What does KNOT do?
KNOT is a free tool that live-checks the rel=canonical on each URL you paste, then tells you whether it is a clean self-canonical or a clash worth a ticket.
No Search Console login. Public HTTP only. Clear PASS or FAIL with a Do-this.
What does KNOT check?
- Status and final URL after redirects.
- Declared canonical (or missing).
- Self vs other: does the canonical match the final URL?
- Host / scheme: www vs apex, http vs https clashes.
- Canonical on a redirect hop.
- Paginator / HTML-sitemap smells (?page=, listing paths).
- noindex alongside a canonical.
How does KNOT judge the results?
PASS means SELF_OK - live 200, self-referencing canonical, no clash.
FAIL is labelled with one verdict:
- MISSING - no rel=canonical; add a self-canonical.
- OTHER - points at a different URL on the same host.
- CROSS_HOST - host or scheme doesn't match the live preferred URL.
- REDIRECT_CANON - you checked a URL that redirects; canonical must sit on a 200.
- PAGINATOR - HTML sitemap or ?page= style URL competing as indexable.
- NOINDEX - page says noindex; decide indexed vs drop from sitemaps/links.
- FETCH_ERROR - couldn't prove the canonical this run.
Same page, same rules, same result.
How do I run a check?
- 01Sign in with your email - one-tap link, no password.
- 02Paste up to 50 URLs, or load the nikkos.io example.
- 03Hit Run. Filter by verdict, then export.
How do I turn the results into a ticket?
Group by verdict so each ticket has one job - missing canonicals together, cross-host together, and so on.
- Filter to fails or one verdict.
- Use the Do-this column as the ticket body.
- Export CSV or selected URLs.
Good to know
- Public HTTP only - no crawl login.
- Capped at 50 URLs per run.
- Email sign-in. Every mode free to use after sign-in.
- Sibling tools: LOCRA for sitemap locs, RAUM when GSC flags canonical reasons, GATE before you request indexing.
Part of the GSC Companion
KNOT isn't a standalone tool - it's one mode inside the GSC Companion at /tools/seo. The same email magic-link opens every mode, so you can move from KNOT to another check without signing in again.
If you want the wider picture first, read GSC Companion - how it works.