Devtoolwatch BoardContext Mode review
Context Mode is an MCP server and plugin that keeps raw tool output out of AI coding agents' context windows and persists session memory.
TL;DR
Context Mode is an MCP server for AI coding agents like Claude Code, Gemini CLI, and Copilot. It runs tool output in sandboxes, indexes session events in SQLite with FTS5 search, and uses hooks to route large-output tools through its own tools. It is for developers whose agent sessions lose context to large tool output or compaction.
- 33kGitHub stars
- +962new stars, week of Oct 25
- ~29.7kdownloads a week, +1% vs 4-week avg
- #14in MCP and agent tools this week
Context Mode at a glance
- Category
- MCP and agent tools
- Maintained by
- Mert Köseoğlu (individual, @mksglu on GitHub)
- Language
- TypeScript, JavaScript, HTML
- Repository
- github.com/mksglu/context-mode
- Website
- context-mode.com
- npm package
- context-mode 1.0.169
- Latest release
- v1.0.169 on GitHub, Jun 29, 2026
- First published
- Feb 23, 2026
What Context Mode does
- Context Mode runs tools in a sandbox so raw data stays out of the context window and only results return to the model.
- Context Mode tracks file edits, git operations, tasks, errors, and user decisions in SQLite, then retrieves relevant events via BM25 search after compaction.
- Context Mode has the agent write scripts that compute an analysis and print only the result, instead of reading many files into context.
- Context Mode provides 11 MCP tools, including ctx_execute, ctx_index, ctx_search, ctx_fetch_and_index, ctx_stats, and ctx_doctor.
- Context Mode indexes local files or directories into a persistent FTS5 knowledge base that you can search later.
- Context Mode reports context savings per tool, with tokens consumed and a savings ratio, through ctx stats.
- Context Mode records per-turn token usage, model id, and cost for its hosted Insight dashboard for engineering teams.
How it works
Context Mode runs as an MCP server, installed as a Claude Code plugin or a global npm package. On hook-capable platforms, hooks such as PreToolUse and SessionStart intercept large-output tools and inject routing instructions. Platforms without hooks need a one-time routing file copy. Session events are stored locally in SQLite and indexed with FTS5.
How to install and start using Context Mode
Claude Code, MCP only
claude mcp add context-mode -- npx -y context-modeGlobal npm install
npm install -g context-modeRequirements
- Node.js 22.5 or later (or Bun) for npm-based installs
- Claude Code v1.0.33 or later for the plugin install
- VS Code with Copilot Chat v0.32+, or a JetBrains IDE with GitHub Copilot plugin v1.5.57+, for those integrations
First steps
- Install the plugin in Claude Code, then restart Claude Code or run /reload-plugins.
- Run /context-mode:ctx-doctor to check runtimes, hooks, FTS5, and plugin registration. All checks should show [x].
- On other platforms, type ctx stats in the agent chat to confirm the Context Mode tools respond.
- Optionally add the context-mode statusline command to ~/.claude/settings.json to see savings during a session.
Who Context Mode is for
- Developers using Claude Code, Gemini CLI, Copilot, or Codex CLI whose sessions fill up with tool output
- Long agent sessions where compaction makes the agent forget files, tasks, and recent requests
- Engineering teams that want analytics on AI-assisted coding spend and context savings
Limitations to know
- Context Mode requires a one-time routing file copy on platforms without hooks. Only hook-capable platforms get automatic routing enforcement.
- Context Mode's MCP-only Claude Code install skips hooks and slash commands, so the model is not nudged to prefer its tools.
- Context Mode deletes previous session data when you start without --continue.
- Context Mode hooks with an older global version are inert until you upgrade, though they fail open and do not block tools.
Is Context Mode growing? Usage data
In the week of Oct 25–31, 2026, Context Mode ranked #130 on the Devtoolwatch Board and #14 in MCP and agent tools, with a momentum score of 56 out of 100. Its main package had about 29.7k downloads that week, +1% against its own 4-week average.
Show the weekly numbers
| Week of | New stars |
|---|---|
| Aug 9, 2026 | 177 |
| Aug 16, 2026 | 212 |
| Aug 23, 2026 | 168 |
| Aug 30, 2026 | 204 |
| Sep 6, 2026 | 2k |
| Sep 13, 2026 | 1.3k |
| Sep 20, 2026 | 421 |
| Sep 27, 2026 | 1.2k |
| Oct 4, 2026 | 1.2k |
| Oct 11, 2026 | 4.1k |
| Oct 18, 2026 | 1.6k |
| Oct 25, 2026 | 962 |
The Board ranks tools by four signals each week: new stars, new stars for the repo's size, added downloads and download growth beyond the market. How the ranking works.
Context Mode alternatives
Other MCP servers and agent tools on the Board in the week of Oct 25–31, 2026, by momentum:
| Rank | Tool | Stars | Downloads/wk |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | REAREA is an MCP server and CLI that lets coding agents reverse engineer native binaries, JavaScript and Electron apps, .NET assemblies,… | 415.5k | 760.6k |
| #2 | ha-mcpha-mcp is an unofficial Model Context Protocol server that lets AI assistants control and manage Home Assistant using natural language. | 5.4k | 118.1k |
| #3 | TregTreg is a registry and proxy that gives AI agents one token for a catalog of paid third-party API endpoints and team-shared tools. | 6.9k | 6.7k |
| #4 | Chrome DevTools MCPChrome DevTools MCP is an MCP server and CLI that lets coding agents control and inspect a live Chrome browser using Chrome DevTools. | 54.6k | 2.7M |
| #5 | codebase-memory-mcpHigh-performance code intelligence MCP server. Indexes codebases into a persistent knowledge graph — average repo in milliseconds. 162… | 47.9k | – |
| #6 | open-computer-use👾 Open Computer Use – Open-Source Alternative to Codex Computer Use | 2.8k | – |
Recent Context Mode releases
Context Mode FAQ
Is Context Mode free and open source?
Context Mode's code is on GitHub (mksglu/context-mode), but the repository doesn't declare a standard open-source license. Check its license file before using it commercially. Its website links to a pricing page: https://context-mode.com/pricing.
How do I install Context Mode?
Run claude mcp add context-mode -- npx -y context-mode. It needs Node.js >=22.5.0. The install section above has the other options from the project's README.
Is Context Mode still maintained?
Yes. The mksglu/context-mode repository was last updated on Oct 22, 2026, and the latest release, v1.0.169 on GitHub, came out on Jun 29, 2026.
How popular is Context Mode?
Context Mode has 33k GitHub stars as of Nov 1, 2026. It gained 962 new stars in the week of Oct 25–31, 2026, against a 12-week average of 1.1k a week. Its main package had about 29.7k downloads that week, +1% against its own 4-week average. That made it #14 among MCP servers and agent tools on the Devtoolwatch Board.
Context Mode vs RTK: how do they compare?
Context Mode and RTK are both tracked by Devtoolwatch. Context Mode has 33k GitHub stars and RTK has 85.1k. RTK review.
Context Mode vs Headroom: how do they compare?
Context Mode and Headroom are both tracked by Devtoolwatch. Context Mode has 33k GitHub stars and Headroom has 78.5k. In the week of Oct 25–31, 2026, Context Mode's main package had 29.7k downloads and Headroom's had 125.8k. Headroom compresses tool outputs, logs, files, and RAG chunks locally before they reach the LLM, as a library, proxy, or MCP server. Headroom review.
What are the best alternatives to Context Mode?
Other MCP servers and agent tools on the Devtoolwatch Board in the week of Oct 25–31, 2026, by momentum: REA (#1), ha-mcp (#2), Treg (#3), Chrome DevTools MCP (#4), codebase-memory-mcp (#5). The alternatives table above has their numbers.
What is Context Mode?
Context Mode is an MCP server for AI coding agents. It keeps raw tool output out of the context window through sandboxed tools, tracks session events in SQLite for recall after compaction, and routes large-output tools through its own tools using hooks.
How do I use Context Mode in Claude Code?
Context Mode installs in Claude Code through the plugin marketplace. Restart Claude Code or run /reload-plugins, then run /context-mode:ctx-doctor to verify. Routing is automatic. A SessionStart hook injects routing instructions at runtime, and slash commands such as /context-mode:ctx-stats show savings.
What is Context Mode MCP?
Context Mode MCP is the server that provides 11 tools: six sandbox tools (ctx_batch_execute, ctx_execute, ctx_execute_file, ctx_index, ctx_search, ctx_fetch_and_index) and five meta-tools (ctx_stats, ctx_doctor, ctx_upgrade, ctx_purge, ctx_insight).
Is Context Mode safe?
Context Mode confines ctx_execute_file to the project boundary as of v1.0.164. Before that release, paths could read files outside the project root. Its hooks fail open, so an outdated install does not block your tools.
Does Context Mode change how the model writes answers?
No. Context Mode keeps raw data out of context but does not dictate the model's final answer style. Brevity and formatting stay with the model or your own CLAUDE.md or AGENTS.md.
Sources
Context Mode README badge
Maintainers can show the tool's weekly Board rank in their README:
[](https://index.devtoolwatch.com/tools/mksglu-context-mode/)How this page is made: Devtoolwatch writes each review from the project's README, releases, package metadata and website, with an AI model, then checks every claim against the source it cites and drops what the sources don't support. The numbers come from Devtoolwatch's daily GitHub snapshots, GitHub's stargazer history, and the npm and PyPI download APIs. Spotted an error? Email [email protected].