---
Title: "What Is a Knowledge Base? Definition and Examples"
Url: "https://computer.io/glossary/knowledge-base"
Topic: "Support operations"
Description: "A knowledge base is a central library of articles, FAQs and guides that customers, employees and AI agents use to find answers. Types and best practices."
---

# What is a knowledge base?

A knowledge base is a central, searchable library of information, such as how-to articles, FAQs, troubleshooting guides and policies, that customers, employees and AI agents use to find answers without waiting for a person. It is the foundation of self-service and AI support.

## Types

| Type | Audience |
| --- | --- |
| External | Customers |
| Internal | Employees and agents |
| AI-ready | Structured for AI retrieval |

## What makes a good article

A clear title phrased as the question, a short answer first, steps, screenshots, and an owner and review date.

## Knowledge bases and AI

AI agents ground their answers in knowledge content, so gaps and stale articles show up directly as wrong or missing answers.

## FAQ

### What is knowledge base software?

A tool for creating, organizing and searching help content.

### What is an internal knowledge base?

A private library of information for employees.

### How do you keep a knowledge base up to date?

Assign owners, review regularly and create articles from resolved tickets.

## Related terms

- [Knowledge-centered service (KCS)](https://computer.io/glossary/knowledge-centered-service)
- [Customer self-service](https://computer.io/glossary/customer-self-service)
- [Retrieval-augmented generation (RAG)](https://computer.io/glossary/retrieval-augmented-generation)
- [How do you prepare your knowledge base for AI?](https://computer.io/answers/how-to-prepare-your-knowledge-base-for-ai)

## How Computer helps

- [Enterprise search and answers](https://devrev.ai/enterprise-search-and-answers)
- [Customer agent](https://devrev.ai/solutions/customer-agent)

## Further reading

- [Customer self service software](https://devrev.ai/blog/customer-self-service-software)