---
sidebar_position: 2
---
# Emacs
> Query your Second Brain from Emacs
## Features
- **Chat**
- **Faster answers**: Find answers quickly, from your private notes or the public internet
- **Assisted creativity**: Smoothly weave across retrieving answers and generating content
- **Iterative discovery**: Iteratively explore and re-discover your notes
- **Search**
- **Natural**: Advanced natural language understanding using Transformer based ML Models
- **Incremental**: Incremental search for a fast, search-as-you-type experience
## Interface
| Search | Chat |
|:------:|:----:|
| ![khoj search on emacs](/img/khoj_search_on_emacs.png) | ![khoj chat on emacs](/img/khoj_chat_on_emacs.png) |
## Setup
:::info[Self Hosting]
If you are self-hosting the Khoj server modify the install steps below:
- Set `khoj-server-url` to your Khoj server URL. By default, use `http://127.0.0.1:42110`.
- Do not set `khoj-api-key` if your Khoj server runs in anonymous mode. For example, `khoj --anonymous-mode`
:::
1. Generate an API key on the [Khoj Web App](https://app.khoj.dev/settings#clients)
2. Add below snippet to your Emacs config file, usually at `~/.emacs.d/init.el`
#### **Direct Install**
*Khoj will index your org-agenda files, by default*
```elisp
;; Install Khoj.el
M-x package-install khoj
; Set your Khoj API key
(setq khoj-api-key "YOUR_KHOJ_CLOUD_API_KEY")
(setq khoj-server-url "https://app.khoj.dev")
```
#### **Minimal Install**
*Khoj will index your org-agenda files, by default*
```elisp
;; Install Khoj client from MELPA Stable
(use-package khoj
:ensure t
:pin melpa-stable
:bind ("C-c s" . 'khoj)
:config (setq khoj-api-key "YOUR_KHOJ_CLOUD_API_KEY"
khoj-server-url "https://app.khoj.dev"))
```
#### **Standard Install**
*Configures the specified org files, directories to be indexed by Khoj*
```elisp
;; Install Khoj client from MELPA Stable
(use-package khoj
:ensure t
:pin melpa-stable
:bind ("C-c s" . 'khoj)
:config (setq khoj-api-key "YOUR_KHOJ_CLOUD_API_KEY"
khoj-server-url "https://app.khoj.dev"
khoj-org-directories '("~/docs/org-roam" "~/docs/notes")
khoj-org-files '("~/docs/todo.org" "~/docs/work.org")))
```
#### **Straight.el**
*Configures the specified org files, directories to be indexed by Khoj*
```elisp
;; Install Khoj client using Straight.el
(use-package khoj
:after org
:straight (khoj :type git :host github :repo "khoj-ai/khoj" :files (:defaults "src/interface/emacs/khoj.el"))
:bind ("C-c s" . 'khoj)
:config (setq khoj-api-key "YOUR_KHOJ_CLOUD_API_KEY"
khoj-server-url "https://app.khoj.dev"
khoj-org-directories '("~/docs/org-roam" "~/docs/notes")
khoj-org-files '("~/docs/todo.org" "~/docs/work.org")))
```
## Use
### Search
See [Khoj Search](/features/search) for details
1. Hit `C-c s s` (or `M-x khoj RET s`) to open khoj search
2. Enter your query in natural language
E.g. *"What is the meaning of life?"*, *"My life goals for 2023"*
### Chat
See [Khoj Chat](/features/chat) for details
1. Hit `C-c s c` (or `M-x khoj RET c`) to open khoj chat
2. Ask questions in a natural, conversational style
E.g. *"When did I file my taxes last year?"*
### Find Similar Entries
This feature finds entries similar to the one you are currently on.
1. Move cursor to the org-mode entry, markdown section or text paragraph you want to find similar entries for
2. Hit `C-c s f` (or `M-x khoj RET f`) to find similar entries
### Advanced Usage
- Add [query filters](https://github.com/khoj-ai/khoj/#query-filters) during search to narrow down results further
e.g. `What is the meaning of life? -"god" +"none" dt>"last week"`
- Use `C-c C-o 2` to open the current result at cursor in its source org file
- This calls `M-x org-open-at-point` on the current entry and opens the second link in the entry.
- The second link is the entries [org-id](https://orgmode.org/manual/Handling-Links.html#FOOT28), if set, or the heading text.
The first link is the line number of the entry in the source file. This link is less robust to file changes.
- Note: If you have [speed keys](https://orgmode.org/manual/Speed-Keys.html) enabled, `o 2` will also work
### Khoj Menu
![](/img/khoj_emacs_menu.png)
Hit `C-c s` (or `M-x khoj`) to open the khoj menu above. Then:
- Hit `t` until you preferred content type is selected in the khoj menu
`Content Type` specifies the content to perform `Search`, `Update` or `Find Similar` actions on
- Hit `n` twice and then enter number of results you want to see
`Results Count` is used by the `Search` and `Find Similar` actions
- Hit `-f u` to `force` update the khoj content index
The `Force Update` switch is only used by the `Update` action
## Upgrade
Use your Emacs package manager to upgrade `khoj.el`
#### **With MELPA**
1. Run `M-x package-refresh-content`
2. Run `M-x package-reinstall khoj`
#### **With Straight.el**
- Run `M-x straight-pull-package khoj`