> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/Crosstalk-Solutions/project-nomad/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Introduction

> Project N.O.M.A.D. is an offline-first knowledge server that puts AI chat, Wikipedia, maps, and education on your own hardware.

## What is N.O.M.A.D.?

Project N.O.M.A.D. (Node for Offline Media, Archives, and Data) is a self-contained, offline-first knowledge and education server. It gives you AI chat, offline Wikipedia, Khan Academy courses, downloadable maps, and more — all accessible from a browser, no internet connection required.

N.O.M.A.D. was started in 2025 by Chris Sherwood of [Crosstalk Solutions](https://crosstalksolutions.com) with one goal: to let anyone run their own "survival computer" — a capable, self-hosted knowledge system that works when everything else goes down.

## How it works

N.O.M.A.D. is a management UI called the **Command Center** and an API that orchestrates a collection of containerized tools via [Docker](https://www.docker.com/). It handles installation, configuration, and updates for all tools, so you don't have to touch the command line after the initial setup.

Access everything through a browser at `http://localhost:8080` (or `http://DEVICE_IP:8080` from other devices on your network).

<Note>
  N.O.M.A.D. requires an internet connection only during the initial installation to download dependencies. After that, everything runs completely offline.
</Note>

## Design principles

**Offline-first.** Content is downloaded to your device before you need it. Once installed, N.O.M.A.D. does not require internet access to function.

**Zero telemetry.** Your searches, AI conversations, and usage data never leave your server. N.O.M.A.D. has no built-in analytics or data collection.

**No authentication required.** By design, N.O.M.A.D. is open and accessible without login hurdles. Access is controlled at the network level — you decide which devices can reach it.

**Hardware-agnostic.** N.O.M.A.D. itself is lightweight. The tools and content you choose to install determine the hardware you actually need.

## Built-in capabilities

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="AI Assistant" icon="robot" href="/features/ai-assistant">
    Local AI chat powered by Ollama — runs entirely on your hardware, with no data sent to any external service.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Knowledge Base" icon="database" href="/features/knowledge-base">
    Upload your own documents and let the AI reference them using semantic search (RAG via Qdrant).
  </Card>

  <Card title="Information Library" icon="book-open" href="/features/information-library">
    Offline Wikipedia, medical references, survival guides, and ebooks via Kiwix.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Education Platform" icon="graduation-cap" href="/features/education-platform">
    Full Khan Academy course library with progress tracking for multiple learners via Kolibri.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Offline Maps" icon="map-location-dot" href="/features/offline-maps">
    Downloadable regional maps with search and navigation via ProtoMaps.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Data Tools" icon="wrench" href="/features/data-tools">
    Encryption, encoding, hashing, and data analysis via CyberChef.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Notes" icon="note-sticky" href="/features/notes">
    Local markdown note-taking that stays on your device via FlatNotes.
  </Card>

  <Card title="System Benchmark" icon="gauge-high" href="/features/system-benchmark">
    Hardware performance scoring with Builder Tags and a community leaderboard.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Installation" icon="rocket" href="/getting-started/installation">
    Install N.O.M.A.D. on any Debian-based system with a single command.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Easy Setup Wizard" icon="wand-magic-sparkles" href="/getting-started/easy-setup">
    Use the guided wizard to pick your capabilities and download content collections.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>