6.2.0 · V6 KAR · V4 COMPATIBLE

Knolo
Verifiable Knowledge Images.

The open-source @knolo/core runtime for portable, verifiable Knowledge Images. Pack knowledge once, pin it by digest, and retrieve evidence locally. No vector database required.

Explore Knolo Read the docs
Install
Local-firstOpen sourceNo vector DB requiredTypeScript + RustApache-2.0
Glowing cyan, blue, and magenta Knolo cube
↳SOURCEdocs / architecture.md
QUERY MATCHED0.94 relevance
100% local
RUNTIME CONTRACT
6.2.0
V6 KAR
V5 IMAGES
V4 COMPATIBLE
LOCAL-FIRST
THE KNOWLEDGE LAYER

Models change.
Your knowledge should endure.

Knowledge should be an asset you can inspect, verify, migrate, and run.

CONVENTIONAL AI

Opaque request-time context

Environment-dependent retrieval

Evidence discarded after generation

Vendor-coupled storage

Audit added later

Hard-to-reproduce runtime state

KNOLO

Mounted Knowledge Image

Deterministic plans and receipts

Persistent provenance

Portable artifacts

Verification built into the contract

Committed runtime state

THE ARTIFACT

Your knowledge.
One verifiable image.

Copy it, mount it, inspect it, verify it, and compare it. V5 stateRoot identifies the image. KAR's knowledgeRoot is a different digest.

SourcesChunksClaimsMetadataObjectsEventsPoliciesRuntime state
V5KNOWLEDGE
IMAGEcommit → state root
VerifyQueryKARComposeCortexRun
Inside the artifact contract
A/B superblocksImmutable segmentsDeterministic CBORDomain-separated SHA-256 rootsCommit rootsBounded sectionsFail-closed verification
PROVE THE STATE

Trust should
produce a receipt.

Verification is structural. A passing check means the bytes match the declared roots. It does not mean a claim is true, a KAR status is a proof, or a Cortex answer is correct.

Deterministic encodingCryptographic rootsFail-closed validationMigration receiptsQuery plan / result rootsKAR and Cortex rootsStable evidence identity
KNOWLEDGE RECEIPTILLUSTRATIVE
Imageverified
State rootsha256: example…
Commitgeneration 42
KARrequirements met
Cortex traceroots match
Evidencetraceable
Truth verdictnot claimed
VALIDATION COMPLETE
V6 · KAR

The minimum evidence set,
not another ranked list.

Import KAR from @knolo/core/kar. The root package does not load it. SATISFIED means the declared evidence requirements were met.

KAR

Knowledge Image

Portable evidence. V5 stateRoot is its identity.

KAR

CEG Source

Editable graph compiled into a Kar sidecar.

KAR

Evaluation

Support, opposition, qualification, time, and authority stay typed.

KAR

Dossier

The packaged result. A coverage report names gaps.

Read KAR KAR-1 preprint
6.1.0 · COMPOSITION

Cite knowledge
without rewriting it.

A composition record cites images, packs, KAR sidecars, Domain Packs, excerpts, and nested records. It does not change stateRoot or KARRoot.

01MEMBERS
02COMPOSITION ROOT
03BOUNDED EXCERPT
04ATTESTATION
05VERIFY

Statements are mount, cited, and used. used means a query or evaluation ran. It is not SATISFIED, and Hub attested: true is only a listing flag.

6.2.0 · KNOLO CORTEX

A trace you can
replay.

Knolo Cortex runs a bounded evidence loop over a V4 pack or a V5 image and returns a trace. Import it from @knolo/core/cortex. The host supplies any model. Core does not call a network. verifyCortexAnswer checks that the trace matches the declared evidence. It does not mean the answer is true.

find_relevantevidence_answercompare_sourcesprove_or_abstaincoverage_review
TWO CORTEX APISDO NOT MIX
Knolo CortexcreateCortexSession
Import@knolo/core/cortex
Memory overlaycreateCortex
Import@knolo/core
Overlay roleremember / recall
Modelhost-owned
VERIFICATION IS NOT A TRUTH VERDICT
DETERMINISTIC RETRIEVAL

Predictable retrieval
for unpredictable models.

V4 remains the path for ordinary search: portable .knolo packs, lexical-first retrieval, namespace and source boundaries, and local mounting in Node, browser, and mobile. KAR does not replace query().

  • Lexical grounding first
  • Semantic reranking optional
  • No vector database required
  • Local and offline execution
v4-quickstart.ts•••
import { buildPack, mountPack, query } from '@knolo/core';

const bytes = await buildPack(docs, {
  semantic: { enabled: false }
});

const pack = await mountPack({ src: bytes });
const hits = query(pack, 'refund policy', { topK: 5 });
V4 compatible · lexical-first
V4 → V5

Upgrade without abandoning
the knowledge you already built.

Existing V1–V4 artifacts remain readable and can migrate into a V5 genesis image with evidence identity mappings and a deterministic receipt.

01V1–V4 ARTIFACT
02VERIFY SOURCE
03DETERMINISTIC MIGRATION
04V5 KNOWLEDGE IMAGE
05MIGRATION RECEIPT
V5 KERNEL

A knowledge artifact
that can become runtime state.

The image contract is still the V5 Knowledge Image. These surfaces stay bounded. They are not a hosted database.

V5

Query

Bounded deterministic EQL with plan and result receipts.

V5

Policy

Policy evaluation bound to committed knowledge state.

V5

Authority

Signed envelopes, key rotation, and bounded delegation.

V5

History

Immutable commits and deterministic state evolution.

V5

Sync

Compare, fast-forward, and explicitly resolve divergence.

V5

Runs

Durable, host-controlled run state and replay protection.

V5

Diagnostics

Deterministic runtime health snapshots.

V5

Studio snapshot

Read-only KIP-0026 management snapshots. No Studio UI.

APPLICATION / HOST OWNS

Networking · credentials · model inference · deployment · external effects

KNOLO OWNS

Artifact · roots · identity · validation · deterministic planning · bounded runtime state

@knolo/core/kar

KAR

Minimum typed evidence set over a committed graph.

@knolo/core/composition

Composition

Offline citations and attestations. Roots stay put.

@knolo/core/cortex

Cortex

Bounded evidence retrieval and a verifiable trace.

@knolo/evidence-gate

Evidence Gate

Claim decisions and an offline certificate. Version 0.1.0.

@knolo/reflex

Reflex

Behavior packs and selection receipts. Version 0.2.0.

@knolo/cli

CLI

Packs, images, KAR, composition, Cortex, and Hub.

@knolo/mcp 0.2.0

MCP

Read-only local tools, including KAR and Cortex evidence checks.

@knolo/code 0.1.1

Code

Local V4 code Knowledge Image tools for structure-first retrieval.

hub.knolo.dev

Hub

Discover, pin by digest, and mount a public image.

KNOLO AGENTS

Verified knowledge.
Governed action.

Knolo Core provides knowledge state. Knolo Agents is a separate control plane for inspectable workflows. Host applications still provide model providers, credentials, tools, network access, and external effects.

Explore Knolo Agents
APPLICATION / HOSTmodels · credentials · tools · network · effects
KNOLO AGENTSgraphs · policy · runs · replay · tools
@KNOLO/COREimages · KAR · Cortex · evidence · retrieval
LOCAL / PORTABLE KNOWLEDGEmounted · inspectable · verifiable
DEVELOPER FIRST

One runtime.
Separate entrypoints.

Ordinary search stays on V4. V5 mounts the image. KAR and Cortex are separate entrypoints. The host keeps inference.

v4-quickstart.ts•••
npm install @knolo/core

buildPack()
mountPack()
query()
Stable V4 compatibility
v5-knowledge-image.ts•••
import {
  migrateV4ToV5,
  mountKnowledgeImageV5,
  verifyKnowledgeImageV5,
} from '@knolo/core';

const { image, receipt } = await migrateV4ToV5(v4Bytes);
const verification = verifyKnowledgeImageV5(image);
const mounted = mountKnowledgeImageV5(image);
V5 image API
kar.ts•••
import { createKarSession, evaluateKar, verifyKar } from '@knolo/core/kar';

const session = createKarSession({ image, graph });
const result = evaluateKar(session, { proposition, plan });
const verification = verifyKar({ image, graph, proposition, plan, result });
Separate entry · not a truth verdict
cortex.ts•••
import { askCortex, createCortexSession, verifyCortexAnswer } from '@knolo/core/cortex';

const session = await createCortexSession({
  image,
  policy: { maxRounds: 2, allowAbstain: true },
});
const trace = await askCortex(session, {
  question: 'Where is the valve inspection?',
  mode: 'find_relevant',
});
Host owns the model
terminal · @knolo/cli•••
npm install -g @knolo/cli
knolo v5 info ./dist/knowledge.v5
knolo v5 health ./dist/knowledge.v5
knolo kar dossier verify ./dossier
knolo cortex verify --image ./dist/knowledge.v5 --answer ./answer.cortex.json
The CLI does not call a model
Read the docs Read the specification Read the source
WHAT EXISTS TODAY

Build on what is real.
Keep the limits visible.

In 6.2.0 is the published product line. Bounded or draft is real and narrower than the headline. Still ahead is not shipped.

IN 6.2.0
  • V5 Knowledge Images
  • Deterministic encoding and roots
  • Fail-closed verification
  • V1–V4 migration receipts
  • V4 lexical retrieval
  • EQL and query receipts
  • Policy, authority, and key rotation
  • Sync, merge, and durable runs
  • Diagnostics and Studio snapshot
  • KAR evaluation, dossiers, and coverage
  • CEG authoring
  • Offline composition and attestation
  • Knolo Cortex traces
  • CLI and Hub install
  • Evidence Gate 0.1.0
  • Reflex behavior packs 0.2.0
BOUNDED OR DRAFT
  • Rust 5.5.1 evaluates public KAR vectors only
  • Python and ICP stay 5.5.1 without KAR or Cortex
  • Read-only Studio service, no Studio UI
  • Local writer leases, not consensus
  • Host-owned sync adapters
  • VQF-1 draft compression
  • Published MCP is the four-tool 0.1.0 server
  • OpenClaw 0.1.0 on ClawHub, core ^5.5.1
  • Domain Packs are review-required
  • Reflex 0.2 evaluation is experimental
STILL AHEAD
  • Human validation before a Domain Pack is validated
  • KAR authoring, coverage, composition, and Cortex on Rust, Python, and ICP
  • Studio UI
  • VQF-1 format freeze
  • Reflex certification dataset and release gate
  • Publishing OpenClaw updates
Read the 6.2.0 release notes
ECOSYSTEM

One contract.
Several public surfaces.

knolo.dev is the product site. The other public hosts have different jobs.

REGISTRY

Knolo Hub

Discover a pack, inspect it, pin its digest, and mount it locally. Queries do not go through Hub.

Hub guide
EDUCATION

Knolo Learn

Lessons and the Knolo Certified Developer credential. Participation is not the credential.

learn.knolo.dev
PUBLIC RECORD

Knolo.org

Specifications, custodianship, and the public record. It is not this product site and it is not knolo.io.

www.knolo.org
VERIFIABLE KNOWLEDGE INFRASTRUCTURE

Make knowledge a runtime asset.

Portable. Inspectable. Reproducible. Verifiable.

Explore Knolo
FAQ

What is Knolo?

Portable images you pin by digest and query locally.

What is Knolo?

Knolo is an open-source, local-first runtime and file format for Knowledge Images. You pack documents into a single portable image, pin it by digest, and retrieve evidence from it locally. The core runtime is @knolo/core on npm, released under the Apache-2.0 license.

What is a Knowledge Image?

A Knowledge Image is a packed, content-addressed bundle of knowledge. Because it is pinned by digest, the same image gives the same evidence wherever it runs, and changes are easy to spot.

Do I need a vector database?

No. Knolo retrieves evidence locally from the image itself, so there is no vector database or hosted service to run.

How do I get started?

Install @knolo/core from npm and follow the installation guide at /docs/installation.

Is Knolo related to knolo.io?

No. Knolo (knolo.dev and knolo.org) is the open-source Knowledge Image project. knolo.io is a different product.