What you need
KnowMan MCP runs locally with npx -y @knowman/mcp and as a hosted server at https://api.knowman.io/mcp. The local server requires Node 22 or newer. Zed supports local and remote MCP servers through Settings → AI → MCP Servers, so you can use either setup. See Zed MCP documentation.
Create an API key
In KnowMan, open Settings → Connections → Connect an AI agent and create an agent key. Keys begin with km_. Enter the key in the KNOWMAN_API_KEY environment variable in the config below. See KnowMan MCP server guide.
Add KnowMan in Zed
Open Settings → AI → MCP Servers. Click Add Server, then choose Add Local Server. Enter the command, arguments, and environment variable from the config below. Zed stores local MCP server configuration under the top-level context_servers key in its settings file. See Zed MCP documentation.
Use the Zed config
Add this entry under context_servers in Zed's settings file. The command, args, and env keys match Zed's local MCP server format. See Zed MCP documentation and KnowMan MCP server guide.
Sign in once
Run npx -p @knowman/mcp knowman login and approve access in the browser. The CLI and MCP server share the saved credential, so you can remove the env block from the Zed config. See KnowMan MCP server guide.
Verify the server
Return to Settings → AI → MCP Servers. A green dot with the tooltip "Server is active" means Zed says the server is running correctly. See Zed MCP documentation.
Tools available in Zed
KnowMan provides six MCP tools: kb_search searches saved items, kb_ask answers questions with citations, kb_get_item reads one item, kb_save saves a URL, kb_recent lists recent items, and kb_memories lists saved claims, decisions, and playbooks. See KnowMan MCP server guide.
Use the hosted KnowMan server
In Zed, add the hosted server URL https://api.knowman.io/mcp and sign in with OAuth on the KnowMan consent page, or send an API key as an Authorization: Bearer <key> header. The consent page requests knowman.read for search, read and ask, and knowman.write for saving links. Access tokens last one hour and refresh automatically.
For a local setup, Zed can also start the local server with npx -y @knowman/mcp and Node 22 or newer. The open-source client is available at github.com/Essatt/knowman-mcp.
Questions people ask
Does Zed support local MCP servers?
Yes. Zed can connect local and remote MCP servers from Settings → AI → MCP Servers. Add KnowMan with Add Server, then Add Local Server. See Zed MCP documentation.
Can I use `knowman login` instead of an API key?
Yes. Run npx -p @knowman/mcp knowman login, approve the browser request, and omit the env block from Zed's config. The CLI and MCP server share the saved credential. See KnowMan MCP server guide.
How do I confirm KnowMan is active in Zed?
Open Settings → AI → MCP Servers. A green indicator with the tooltip "Server is active" means the server is running correctly. See Zed MCP documentation.
What happens if a KnowMan tool returns an error?
Zed shows the context server's error message in the agent's response so you can diagnose and correct the issue. See Zed MCP documentation.