Core concepts

Knowledge Model

Every entry is typed and scoped, so agents can retrieve exactly the context that applies to the task in front of them.

Entry types

TypeUse for
ruleHard constraints the codebase should enforce
architectureSystem structure and rationale
patternReusable implementation approaches
decisionDecision records and tradeoffs
conventionNaming, formatting, and style agreements
noteObservations, caveats, and open questions

Scopes

ScopeUse for
globalApplies everywhere
teamApplies across multiple repos
repoSpecific to one repository
domainSpecific to a bounded area in one repo

Metadata and body

Entries also support tags, optional URLs, arbitrary metadata, and confidence scores (0–1). Two content fields serve different consumers:

  • content — the plain searchable text.
  • body — a structured, renderable version made of blocks: headings, paragraphs, lists, quotes, code, callouts, and link lists. Reader UIs like knowit preview render this.

When body is omitted, Knowit derives paragraph blocks from content automatically.

Storage format

Default project storage is .knowit/knowledge.jsonl — one JSON entry per line, readable, reviewable, and friendly to git diffs. Global and custom scopes can use SQLite when you want a private local database or a shared database path. See Team Memory.