51 lines
2.2 KiB
Markdown
51 lines
2.2 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: Introduction
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slug: /guides
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description: Jan is a ChatGPT-alternative that runs on your own computer, with a local API server.
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keywords:
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[
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Jan AI,
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Jan,
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ChatGPT alternative,
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local AI,
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private AI,
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conversational AI,
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no-subscription fee,
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large language model,
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]
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---
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Jan is a ChatGPT-alternative that runs on your own computer, with a [local API server](/api-reference/).
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Jan uses [open-source AI models](/docs/models), stores data in [open file formats](/specs/data-structures), is highly customizable via [extensions](/docs/extensions).
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Jan believes in the need for an open source AI ecosystem. We aim to build infra and tooling to allow open source AIs to compete on a level playing field with proprietary offerings.
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## Why Jan?
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#### 💻 Own your AI
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Jan runs 100% on your own machine, [predictably](https://www.reddit.com/r/LocalLLaMA/comments/17mghqr/comment/k7ksti6/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3), privately and even offline. No one else can see your conversations, not even us.
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#### 🏗️ Extensions
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Jan ships with a powerful [extension framework](/docs/extensions), which allows developers to extend and customize Jan's functionality. In fact, most core modules of Jan are [built as extensions](/specs/architecture) and use the same extensions API.
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#### 🗂️ Open File Formats
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Jan stores data in a [local folder of non-proprietary files](/specs/data-structures). You're never locked-in and can do what you want with your data with extensions, or even a different app.
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#### 🌍 Open Source
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Both Jan and [Nitro](https://nitro.jan.ai), our lightweight inference engine, are licensed via the open source [AGPLv3 license](https://github.com/janhq/jan/blob/main/LICENSE).
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<!-- ## Design Principles -->
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<!-- OpenAI meets VSCode meets Obsidian.
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Minimalism: https://docusaurus.io/docs#design-principles. Not having abstractions is better than having the wrong abstractions. Assistants as code. Only including features that are absolutely necessary in the Jan API.
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File-based: User should be able to look at a Jan directory and intuit how it works. Transparency. Editing things via a text editor, vs. needing a database tool for SQLite.
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Participatory: https://www.getlago.com/blog/the-5-reasons-why-we-chose-open-source -->
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