Knack API
★ Only Publicly Available OpenAPI DocumentProductivityCollaborationapiKey11 EndpointsREST
For Agents
Read and write records in a Knack no-code database via object-based or view-scoped REST endpoints, with optional end-user authentication.
Use for: List all records on the Knack object 'object_3' with a filter on email, Retrieve the Knack record with id 12345 from object 'customers', Create a new Knack record on the 'orders' object, Update the status field on a Knack order record
Not supported: Does not handle UI page rendering, workflow rule editing, or billing for the Knack account itself - use for record-level reads and writes via object or view endpoints only.
Jentic publishes the only available OpenAPI specification for Knack API, keeping it validated and agent-ready. Knack is a no-code database and application builder used to ship internal tools, member directories, and customer portals without writing a backend. The API exposes records on application objects with full-field access, view-scoped record reads and writes that respect a published view's permissions, and a session endpoint for user-token-based access. Two authentication modes are supported: an application id with REST API key for full access, and an end-user token for view-based requests scoped to that user.
Install Jentic One Beta
Connect the Knack API to your agent
Jentic One is a self-hosted execution layer for AI agents. It lets your agent call the Knack API, or any other public or private API you need. You set the rules, the agent never sees your credentials, and every call is logged.
Two steps, two machines. Install the instance in a safe environment, then register your agent from wherever it runs.
1
Step 1: Jentic One Host machine
# On the machine that will host your Jentic One instance:
curl -fsSL "https://jentic.com/install.sh?src=apis&api=%2Fapis%2Fknack.com%2Fknack" | sh2
Step 2: Agent machine
# On the machine where your agent runs (keep this separate from the instance):
curl -fsSL "https://jentic.com/install.sh?src=apis&api=%2Fapis%2Fknack.com%2Fknack" | sh
jentic register # connects your agent to your Jentic One instanceJentic One is in public beta. The setup above keeps your agent separate from the instance, which is what you want before using real credentials: an agent running as the same OS user as Jentic One can read its stored keys directly. Just evaluating? A single local install is fine to start. See the secure deployment guide for the tiers.
Capabilities
What an agent can do with Knack API.
List records on a Knack object with filtering, pagination, and full field access
Retrieve a single Knack record by object key and record id
Create a Knack record with the field values defined on its object
Update or delete a Knack record using the object-based endpoint
Read records through a published Knack view, scoped to that view's fields
Create or update records through a Knack view to respect view permissions
Authenticate an end user against a Knack application to obtain a user token
Use Cases
Patterns agents use Knack API for, with concrete tasks.
★ Internal Tool Backend Sync
Use Knack as the backend for an internal tool and sync records to or from the team's other systems. POST and GET on /objects/{object_key}/records give full-field access to every record on an object, which is the right surface when staff are running operations that bypass user-facing views. Common for ops teams who built their workflow in Knack and now need to feed reporting or finance tools.
List all records on Knack object 'object_5' updated since yesterday and write them as rows into the data warehouse staging table.
View-Scoped Customer Portal Writes
Let an external app write into a Knack application without granting it full database access. Calls go through /pages/{scene_key}/views/{view_key}/records, which only exposes the fields configured on that view, so the integration cannot accidentally read or modify data outside the view's scope. Suited for customer-portal flows where end users submit forms or update their own records.
POST a new record to view 'view_12' under scene 'scene_3' on behalf of the signed-in customer with the form fields supplied.
End-User Authentication for Mobile or Web
Authenticate end users against a Knack application from a custom front end. POST /applications/{application_id}/session exchanges credentials for a user token that subsequent view-based calls can use. Useful for mobile apps backed by Knack where the data model lives in Knack but the UI is custom.
POST credentials for user@example.com to /applications/abc123/session and use the returned token on the next view-based request.
Bulk Record Operations
Run bulk maintenance on Knack data without rebuilding the application. The object-based endpoints support filtering and per-record updates, so an agent can list, transform, and re-write records in a controlled batch. Best for migrations, deduping, and field normalisation jobs that would otherwise require manual editing.
List records on object_3 where state='Texas', call PUT for each to set state='TX', and report the count of records updated.
Agent-Driven Record Operations via Jentic
Embed Knack record reads and writes in an AI agent so an operator can ask 'how many open orders today' or 'create a new customer' and have the agent call the right Knack endpoint. The agent searches Jentic, loads the operation schema, and executes with the application id and REST API key kept in your Jentic One instance. Far faster than writing object key lookups into custom code.
Through Jentic, search for 'list Knack records', load /objects/{object_key}/records, and report today's count of records on the 'orders' object.
Key Endpoints
11 endpoints — jentic publishes the only available openapi specification for knack api, keeping it validated and agent-ready.
METHOD
PATH
DESCRIPTION
GET
/objects/{object_key}/records
List records on an object
POST
/objects/{object_key}/records
Create a record on an object
GET
/objects/{object_key}/records/{record_id}
Retrieve a single record
GET
/pages/{scene_key}/views/{view_key}/records
List records through a view
POST
/pages/{scene_key}/views/{view_key}/records
Create a record through a view
POST
/applications/{application_id}/session
Authenticate an end user
GET
/objects/{object_key}/records
List records on an object
POST
/objects/{object_key}/records
Create a record on an object
GET
/objects/{object_key}/records/{record_id}
Retrieve a single record
GET
/pages/{scene_key}/views/{view_key}/records
List records through a view
POST
/pages/{scene_key}/views/{view_key}/records
Create a record through a view
POST
/applications/{application_id}/session
Authenticate an end user
Why Jentic?
What agents get from Jentic-routed access to this vendor.
Setup
Wiring Knack by hand means learning its application-id and REST-API-key header auth and handling the api.knack.com/v1 host and its errors yourself. Through Jentic you install once, import Knack from the API Directory, store the keys once, and your agent calls it.
Permission scoping
Knack puts the object key in the URL path (/objects/{object_key}/records), so a rule can pin your agent to one object: it can read the records in that object and nothing else. You choose the operations it may call, so record creation on that object is not included unless you add it.
Credential isolation
Your Knack application id and REST API key are stored once, encrypted, by your own Jentic One instance and injected at execution time. They never enter the agent's prompt, logs, or context.
Intent-based discovery
Agents search Jentic by intent such as 'read records from a Knack object' or 'create a record', and Jentic returns the matching Knack operation with its input schema so the agent calls the right endpoint without browsing the reference docs.
Related APIs
Alternatives and complements available in the Jentic catalogue.
Complementary
Stripe API
Often paired with Knack to charge for the records or services tracked in the database
Use Stripe to handle payment for the orders or memberships stored in Knack records, then write the payment outcome back as a Knack record update.
FAQs
Specific to using Knack API through Jentic.
Why is there no official OpenAPI spec for Knack API?
Knack does not publish an OpenAPI specification - only narrative reference docs. Jentic generates and maintains this spec so that AI agents and developers can call Knack API via structured tooling. It is validated against the live API and kept up to date. Get started with Jentic One, the self-hosted execution layer.
What authentication does the Knack API use?
The Knack API uses two API key headers: X-Knack-Application-Id identifies the application and X-Knack-REST-API-Key authorises object-based requests. View-based requests can also use X-Knack-REST-API-Key or an end-user token in the Authorization header obtained from /applications/{application_id}/session. Through Jentic, both keys are stored in your Jentic One instance.
What is the difference between object-based and view-based requests?
Object-based requests at /objects/{object_key}/records give full access to every field on the object and require the application id and REST API key. View-based requests at /pages/{scene_key}/views/{view_key}/records are scoped to the fields exposed by the view and can be made with an end-user token, so they respect the same permissions a real user would have.
What are the rate limits for the Knack API?
Knack enforces per-application rate limits that vary by plan. The spec does not declare hard numbers - consult docs.knack.com/reference for the current per-plan figures. Cache list responses where possible; Jentic's runtime caches identical reads across agent runs.
How do I create a Knack record from an AI agent through Jentic?
Search Jentic for 'create a Knack record', load POST /objects/{object_key}/records, and execute with the object key and the field payload. Jentic injects the X-Knack-Application-Id and X-Knack-REST-API-Key headers from the vault so the agent never holds the raw keys.
Can the Knack API authenticate end users of my application?
Yes. POST /applications/{application_id}/session exchanges an email and password for a user token. Pass that token on subsequent view-based requests so the API respects the same role and permission checks the user would see in the Knack UI.
Can I limit what my agent is allowed to do with the Knack API?
Yes. Because your Jentic One instance is self-hosted, your own rules decide which Knack operations and credentials the agent may use. Knack puts the object key in the URL path, such as /objects/{object_key}/records, so a rule can pin the agent to a single object and let it read only that object's records. You also choose the operations it may call, so creating or updating records on that object is not available unless you explicitly add it.
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