask, which answers a question with citations, and kb_get_item, which returns the readable content of one item.
It also provides kb_save, which saves a URL to the Inbox or the Knowledge Base with an optional note, kb_recent for recent items, and kb_memories for saved claims, decisions and playbooks. See knowledge base for AI agents for the wider pattern.
Transports, Windows and limits
Roo Code supports three transports: STDIO for local servers, Streamable HTTP for new remote servers, and SSE for legacy remote servers (Roo Code docs). KnowMan MCP is a standalone stdio server that talks to KnowMan's HTTP API and runs locally with npx -y @knowman/mcp, and it is also available as a hosted remote server at https://api.knowman.io/mcp with OAuth sign-in or an API key, so it fits both local and remote MCP setups.
On Windows, Roo Code's documented local-server example runs npx through cmd /c (Roo Code docs). On macOS and Linux, the documented example runs npx directly with -y (Roo Code docs).
Use the hosted KnowMan server
KnowMan also runs as a hosted remote MCP server at https://api.knowman.io/mcp over Streamable HTTP. In clients that support remote MCP servers, you add this server URL and sign in, so your knowledge base can be reached without running the local stdio server.
Sign-in uses OAuth: the client opens a KnowMan consent page where you approve the knowman.read and knowman.write scopes, and access tokens last one hour and refresh automatically. Instead of OAuth, you can send an API key created in KnowMan settings as an Authorization: Bearer <key> header.
The open-source local client (knowman-mcp) keeps working with npx -y @knowman/mcp, and both setups expose the same KnowMan tools.
Questions people ask
Does Roo Code support local stdio MCP servers?
Yes. MCP in Roo Code supports STDIO for local servers, plus Streamable HTTP and SSE for remote servers (Roo Code docs). KnowMan MCP is a standalone stdio server, so it fits the STDIO transport.
Where do I put the KnowMan config in Roo Code?
In the mcpServers object of your global mcp_settings.json or your project's .roo/mcp.json, opened with "Edit Global MCP" or "Edit Project MCP" in the MCP settings view (Roo Code docs). If the same server name exists in both files, the project-level configuration takes precedence (Roo Code docs).
Do I still need KNOWMAN_API_KEY after knowman login?
No. After one npx -p @knowman/mcp knowman login, the saved credential is shared by the CLI and the MCP server, so the env block can be dropped. Without a login, create a key at Settings > Connections > Connect an AI agent in the web app; keys look like km_....
How do I restart the KnowMan server in Roo Code?
Press the button next to the MCP server you would like to restart in its server panel (Roo Code docs). Also confirm "Enable MCP Servers" is checked, since it is on by default and turning it off removes MCP tools (Roo Code docs).