Frequently asked questions
Find answers to common questions organized by user type.
- Cloud Users
- Self-Hosted Users
- API Developers
Getting started
How do I create an account?
Go to app.synjar.com, click Sign up, and follow the verification process. You'll receive a confirmation email within minutes.
What file formats are supported?
Synjar supports PDF, DOCX, TXT, and MD (Markdown) files. We recommend PDF for best results with complex layouts.
How long does document processing take?
Most documents are processed within 30-60 seconds. Large PDFs (>5MB) may take 2-3 minutes. You'll see a status indicator while processing.
Can I search in multiple languages?
Yes! Synjar supports semantic search in over 100 languages. Your documents and queries can be in different languages.
Documents
How many documents can I upload?
Document limits depend on your plan. Check the pricing page for details.
What's the maximum file size?
Individual files can be up to 50 MB. For larger files, consider splitting them into smaller documents.
Can I edit documents after uploading?
Currently, you need to re-upload to replace document content. Tag editing and metadata changes are supported without re-upload.
What happens if processing fails?
Check that your file isn't corrupted and is in a supported format. If issues persist, try re-uploading. Contact support if the problem continues.
Search
How accurate is the AI search?
Synjar uses state-of-the-art semantic search (OpenAI embeddings). Accuracy depends on document quality and query specificity. Be specific in your questions for best results.
Can I search for exact phrases?
Synjar uses semantic search, which finds conceptually similar content rather than exact matches. For exact phrases, include quotes in your query: "exact phrase here".
Why didn't my search find what I expected?
- Check that the document is in "Ready" status
- Try rephrasing your question
- Use more specific terms
- Ensure the answer actually exists in your documents
Team & Collaboration
How do I invite team members?
Go to Settings > Team > Invite. Enter email addresses and select their role. They'll receive an invitation email.
What's the difference between Owner, Admin, and Member roles?
- Owner: Full access including billing and workspace deletion
- Admin: Manage documents and team, can't access billing
- Member: View and search documents, can upload
Can I transfer workspace ownership?
Yes. Go to Settings > Team, find the member, and click Make Owner. You'll become an Admin.
Billing
How do I upgrade my plan?
Go to Settings > Billing > Change Plan. Select a new plan and complete payment. Changes apply immediately.
Can I get a refund?
We offer a 14-day money-back guarantee for new subscriptions. Contact support@synjar.com for refund requests.
What payment methods are accepted?
We accept all major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) and some debit cards via Stripe.
How do I cancel my subscription?
Go to Settings > Billing > Cancel Subscription. Your data remains accessible until the end of the billing period.
Installation
What are the system requirements?
- CPU: 2+ cores (4+ recommended)
- RAM: 4GB minimum (8GB+ recommended)
- Disk: 20GB minimum
- PostgreSQL: 14 or higher
- Node.js: 20 or higher
Do I need Docker?
Docker is the easiest installation method, but not required. You can also install directly with Node.js or use Kubernetes.
Is Redis required?
No. Redis is optional and used for caching. The system works without it but may have slightly higher database load.
How do I configure email?
Set the SMTP_* environment variables. Email is optional for self-hosted - without it, email verification is disabled and users register via invitation tokens.
Configuration
How do I enable HTTPS?
Configure a reverse proxy (nginx, Traefik) in front of Synjar with your SSL certificate. Synjar doesn't handle SSL directly.
Can I use a different database?
Currently, only PostgreSQL is supported. MySQL and other databases are not compatible due to specific PostgreSQL features we use (RLS, vector extensions).
How do I back up my data?
Use standard PostgreSQL backup tools (pg_dump). See the backup guide for detailed instructions.
Where are files stored?
Documents are stored in S3-compatible storage. Configure via B2_* environment variables. You can use AWS S3, Backblaze B2, MinIO, or any S3-compatible service.
Operations
How do I upgrade to a new version?
- Back up your database
- Pull the new Docker image or update Node.js files
- Run database migrations
- Restart the application
See the upgrade guide for detailed steps.
How do I monitor the application?
Synjar exposes a /health endpoint for monitoring. Use your preferred monitoring tool (Prometheus, Datadog, etc.) to track uptime and performance.
What logs should I monitor?
Watch for:
ERRORlevel messages- Database connection issues
- S3 storage errors
- High response times
How do I troubleshoot slow queries?
- Check PostgreSQL connection pool settings
- Ensure database indexes exist
- Review document count per workspace
- Check vector index configuration
See troubleshooting for common issues.
Authentication
How do I get an API token?
- Log in to your account
- Go to Settings > API Keys
- Click Create API Key
- Copy the key (you won't see it again)
How long do tokens last?
API keys don't expire by default. You can revoke them at any time from Settings.
What's the authentication format?
Use Bearer token authentication:
Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY
Can I use OAuth?
Currently, API keys are the only authentication method. OAuth is planned for a future release.
Endpoints
What's the base URL?
- Cloud:
https://api.synjar.com/v1 - Self-hosted:
https://your-domain.com/api/v1
Where's the API documentation?
Visit /api/docs on your Synjar instance for interactive Swagger documentation. See also API overview.
How do I search documents via API?
curl -X POST "https://api.synjar.com/v1/workspaces/YOUR_WORKSPACE/search" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"query": "your search query"}'
Rate limits
What are the rate limits?
- Search: 60 requests/minute
- Upload: 30 requests/minute
- Other endpoints: 100 requests/minute
How do I handle rate limit errors?
When you receive a 429 response:
- Check the
Retry-Afterheader - Wait the specified time
- Implement exponential backoff
if (response.status === 429) {
const retryAfter = response.headers.get('Retry-After') || 60;
await sleep(retryAfter * 1000);
return retry(request);
}
Can I increase rate limits?
Enterprise customers can request higher limits. Contact sales@synjar.com for custom arrangements.
Errors
What do the error codes mean?
See the errors reference for a complete list. Common codes:
UNAUTHORIZED- Invalid or missing API keyFORBIDDEN- Valid key but insufficient permissionsNOT_FOUND- Resource doesn't exist or you don't have accessRATE_LIMITED- Too many requests
How do I debug API issues?
- Check the response body for error details
- Verify your API key is valid
- Ensure you're using the correct workspace ID
- Check rate limit headers
General questions
Is my data secure?
Yes. All data is encrypted at rest (AES-256) and in transit (TLS 1.3). We follow industry best practices for security. Enterprise customers get additional security features like SSO and audit logs.
Where is data stored?
Cloud users: Data is stored in EU or US data centers (configurable for Enterprise). Self-hosted users: Data stays on your infrastructure.
Is there an SLA?
Cloud customers on paid plans have a 99.9% uptime SLA. Self-hosted availability depends on your infrastructure.
Do you offer support?
- Community: GitHub issues and community forum
- Cloud paid plans: Email support with 24-48 hour response
- Enterprise: Priority support with SLA
Can I export my data?
Yes. You can download all your documents and export workspace data at any time. We believe in data portability.
Didn't find your answer?
- Check the documentation
- Ask in our community forum
- Contact support@synjar.com