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Jan - AI Local Apps Tool

Overview

Jan is an open-source, offline ChatGPT alternative that provides a desktop user interface for running large language models locally with a focus on user privacy. According to the project's GitHub repository (https://github.com/janhq/jan), Jan is designed to let users interact with models on their own machine rather than routing queries through cloud services, enabling private, local-only inference for supported models. Jan targets desktop use cases where data confidentiality and offline operation matter: research, sensitive note-taking, personal assistants, and local development workflows. The project emphasizes a native-feeling UI for macOS, Windows, and Linux desktops and integrates with local model runtimes so users can load model files already available to them. Because Jan is open source, organizations and individuals can inspect the codebase, extend the UI, or adapt model integration to their own runtimes and hardware constraints.

Key Features

  • Desktop UI for conversational access to locally hosted LLMs without cloud connectivity
  • Open-source codebase hosted on GitHub for inspection and community contributions
  • Privacy-first operation: model inference runs on-device, keeping data local
  • Support for loading user-provided local model files for offline inference
  • Cross-platform desktop focus (desktop OS support described in project README)

Community

Jan's development and community activity are centered on its GitHub repository (issues, pull requests, and the project README). Users and contributors typically discuss model compatibility, offline runtime integration, and UI improvements through the repository workflows. For up-to-date release notes, installation binaries, and community feedback, refer to the project's GitHub page.

Last Refreshed: 2026-01-09

Key Information

  • Category: Local Apps
  • Type: AI Local Apps Tool
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