Khoj

What is Khoj?

Khoj is an open-source personal AI and second-brain application. It can search and answer questions across uploaded files, synced folders, Notion pages, and the public web, while custom agents add task-specific instructions and scheduled automations. Self-hosters can connect local models or compatible commercial providers and access Khoj from the web, desktop, Obsidian, Emacs, and other supported clients.

The hosted Khoj Cloud service was shut down on April 15, 2026. Khoj remains available as open-source software for self-hosting, but users should not expect the former cloud subscription to work. The company is now focusing on Open Paper, a cited research workbench, and Pipali, a desktop AI coworker.

How to Use Khoj

1. Deploy the open-source server with Docker or Python on a machine you control.
2. Configure an offline model or a supported model-provider API in the admin settings.
3. Add documents through upload, synced folders, Notion, Obsidian, or another supported client.
4. Ask questions across private documents and public web sources.
5. Create custom agents with task-specific personalities and permissions.
6. Schedule recurring research or automation tasks and review their outputs.

Core Features

• Personal knowledge search: Finds relevant information across notes and documents with natural language.
• Document chat: Uses PDFs, plain text, Markdown, org-mode, Notion, and synced files as context.
• Web research: Combines private knowledge with current public sources.
• Custom agents: Adds reusable system instructions for specialized assistants.
• Scheduled automations: Runs recurring personal research and task workflows.
• Model flexibility: Supports local, open, and compatible commercial models.
• Self-hosting: Keeps the service and data inside infrastructure controlled by the user.

Use Cases

• Personal knowledge base: Search years of notes without remembering file names or exact wording.
• Research assistant: Compare private documents with information from the web.
• Document Q&A: Ask targeted questions across reports, papers, and reference material.
• Recurring briefings: Schedule agents to gather and summarize selected topics.
• Private local AI: Run offline with a local model when information cannot leave the network.

Availability and Pricing

Khoj Cloud is no longer available. The open-source Khoj project can still be self-hosted without a Khoj subscription, but the user pays for their own hardware, hosting, and any commercial model APIs they connect.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Khoj Cloud still operating?

No. The official service notice says the hosted product was sunset on April 15, 2026.

Can Khoj still be used?

Yes. The open-source application remains available for self-hosting.

Can Khoj run without sending data to a cloud model?

Yes. A self-hosted deployment can use a compatible local model and operate within a private network.