Khoj
Self-HostedOpen-source self-hosted AI assistant for personal knowledge & chat
Overview
Khoj is a privacy-first, self-hosted GenAI tool that lets you search, chat with, and generate content from your personal notes, documents, and media. It supports markdown, PDFs, images, and integrates with tools like Obsidian, Notion, and VS Code. You can use local AI models (e.g., Llama 2) to avoid third-party API calls, ensuring your data never leaves your server. Deploy via Docker for easy setup or CLI for customization, ideal for users valuing data control over convenience.
Key Features
- Privacy-focused (data stays local/self-hosted)
- Chat with personal content (notes, PDFs, images)
- Integrates with Obsidian, Notion, and VS Code
Frequently Asked Questions
? Is Khoj hard to install?
Khoj is easiest to install via Docker—pull the official image and run a container with minimal config. For non-technical users, Docker is recommended as it handles dependencies. CLI installation is available for advanced users seeking more control.
? Is Khoj a good alternative to ChatGPT Plus for personal use?
Yes, if privacy is your top priority. Unlike ChatGPT Plus, Khoj doesn’t access your personal data unless you share it, and you can use local models without API costs. However, it lacks ChatGPT’s extensive general knowledge base.
? Is Khoj completely free?
Yes! Khoj is open-source under the MIT license—free to use, modify, and distribute. No subscription fees apply, though you may incur costs for server hosting or hardware if not running locally.
Top Alternatives
Tool Info
Pros
- ⊕ No subscription fees (100% free)
- ⊕ Supports local AI models (no external API keys)
- ⊕ Works with popular productivity tools
Cons
- ⊖ Requires basic Docker/CLI setup knowledge
- ⊖ Local model performance depends on hardware specs
- ⊖ Lacks broad general knowledge vs. SaaS AI tools