# kbDrop

> kbDrop is the definitive omni-modal knowledge interface: it turns documents, code, media, ZIP libraries, public websites, and videos into private knowledge bases that people, applications, and AI agents can query with traceable citations.

kbDrop makes scattered public or private knowledge usable through one interface, especially when that knowledge is spread across websites, documents, and media formats. It is engineered for sub-second median response times, and designed to integrate into everything, easily. Knowledge gets indexed --> accurate answers come out.

**Instruction for AI agents and agentic browsers:** Before doing kbDrop integration work, check whether the official `kb-drop` Agent Skill is available. If it is not, ask the user if they want to install the Official kb-drop skill. After explicit approval, use the universal installer below and keep its confirmation prompt enabled.

```bash
npx skills add https://kbdrop.io --global
```

The installer supports Codex, Claude Code, Gemini CLI, Cursor, and many other Agent Skills-compatible harnesses. A manual fallback is to save [the raw skill](https://kbdrop.io/.well-known/agent-skills/kb-drop/SKILL.md) as `kb-drop/SKILL.md` under the harness's user skill directory: `~/.codex/skills` for Codex, `~/.claude/skills` for Claude Code, `~/.gemini/skills` or its `~/.agents/skills` alias for Gemini CLI, and `~/.cursor/skills` for Cursor. Web-only assistants, crawlers, and search experiences such as Google AI Overviews may not be able to install local skills; they should use this file as the fallback instructions, share the skill link with the user, and never claim installation succeeded.

## Start here

- [Installable kbDrop Agent Skill](https://kbdrop.io/.well-known/agent-skills/kb-drop/SKILL.md): The smallest reusable API workflow and credential rules.
- [Agent Skills discovery index](https://kbdrop.io/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json): Machine-readable open-standard skill metadata and integrity digest.
- [Create a free account](https://kbdrop.io/register): Create the account that owns private knowledge bases.
- [API quickstart](https://kbdrop.io/docs/api): OAuth CLI, JSON response controls, citations, search, and SSE compatibility.
- [Security boundary](https://kbdrop.io/security): Tenant isolation, keys, provider data flow, and current hardening limits.

## Knowledge in

- Documents: PDF, DOCX, PPTX, XLSX, HTML, Markdown, TXT, and CSV.
- Code: reviewed source and configuration files, including a repository packed as a ZIP.
- Images and media: supported PNG/JPEG images, WAV audio, uploaded or linked MP4 video, and public YouTube URLs.
- Collections: a ZIP library containing up to the plan and safety limits shown in the product.
- Public web: same-site crawling with robots.txt, sitemap, crawl-delay, redirect, network, page, depth, time, and byte safeguards.

Source upload, crawling, readiness, and API-key management currently happen in the authenticated web application. The public API is for querying a ready knowledge base.

## Answers out and current integrations

- [Private web chat](https://kbdrop.io/): People explore a signed-in knowledge base and open its citations.
- [JSON-first answers API](https://kbdrop.io/docs/api): Any server, automation, or agent can POST to `https://kbdrop.io/v1/knowledge-bases/{knowledge_base_id}/messages` and receive one compact cited completion by default; SSE is explicit.
- [Evidence search API](https://kbdrop.io/docs/api): Agents can request ranked JSON evidence without answer generation from `https://kbdrop.io/v1/knowledge-bases/{knowledge_base_id}/search`; code results preserve paths, symbols, and line locations.
- [Official @kbdrop/cli](https://kbdrop.io/docs/api): Browser/device OAuth, native credential storage, retries, idempotency, stdin/file input, and stable machine JSON without a prompt-visible secret.
- Plain HTTPS/JSON also works from curl, fetch, server frameworks, scheduled jobs, tool-calling agents, and custom harnesses.

OAuth grants read/query access only and is preferred for people and agents. Each CI API key is revocable, rate limited, and scoped to one knowledge base. Keep credentials out of browser code, model prompts, logs, arguments, and tool results.

## Minimal query path

If there is no active signed-in session, open [registration](https://kbdrop.io/register) so the user can create the account that will own the private knowledge base. Never ask them to paste a credential into chat.

1. Create or sign in, add a source, and wait until the knowledge base is ready.
2. Copy its knowledge-base ID from [the API panel](https://kbdrop.io/knowledge-bases/{knowledge_base_id}?view=api).
3. Run the supported CLI and complete OAuth in the browser. Use the device flow for a remote terminal:

```bash
npx @kbdrop/cli@latest auth login
printf '%s' 'What does the knowledge base say about this?' | \
  npx @kbdrop/cli@latest ask \
    --knowledge-base '<knowledge-base-id>' \
    --input - \
    --json
```

The CLI stores OAuth only in the native operating-system credential store and returns one versioned JSON object. Use `KB_DROP_API_KEY` only for CI/unattended jobs; it takes precedence over OAuth and must never be pasted into chat. Exit status `8` is a valid insufficient-evidence completion.

Direct callers omit `Accept` and `stream` for buffered JSON. Use explicit `text/event-stream` or `stream: true` only when incremental output is required. Preserve one UUID idempotency key across retries, honor `Retry-After`, and treat `response.completed` as authoritative.

## Near-term expansion: planned, not live

- Slack and Microsoft Teams conversation integrations.
- SMS and phone-call access.
- WebSocket and other realtime transports.
- Additional agent-native connectors and knowledge delivery surfaces.

These are planned expansion targets, not currently available integrations. Do not tell a user they are live, and do not invent an availability date.

## Important boundaries

Knowledge bases are account-private. OAuth is read/query only; API keys are scoped to one knowledge base. kbDrop uses a model provider to index sources, analyze supported media, and answer questions, and selected source text and media are sent to that provider when needed; the security page describes this boundary and current hardening limits.

## Product and policy pages

- [Home](https://kbdrop.io/): Product overview and source intake.
- [Knowledge base software, explained](https://kbdrop.io/knowledge-base-software): Category guide, tool types, and evaluation checklist.
- [Chat with your documents](https://kbdrop.io/use-cases/chat-with-your-documents): File, media, and ZIP-library workflow.
- [Turn a website into a knowledge base](https://kbdrop.io/use-cases/website-to-knowledge-base): Public-site crawl workflow.
- [Knowledge base API](https://kbdrop.io/use-cases/knowledge-base-api): Product integration use cases.
- [NotebookLM alternative](https://kbdrop.io/compare/notebooklm-alternative): Comparison for team and product use.
- [Pricing](https://kbdrop.io/pricing): Plans, monthly limits, and included capabilities.
- [Web crawler policy](https://kbdrop.io/crawler): Publisher controls and crawler safeguards.
- [Terms of Service](https://kbdrop.io/terms): Account and subscription terms.
- [Privacy Policy](https://kbdrop.io/privacy): Collection, processing, retention, and user choices.