/Docs
3 min read

Introduction

Knowns is a CLI-first knowledge and workflow layer that gives AI persistent memory of your project context. Document once, link everywhere.

v0.17 adds the 3-layer Memory System, Knowledge Graph UI, better semantic search quality, and the new knowns update command.

Why Knowns?

Modern development involves juggling tasks, documentation, and context across multiple tools. Knowns brings everything together in a simple, git-friendly format that works seamlessly with AI assistants.

Key Benefits

  • Semantic Search: AI-powered search using vector embeddings. Find by meaning, not just keywords
  • AI Chat: Built-in project-aware chat inside Knowns, powered by OpenCode
  • Spec-Driven Development: Write specs first with /kn-spec, link to tasks, auto-sync ACs
  • CLI-First: Everything accessible from your terminal
  • AI-Ready: Automatic context loading via @doc/..., @task-..., and @template/... references
  • Skills System: /kn-* namespace for task, spec, plan, implement, verify workflows
  • Memory System: Working, project, and global memory layers for durable AI context
  • Dashboard + Web UI: Faster local interface for Kanban, docs, memory, graph, and chat
  • Knowledge Graph: Visualize relationships between tasks, docs, and memories
  • Template System: Generate code with Handlebars templates linked to documentation
  • Import System: Share docs and templates across projects from Git, npm, or local sources
  • Easy Updates: knowns update checks and installs the latest release
  • Git-Friendly: All data stored as Markdown in .knowns/ folder

Prerequisites

Knowns requires Node.js 20+ for npm-based installation. See the Installation Guide for platform-specific instructions.

Quick Start

# Install
curl -fsSL https://knowns.sh/script/install | sh
 
# Initialize in your project
cd your-project
knowns init
 
# Create your first task
knowns task create "Setup project" -d "Initial setup" --ac "Dependencies installed"
 
# Open local UI + AI Chat
knowns browser --open
 
# (Optional) Auto-setup Claude Code MCP
knowns mcp setup

Core Concepts

Tasks

Tasks are the primary work items in Knowns. Each task has:

  • Title: Clear summary of what needs to be done
  • Description: Context and requirements
  • Acceptance Criteria: Testable outcomes
  • Status: todo, in-progress, in-review, blocked, done

Documentation

Documentation lives in .knowns/docs/ as Markdown files with frontmatter. Reference docs anywhere using @doc/path or @docs/path syntax (both work identically).

Time Tracking

Built-in timers let you track time spent on tasks. Generate reports by date range, label, or project.

Templates

Code generation with Handlebars (.hbs) templates. Each template can link to documentation for context-aware generation.

# List templates
knowns template list
 
# Generate code
knowns template run component --name Button

Next Steps