Jan

What it does

Gives you a ChatGPT-style chat window as an installable desktop app. Download a model once and it runs entirely on your machine, so conversations work offline and nothing you type leaves the computer. It can also connect out to hosted services such as OpenAI, Anthropic or Mistral using your own API keys, in which case the privacy benefit no longer applies. Installers are provided for Windows, macOS and Linux; local models need roughly 8GB of RAM for small ones and 16-32GB for larger ones.

Summary based on the project's own description. The Japanese page has a fuller beginner guide: setup difficulty, what to prepare, and a step-by-step start.

Screenshots & visuals

Before you start

• Setup difficultyEasy to start
• Command lineNot required
• API keyNot required
• Sends data onlineNo

Judged automatically from the project's own metadata. Always confirm on the official page.

Jan FAQ

Is Jan free?

The source is open, but the build distributed through the app store may be a paid download. Check the store listing before installing.

Do I need to install anything or write code to use Jan?

You install it like a normal desktop app. No command line involved.

Does Jan work on a phone?

No. It needs a computer.

Can Jan run offline?

Yes. Everything happens on your own machine, so your data is never sent to an outside server. That makes it usable for material you cannot share externally.

Can I use Jan commercially?

The licence is Apache-2.0, which permits commercial use. Conditions such as keeping the copyright notice still apply, so read the licence text before shipping it inside something.

How it compares

The conditions that decide whether you can actually use it, side by side.

"Sends data out" means your input is uploaded to someone's server. Pick "No" when the material cannot leave your organisation.

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