Cortex

Name: Cortex
Author: VBlackJack

by VBlackJackversion 2026.1021.3i★ 1iRuns on your computer

Registry nameio.github.VBlackJack/cortex

How to install

What it does

Local multi-client RAG server over the Model Context Protocol.

Connects Runs on your computer
Account or key Needs CORTEX_KB_PATH
Category Search & AI memory

Install

Pick the AI app you use, then copy the settings.

Passed 3/3 checks · Runs on your computer · ✓ Commands checked Nov 13, 2026

First: which AI do you use?

ClaudeWeb · app · phoneChatGPTWebClaude CodeTerminalCursorCode editorVS CodeCode editorOtherOther apps

Pick your app and the steps appear below.

Works with Claude, with some setup first

You need a Cortex key (create it on the maker’s site) · Install Python (uv) on your computer first (one time) · Only the Claude desktop app (Windows or Mac), not the web or phone

Install Python (uv)
One time only; it works for every server that needs Python (uv)
Open the Python (uv) download page ↗
Done
Sign up and create a Cortex key
Open the maker’s site, sign up and create an API key for the next step. Check the maker’s site for pricing and free plans.
How to get a key is in the maker’s README below
Done
Open the Claude desktop app’s settings file
SettingsDeveloperEdit Config
Done

Paste these settings and save the file

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "cortex": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "cortex-local-rag",
        "serve"
      ],
      "env": {
        "CORTEX_KB_PATH": "your-value"
      }
    }
  }
}

Paste the key only into the app’s field, never into a chat or to anyone

Done

Quit Claude and open it again
Done
Try it
Use Cortex and tell me what you can do for me, then show me one thing
✓ If Claude says it is using Cortex or shows a Cortex tool in the answer, you are connected

Menu names checked against Anthropic’s help page on Nov 11, 2026 · your screen may differ slightly by app version

ChatGPT cannot connect Cortex yet

Cortex runs on your computer, but ChatGPT can only connect servers that run on the web

What you can do instead

A · Use an app that can connect Cortex

Steps for Claude →You need a Cortex key (create it on the maker’s site) · Install Python (uv) on your computer first (one time) · Only the Claude desktop app (Windows or Mac), not the web or phone
Steps for Claude Code →You need a Cortex key (create it on the maker’s site) · Install Python (uv) on your computer first (one time)
Steps for Cursor →You need a Cortex key (create it on the maker’s site) · Install Python (uv) on your computer first (one time)
Steps for VS Code →You need a Cortex key (create it on the maker’s site) · Install Python (uv) on your computer first (one time)

B · Others in Search & AI memory that work with ChatGPT

Picked from the most used in the same category, only ones that connect by address with no key

Context7✓ ChatGPT
AIHOT✓ ChatGPT
Sui Knowledge Base (kapa.ai)✓ ChatGPT

Works with Claude Code, with some setup first

You need a Cortex key (create it on the maker’s site) · Install Python (uv) on your computer first (one time)

Install Python (uv)
One time only; it works for every server that needs Python (uv)
Open the Python (uv) download page ↗
Done
Sign up and create a Cortex key
Open the maker’s site, sign up and create an API key for the next step. Check the maker’s site for pricing and free plans.
How to get a key is in the maker’s README below
Done
Open Terminal
Mac: press Command+Space and type Terminal · Windows: open PowerShell
Done
4
Paste this command and press Enter
```
claude mcp add --scope user cortex --env CORTEX_KB_PATH=your-value -- uvx cortex-local-rag serve
```
Replace “your-value” with your key before pressing Enter
Paste the key only into the app’s field, never into a chat or to anyone
Done
Type /mcp in Claude Code
You should see Cortex listed as connected
Done
Try it
Use Cortex and tell me what you can do for me, then show me one thing
✓ If Claude Code says it is using Cortex or shows a Cortex tool in the answer, you are connected

Menu names checked against Anthropic’s help page on Nov 11, 2026 · your screen may differ slightly by app version

Works with Cursor, with some setup first

You need a Cortex key (create it on the maker’s site) · Install Python (uv) on your computer first (one time)

Install Python (uv)
One time only; it works for every server that needs Python (uv)
Open the Python (uv) download page ↗
Done
Sign up and create a Cortex key
Open the maker’s site, sign up and create an API key for the next step. Check the maker’s site for pricing and free plans.
How to get a key is in the maker’s README below
Done
Click this button to open Cursor
Open in Cursor
Cursor asks you to confirm; click Install
Done
Fill in your key
In the Cortex settings, CORTEX_KB_PATH is empty; add your key and save
Paste the key only into the app’s field, never into a chat or to anyone
Done
Open the AI chat in Cursor in Agent mode
Done
Try it
Use Cortex and tell me what you can do for me, then show me one thing
✓ If Cursor says it is using Cortex or shows a Cortex tool in the answer, you are connected

Menu names checked against Cursor’s help page on Nov 11, 2026 · your screen may differ slightly by app version

Works with VS Code, with some setup first

You need a Cortex key (create it on the maker’s site) · Install Python (uv) on your computer first (one time)

Install Python (uv)
One time only; it works for every server that needs Python (uv)
Open the Python (uv) download page ↗
Done
Sign up and create a Cortex key
Open the maker’s site, sign up and create an API key for the next step. Check the maker’s site for pricing and free plans.
How to get a key is in the maker’s README below
Done
Click this button to open VS Code
Open in VS Code
VS Code asks you to confirm; click Install
Done
Fill in your key
In the Cortex settings, CORTEX_KB_PATH is empty; add your key and save
Paste the key only into the app’s field, never into a chat or to anyone
Done
Open the AI chat in VS Code in Agent mode
Done
Try it
Use Cortex and tell me what you can do for me, then show me one thing
✓ If VS Code says it is using Cortex or shows a Cortex tool in the answer, you are connected

Menu names checked against VS Code’s help page on Nov 11, 2026 · your screen may differ slightly by app version

Other apps that use MCP, such as Windsurf, Zed or Gemini CLI, each add servers differently. See how in the app list.

See every app that uses MCP →

JSON settings are under “For developers” below

Stuck? Ask people who use Cortex💬 Discussion →

For developers: Terminal commands and JSON settings

Installed on your computer

Claude Code

claude mcp add --scope user cortex --env CORTEX_KB_PATH=your-value -- uvx cortex-local-rag serve

Claude Desktop (claude_desktop_config.json)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "cortex": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "cortex-local-rag",
        "serve"
      ],
      "env": {
        "CORTEX_KB_PATH": "your-value"
      }
    }
  }
}

Cursor (~/.cursor/mcp.json)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "cortex": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "cortex-local-rag",
        "serve"
      ],
      "env": {
        "CORTEX_KB_PATH": "your-value"
      }
    }
  }
}

VS Code (mcp.json)

{
  "servers": {
    "cortex": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "cortex-local-rag",
        "serve"
      ],
      "env": {
        "CORTEX_KB_PATH": "your-value"
      }
    }
  }
}

Values you fill in

CORTEX_KB_PATH required env
Absolute path to the local knowledge base Cortex indexes and serves.

These settings are generated from the maker’s registry entry. If the README says otherwise, follow the README.

At a glance

GitHub stars i: 1
Downloads per weeki: 56/wk
Licence i: Apache-2.0
Connection: Runs on your computer
Transport: stdio
Latest versioni: 2026.1021.3
Categoryi: Search & AI memory
Published to registryi: Oct 21, 2026
Code last changedi: Oct 21, 2026
Maker: VBlackJack
Packages: pypi: cortex-local-rag
Repo: VBlackJack/Cortex
Registry status: Active

Which apps can use it

Based on how this server connects and on each app’s own docs, checked Nov 10, 2026.

Run on your computer in

Claude Goose LM Studio Msty Studio Cherry Studio Cursor VS Code + GitHub Copilot Visual Studio Windsurf (Devin Desktop)Zed Kiro Cline Continue JetBrains AI Assistant Claude Code Codex CLI Gemini CLI OpenCode nodecode Warp LibreChat Raycast

All apps, with pros and cons →

What it can do

Runs on your computer; the tool list appears in your AI app after you install it.

Basic checksi

We check information anyone can see; we have not read the code. Checks that do not apply are left out of the count. · Checked Nov 14, 2026

✓ Pass
Maker matches the repo
The registry name was verified with the GitHub account VBlackJack, which owns the repo
✓ Pass
Still maintained
Code last changed 24 days ago
✓ Pass
Has a licence
Uses Apache-2.0
– Not applicable
Endpoint responds
This one runs on your computer; there is no internet endpoint
– Not applicable
Sign-in with OAuth
Runs on your computer and uses local settings instead
… Not checked yet
No hidden instructions in tool descriptions
Runs on your computer; we can only read tool lists from internet endpoints

Discussion

Ask, share a tip or report that it does not work. Sorted by what people marked helpful.

No posts yet. Be the first to ask or share.

Posts here are written by users, not the PopNx team.

User reviews

No reviews yet

Compared with others in Search & AI memoryi

More stars than 76% of the other 6074 servers in this category
Published to the registry more recently than 63% of the other 6074 servers in this category
Basic checks equal to or better than 100% of the other 6074 servers in this category

Compared with every active server in this category in the registry. Stars count only when the publisher owns the repo.

Common questions

Is Cortex safe?

It passed 3 of 3 applicable basic checks. We have not read the code. Before adding a key or token, see what access the server asks for and use a key with only the permissions you need.

What keys or codes does it need?

You need to fill in: CORTEX_KB_PATH

Does it run on my computer or in the cloud?

It runs on your computer. Your AI app starts it when needed, and data does not pass through the maker’s servers (unless it calls an online service itself).

Is it still maintained?

The GitHub repo last changed 24 days ago, and the latest version (2026.1021.3) reached the registry 24 days ago.

Which apps can use it?

Apps that support MCP, such as Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor and VS Code. You also need Python (uv) on your computer.

What can I use instead?

In the same category: Context7, Codebase Memory, Ruflo

Others in the same category

Servers in the same category from other makers, sorted by stars.

Reading a card:↓ Downloads per weeki★ GitHub starsiThree pillars: reviews · checks · usageiUpdated = latest version published to the registryi

Context7

Feeds AI the latest docs for libraries and frameworks before it answers, so code it writes does not use outdated, removed functions.

by upstashWidely used↓ 1.2M/wk★ 64.8KUpdated 2 days ago

Computer or cloud

Install

Codebase Memory

Codebase knowledge graph for AI agents — 162 languages, sub-ms queries, 99% fewer tokens.

by DeusDataWidely used↓ 16.8K/wk★ 48.6KUpdated 28 days ago

Runs on your computer

Install

Ruflo

Agent teams, swarms, memory and hooks for Claude Code and Codex, served over MCP.

by ruvnetWidely used↓ 74.3K/wk★ 81.6K Stars for the whole repoUpdated yesterday

Runs on your computer

Install

README from the maker

Open the README

Copied from the maker’s repo as written. PopNx MCP has not reviewed or endorsed it. HTML, images and scripts are removed. Links lead off this site.

Cortex - RAG MCP for a knowledge base

English | Français

Cortex is an MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that exposes semantic search over a local knowledge base. It lets Claude, Codex and Gemini find the right passage in your documents without wasting their context window. Search is semantic (by meaning, not keyword), in French and in English. Cortex processes and indexes the knowledge base locally without sending its content; the MCP client may still pass requested chunks to its model under its own policy. The optional Confluence writer only downloads explicitly allowlisted spaces; the generated Markdown, vector index, and lexical index remain local.

Starting with 2026.0906.01, Companion offers a guided home screen, operation history and Confluence setup from one page or space link. Connection and measured scope confirmation stay in the flow; successful collection is followed by indexing. Use the combined installer to keep Cortex and Companion compatible.

Since 2026.0909.02, Confluence updates preserve the served generation when subtree enumeration fails and apply changed target/classification settings on retry. Search uses multilingual vector retrieval by default; CLI and MCP callers can explicitly select hybrid or reranked search. The first successful collection after upgrading regenerates older publication revisions, and the following sync removes obsolete index entries.

Guided document updates (2026.0909.00)

Companion brings local documents and Confluence together in My sources, with one Update my documents action. Search previews are resizable, large page trees render visible rows, and cancelling review preparation keeps the draft. Readiness now follows the saved document folder and configuration, including after restart. Run one document update after upgrading to establish this evidence for older indexes. See the release notes.

Measured scope without enumerating the space (2026.0907.00)

Adding a Confluence source measures its page, subtree and whole-space scopes with one indexed count each instead of reading the space page by page. On a 5916-page space that measurement took 3 min 19 s, past the timeout of every graphical caller, so Companion showed nothing at all. It now answers in about a second, and the emitted contract is unchanged.

Two whole-space numbers shift by one as a result: the resolved page is no longer folded into the space total, and a space with no visible page reports zero rather than one. A deployment whose search endpoint returns no total cannot measure a scope and reports that as a permanent failure instead of a retryable one. See the contracts.

Paired Companion 2026.0907.00 restores the contrast of the scope window, whose options were drawn in the system text colour, and stops reporting a timeout as a connection failure or advising a delay increase that silently reverts.

Source management in Companion (2026.0906.02)

The workflow includes search, remote page trees, impact review, evidence-based readiness, save-and-update, last-removal undo and recovery actions. See the contracts.

Paired version 2026.0906.02 provides visible My sources cards, a prefilled selection editor, confirmed page/space removal and browser links to originals. Removal only changes Cortex tracking; search reflects it after successful collection and indexing.

Removing the final source explicitly writes spaces = [] in a schema v2 or v3 configuration. This intentional empty allowlist permits an empty publication with tombstones for prior documents. An absent spaces key remains incomplete configuration and collection is refused. Connection and credential validation and publication safeguards still apply. Both updated components are required; this capability is absent from the installed 2026.0906.01 release.

Installation

Windows, no Python (recommended)

The simplest path: one installer for Cortex, Cortex Companion, the windowless Confluence converter, and the offline models. No separate Python or .NET runtime is required.

Download Cortex-Setup.exe and SHA256SUMS from the latest release.
Before running the unsigned installer, calculate its digest with Get-FileHash .\Cortex-Setup.exe -Algorithm SHA256 in PowerShell and verify that it exactly matches the Cortex-Setup.exe line in SHA256SUMS.
Double-click only after that check. If SmartScreen still warns, select More info, then Run anyway.
Choose the folder that holds your documents, keep Index everything in this folder, and finish. Cortex Companion opens when installation completes. Indexing only starts when you request synchronization in Companion.
In Companion, open Settings and verify the knowledge-base folder. The Cortex executable installed with Companion is detected automatically.
Drop your documents in that folder, open Local database, then select Synchronize local documents.
Restart your AI application: Cortex shows up there as an MCP server.

Companion then lets you synchronize, schedule, diagnose, and configure Cortex without a terminal. Details, silent mode and reinstall: Windows install.

Standalone archives (Windows x64, macOS Apple Silicon, Linux x64)

Every release also ships one ZIP archive per platform. It unpacks to a cortex/ folder holding the cortex or cortex.exe executable (MCP server + CLI, no Python), its runtime, and the licenses for every embedded dependency; keep the folder whole. See Standalone distribution.

From PyPI (Python, advanced)

py -m pip install --upgrade cortex-local-rag

cortex setup

This path installs the CLI and MCP server, but not Cortex Companion. The model is downloaded on first use if its cache is empty.

From source (development)

:: From the folder where you cloned Cortex

install.bat

install.bat and sync.bat are the development path for a source checkout, not a supported end-user installation: install.bat installs the unlocked dependencies from requirements.txt, and sync.bat indexes the folder section by section without the Confluence documents. To use Cortex, install Cortex-Setup.exe or a standalone archive instead. Details: Setup.

How it works

Documents folder (.md, .pdf)       Optional Confluence writer (REST)

| | | current Markdown generation +------------------+-------------------+ | v cortex sync <- Split, hash, vectorize, update FTS5 | v %LOCALAPPDATA%\Cortex\ <- ChromaDB + lexical.db | v cortex serve <- MCP server (FastMCP) | v MCP clients <- Claude / Codex / Gemini / Antigravity / LM Studio / Cursor / Windsurf / VS Code

The embedding model is the multilingual ONNX paraphrase-multilingual-MiniLM-L12-v2. The Windows installer bundles it; a source installation or standalone binary downloads it when the local cache is empty.

Two indexing modes

Whole folder (default): anything you place in the chosen folder, at the root or in any subfolder, becomes searchable. Nothing to configure.
Sections (advanced): limits indexing to named subfolders you can search separately (defaults knowledge, projects, notes).

These modes govern the user-selected document folder. Generated ingestion documents are indexed separately from the current published generation with source_kind=doc and section sources.

Details: Configuration.

The `cortex` command

The installed package exposes a single command:

Subcommand	Purpose
`cortex setup`	Config + index + client registration in one go (`--kb-path`, `--yes`, `--no-index`, `--reset`).
`cortex serve`	Runs the MCP server (used by clients).
`cortex sync`	Incremental index synchronization.
`cortex search`	Searches the index from the console (debugging aid).
`cortex ingestion`	Shows source health and whether catch-up is due.
`cortex confluence`	Stores the PAT interactively or runs the allowlisted writer.
`cortex config`	Reads or changes configuration through an atomic JSON contract, notably for Companion.
`cortex daemon`	Runs, inspects or stops the shared per-user server used when `[server] mode = "shared"` (opt-in).
`cortex bundle`	Describes or verifies an encrypted portable archive.
`cortex doctor`	Installation diagnostics (read-only).
`cortex register` / `cortex unregister`	Adds or removes Cortex from MCP clients.
`cortex init`	Creates the single per-user configuration.
`cortex check`	Verifies the installation.

cortex --help describes every subcommand and cortex --help describes its options. A prompt-free installation scripts as:

cortex setup --yes --kb-path "D:\Documents\Knowledge"

Exposed MCP tools

Tool	Description
`cortex_search`	Multilingual vector search by default; optional `retrieval_mode` (`vector`, `hybrid`, `rerank`). Parameters: `query`, `section`, `top_k` (1-10), source/author filters, and occurred/updated date ranges.
`cortex_sync`	Triggers an incremental sync of the selected folder and, on a full sync, the current published document generation.
`cortex_list_sections`	Lists included sections and "out of policy" folders.
`cortex_freshness`	Read-only vault and ingestion freshness summary. Parameters: `section` (optional), `include_entries` (`false` by default).

Documentation

Table of contents
Windows install: unified Cortex + Companion + Confluence converter + models installer, corpus choice, silent mode, reinstall.
Standalone distribution: per-platform archives and reproducible builds.
Install from source: prerequisites, MCP clients.
User guide: sync, search, tools, doctor, logs.
FAQ: installation, local data, sync, and diagnostics.
Release notes: user-visible changes by version and the published-history notice.
Technical changelog: complete changes by version.
Configuration: config.toml, indexing modes, sections, data home, migration.
Ingestion scheduling: source health, catch-up, retries, and Task Scheduler.
Metadata v2 migration: structured search metadata, backup, migration, and restore.
Confluence writer: allowlisted REST ingestion, Windows Credential Manager, conversion, and atomic generations.
Reproducible install: requirements.lock, --require-hashes, regenerating the lock.
Public specification: MCP surface, index contracts, data, distribution, and limits.
Architecture: end-to-end and technical choices.
Security: local runtime, telemetry off, single-writer.

Prerequisites

Path	Requirements
Windows installer	No separate Python or .NET runtime. At least ~500 MB of space (applications, model + index).
Standalone archive	No Python. ~500 MB of space (model + index).
From source	Python 3.11 to 3.13. ~500 MB of space.
Client	Claude Desktop/Code, Codex, Gemini, Antigravity, LM Studio, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code (MCP support).

License

Apache 2.0. See LICENSE.

R

Only the beginning is shown; read the rest in the repo

Cortex

What it does

Install

Install Python (uv)

Sign up and create a Cortex key

Open the Claude desktop app’s settings file

Paste these settings and save the file

Quit Claude and open it again

Try it

What you can do instead

Install Python (uv)

Sign up and create a Cortex key

Open Terminal

Paste this command and press Enter

Type /mcp in Claude Code

Try it

Install Python (uv)

Sign up and create a Cortex key

Click this button to open Cursor

Fill in your key

Open the AI chat in Cursor in Agent mode

Try it

Install Python (uv)

Sign up and create a Cortex key

Click this button to open VS Code

Fill in your key

Open the AI chat in VS Code in Agent mode

Try it

Installed on your computer

Values you fill in

At a glance

Which apps can use it

Related guides

What it can do

Basic checksi

Maker matches the repo

Still maintained

Has a licence

Endpoint responds

Sign-in with OAuth

No hidden instructions in tool descriptions

Discussion

User reviews

Compared with others in Search & AI memoryi

Common questions

Others in the same category

Context7

Codebase Memory

Ruflo

README from the maker

Cortex - RAG MCP for a knowledge base

Guided document updates (2026.0909.00)

Measured scope without enumerating the space (2026.0907.00)

Source management in Companion (2026.0906.02)

Installation

Windows, no Python (recommended)

Standalone archives (Windows x64, macOS Apple Silicon, Linux x64)

From PyPI (Python, advanced)

From source (development)

How it works

Two indexing modes

The cortex command

Exposed MCP tools

Documentation

Prerequisites

License

R

The `cortex` command