OARS defines what it means for a website or business entity to be ready for interaction with AI agents, autonomous systems, and language models acting on behalf of users. It is an open standard: any entity may implement it without license or fee.
Maintained by Knov.ai. Current version: 1.2 · Human documentation: https://knov.ai/standard
OARS covers a foundational prerequisite tier (Level 0: Reachable) and five cumulative capability levels — from basic discoverability through full machine-operability. Each level builds on the previous: an entity cannot be certified at Level 3 without satisfying every requirement of Levels 0, 1, and 2.
| Level | Name | Sub-levels | Core question |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Reachable | — | Is this entity operationally usable by an agent at all? |
| 1 | Discoverable | — | Can agents find and identify this entity? |
| 2 | Readable | 2a Parseable · 2b Interpretable | Can agents comprehend what this entity knows and offers? |
| 3 | Actionable | 3a Callable · 3b Tool-Exposed | Can agents take defined actions with this entity? |
| 4 | Transactable | 4a Priceable · 4b Payable | Can agents complete commercial transactions on behalf of users? |
| 5 | Operable | — | Does AI operate workflows inside this entity's business? |
OARS does not prescribe how requirements are implemented. It defines what successful implementation looks like and how compliance is verified — multiple technical approaches may satisfy any given requirement.
| File | Contents |
|---|---|
| SPECIFICATION.md | The full OARS specification — every level, requirement, and verification procedure. |
| schema/oars-manifest.json | The JSON Schema for the oars.json manifest published at OARS Level 2 and above. |
| CHANGELOG.md | Version history of the specification. |
| GOVERNANCE.md | How OARS is maintained, versioned, and evolved — and who is accountable for it. |
| CONTRIBUTING.md | How to open issues and propose changes. |
The canonical, always-current copies live at:
- Specification: https://knov.ai/standard
- Schema: https://knov.ai/schema/oars-manifest.json
OARS Level 2 (Readable) introduces a machine-readable entity profile published at /oars.json (and/or /.well-known/oars.json). It declares an entity's identity, audience, knowledge, offerings, engagement process, agent capabilities, and OARS compliance posture in a single file that AI agents can read directly.
Validate your manifest against schema/oars-manifest.json. Knov.ai publishes its own oars.json as the reference implementation.
- Assess any domain for free against the standard — https://knov.ai/assess
- Generate an
oars.jsonmanifest from the findings — https://knov.ai/generate - Publish the manifest at
/.well-known/oars.jsonon your domain. - Verify — request verification and confirm domain ownership at https://knov.ai/verify. A Knov.ai reviewer completes the human review and assigns a verified level and tier.
Assessment, the generator, and a self-declared directory listing are free. Verification is reviewed by Knov.ai.
The OARS specification and schema are open and may be implemented by any entity without license or fee. See GOVERNANCE.md for how the standard is maintained and how changes are made, and CONTRIBUTING.md to propose changes or report issues.