A Jedi Sentinel was the name given to one of the three distinct schools of thought of the Jedi that sought a balance between the two other branches, the Consulars and the Guardians. While they possessed considerable combat skills and had somewhat extensive knowledge of the Force, Sentinels blended both schools of teaching and amplified them with a series of non-Force skills, such as in the fields of security, computers, stealth techniques, demolitions, repair, or medicine. These skills tended to take the forefront in their middle-road approach to problems; while a Guardian might bash down a locked door and a Consular might simply knock, a Sentinel would instead use equipment available or ingenuity to pick the lock. While the role of the Sentinels within the Jedi Order had remained largely consistent throughout its history, the branch of study was first documented by the Sentinel Jedi recruiter Morrit Ch’gally in the text The Jedi Path: A Manual for Students of the Force.

The term Jedi Sentinel was created solely for Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic as one of the Jedi starting classes, and only later appeared in the pen-and-paper Saga Edition of the Star Wars Roleplaying Game as a Talent Tree for the Jedi class. This class is mostly signified by its use of yellow lightsaber blades. In Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, the prestige class that corresponds to Jedi Sentinel is Jedi Watchman; the dark-side counterpart is Sith assassin. The Jedi Watchman class also appears in other Legends works, such as the Tales of the Jedi comics and others. The class presumably became official in the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic comic series along with Jedi Guardian and Consular.

The Star Wars Miniatures set Champions of the Force uses Visas Marr to represent the Jedi Sentinel class. Although she was the Sith apprentice to Darth Nihilus, she was still of the Sentinel class and later redeemed, becoming an apprentice to Meetra Surik.

Star Wars Galaxies had two hidden Jedi Enclaves on Yavin 4, one dark and one light. The Jedi of Galaxies could use these as meeting places. Each enclave was guarded by two CL 500 Jedi Sentinels, dark and light, who served as protectors for the meetings should an opposing side try to disrupt them. Starting at Chapter 7, the Sentinels were removed and the enclaves served as sites for those who wanted to see the ruins of both.

The Jedi Sentinel is an advanced class for the Jedi Knight class in the Star Wars: The Old Republic MMO video game. This advanced class specializes in the use of dual lightsabers and dealing greater damage in battle. The Imperial counterpart for this archetype is the Sith Marauder.