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Jan Desktop
Server Setup

Local API Server

Jan provides a built-in, OpenAI-compatible API server that runs entirely on your computer, powered by llama.cpp. Use it as a drop-in replacement for cloud APIs to build private, offline-capable AI applications.

Jan's Local API Server Settings UI

Quick Start

Start the Server

  1. Navigate to Settings > Local API Server.
  2. Enter a custom API Key (e.g., secret-key-123). This is required for all requests.
  3. Click Start Server.

The server is ready when the logs show JAN API listening at http://127.0.0.1:1337.

Test with cURL

Open a terminal and make a request. Replace YOUR_MODEL_ID with the ID of an available model in Jan.


curl http://127.0.0.1:1337/v1/chat/completions \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer secret-key-123" \
-d '{
"model": "YOUR_MODEL_ID",
"messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Tell me a joke."}]
}'

Server Configuration

These settings control the network accessibility and basic behavior of your local server.

Server Host

The network address the server listens on.

  • 127.0.0.1 (Default): The server is only accessible from your own computer. This is the most secure option for personal use.
  • 0.0.0.0: The server is accessible from other devices on your local network (e.g., your phone or another computer). Use this with caution.

Server Port

The port number for the API server.

  • 1337 (Default): A common alternative port.
  • You can change this to any available port number (e.g., 8000).

API Prefix

The base path for all API endpoints.

  • /v1 (Default): Follows OpenAI's convention. The chat completions endpoint would be http://127.0.0.1:1337/v1/chat/completions.
  • You can change this or leave it empty if desired.

API Key

A mandatory secret key to authenticate requests.

  • You must set a key. It can be any string (e.g., a-secure-password).
  • All API requests must include this key in the Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY header.

Trusted Hosts

A comma-separated list of hostnames allowed to access the server. This provides an additional layer of security when the server is exposed on your network.

Advanced Settings

Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS)

  • (Enabled by default) Allows web applications (like a custom web UI you are building) running on different domains to make requests to the API server.
  • Disable this if your API will only be accessed by non-browser-based applications (e.g., scripts, command-line tools) for slightly improved security.

Verbose Server Logs

  • (Enabled by default) Provides detailed, real-time logs of all incoming requests, responses, and server activity.
  • This is extremely useful for debugging application behavior and understanding exactly what is being sent to the models.

Troubleshooting

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Ensure Verbose Server Logs are enabled to get detailed error messages in the "Server Logs" view.

  • Connection Refused: The server is not running, or your application is pointing to the wrong host or port.
  • 401 Unauthorized: Your API Key is missing from the Authorization header or is incorrect.
  • 404 Not Found:
    • The model ID in your request body does not match an available model in Jan.
    • Your request URL is incorrect (check the API Prefix).
  • CORS Error (in a web browser): Ensure the CORS toggle is enabled in Jan's settings.
Model Context ProtocolLlamaCpp Server