Cortex

Name: Cortex
Author: DanielBlomma

by DanielBlommaversion 0.4.2i★ –iRuns on your computer

Registry nameio.github.DanielBlomma/cortex

Install

Overview

Description from the maker (original English)

Local repo context for coding assistants with semantic search and graph relationships.

PopNx MCP’s three pillars

These three are never merged into one score: opinions, measurements and popularity are different things.

User voiceiNo reviews yetReviews open together with accounts in a later step
Our basic checksi1 of 1 passedChecked from public information; code not scanned yet
UsageiNot measured yet★ –

What you can do with it

We have not written a plain-language summary for this one yet. Below are the facts we read from the registry.

Connection: Runs on your computer
Transport: stdio
Category: Search & AI memory

Install

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

Before you install

Basic checks: 1 of 1 passed
Runs on your computer with your user’s permissions (files, network, apps).
The registry lists no key to fill in.

You need

npmNode.js installed (for the npx command)

Which app do you use?

ClaudeClaude CodeCursorVS CodeChatGPT

Pick your app above. We remember it, so next time the button says “Install in …”.

Open Claude Desktop → Settings → Developer → Edit Config, and paste this into claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "cortex": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@danielblomma/cortex-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Run this in your terminal

claude mcp add cortex -- npx -y @danielblomma/cortex-mcp

Open in Cursor

Or copy the settings yourself

Paste into .cursor/mcp.json in your project, or ~/.cursor/mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "cortex": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@danielblomma/cortex-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Your browser asks to open the app, then the app shows the settings and asks you to confirm. Key values are left empty for you to fill in.

Open in VS Code

Or copy the settings yourself

Paste into .vscode/mcp.json in your project

{
  "servers": {
    "cortex": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@danielblomma/cortex-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Your browser asks to open the app, then the app shows the settings and asks you to confirm. Key values are left empty for you to fill in.

This one runs on your computer, and ChatGPT can only connect to servers on the internet. Pick another app.

Your choice stays on this device in a cookie; no account needed.

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

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 6, 2026

✓ Pass
Maker matches the repo
The registry name was verified with the GitHub account DanielBlomma, which owns the repo
… Not checked yet
Still maintained
We have not read this repo from GitHub yet
… Not checked yet
Has a licence
We have not read this repo from GitHub yet
– 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

Compared with others in Search & AI memoryi

More stars than 0% of the other 7223 servers in this category
Published to the registry more recently than 4% of the other 7223 servers in this category
Basic checks equal to or better than 100% of the other 7223 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 1 of 1 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?

The registry does not list a required key, though some servers ask you to sign in on first use.

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 –, and the latest version (0.4.2) reached the registry 8 months ago.

Which apps can use it?

Apps that support MCP, such as Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor and VS Code. You also need Node.js on your computer.

What can I use instead?

In the same category: Context7, Codebase Memory, Exa

Alternatives

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

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

Context7

by upstash

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

Computer or cloud★ 64,224MITUpdated 3 days ago

Install

Codebase Memory

by DeusData

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

Runs on your computer★ 48,148MITUpdated 20 days ago

Install

Exa

by exa-labs

Connect AI agents to Exa for web search, content fetching, and multi-step research.

Runs in the cloud★ 5,213MITUpdated 44 days ago

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

Give AI coding agents the right context from your repository.

Cortex builds a local map of your code, symbols, relationships, and project rules. Coding agents query that map through the CLI instead of guessing or reading the whole repository.

Your code stays on your machine. MCP is not required.

Start

Requires Node.js 20.9+ and Git.

npm install --global @danielblomma/cortex-mcp

cd your-project cortex init --bootstrap

This indexes the repository, adds Cortex instructions to AGENTS.md, installs Git hooks, and starts the background watcher.

Check the setup:

cortex doctor

Use

# Find relevant code.

cortex search "where is authentication handled?" --json

Follow relationships from a search result.

cortex related --json

See what a change may affect.

cortex impact "authentication" --json

Read repository rules.

cortex rules --json

Compare a changed file with nearby patterns.

cortex pattern-evidence src/auth.ts --json

Inspect deterministic active conventions for a file or indexed entity.

cortex conventions src/payments/retry.ts --json

Get cited, deterministic context before implementing a code task.

cortex guidance src/payments/retry.ts --task "add bounded retry handling" --json

Review the staged, unstaged, and non-ignored untracked candidate against HEAD.

cortex review --diff --json

Refresh context after significant changes.

cortex update

Agents can run these commands directly. cortex init adds instructions that tell them to search before answering and check impact before refactoring. They do not need an MCP connection.

What Cortex adds

Without Cortex, an agent often searches by filename and reads many unrelated files. Cortex gives it structured repository context:

semantic search across code, rules, and architecture decisions;
symbol definitions and file relationships;
caller and dependency traversal;
impact analysis before refactoring;
active rules, deprecations, and source-of-truth signals;
deterministic, subsystem-scoped convention profiles with cited reusable symbols;
incremental updates after Git and filesystem changes.

The pipeline is local and straightforward:

repository -> local index -> Cortex CLI -> coding agent

Commands you will use

Command	Purpose
`cortex search "..." --json`	Find relevant code and context
`cortex related --json`	Follow relationships from a result
`cortex impact "..." --json`	Estimate the blast radius of a change
`cortex rules --json`	Show active repository rules
`cortex pattern-evidence --json`	Find nearby implementation patterns
`cortex conventions --json`	Inspect bounded repository convention profiles
`cortex guidance --task --json`	Get bounded cited pre-coding guidance
`cortex review --diff --json`	Review the current Git candidate with cited local evidence
`cortex update`	Refresh changed context
`cortex status`	Show index status
`cortex doctor`	Diagnose the local setup
`cortex watch status`	Check background synchronization
`cortex dashboard`	Open the local status dashboard

Run cortex help for the complete command list.

cortex conventions uses only the local index. It returns bounded, live-backed version-1 profiles and does not call a model, planner, provider, or network service. See Repository convention profiles for the exact eligibility, limit, hashing, persistence, and safety contract.

Before implementing a code task, use cortex guidance as cited additive context—not policy authority. Continue to use normal search, related, and impact when needed, and never skip explicit active rules or conflicts. The command is local-only and inspection-only; see the exact versioned contract in Pre-coding guidance.

After coding and before finalization, use cortex review --diff. It separates exact source-of-truth violations from heuristic local-pattern warnings and is inspection-only. See Deterministic diff review.

Keep the index fresh

Git hooks and the watcher normally update Cortex automatically.

cortex status

cortex watch status cortex update

Run cortex update manually after a large change or when results look stale.

Large repositories

Make lexical and graph search available first while semantic indexing continues in the background:

cortex bootstrap --background --profile interactive

cortex indexing status --json

This mode supports macOS, Linux, and WSL. Native Windows should use normal foreground bootstrap.

Upgrade

npm install --global @danielblomma/cortex-mcp@latest

cortex init --force cortex bootstrap cortex update

Project configuration and rules are preserved. See CHANGELOG.md for version-specific notes.

Optional MCP compatibility

The normal Cortex workflow uses the CLI. If a client explicitly requires MCP, run cortex connect.

DeepSeek Harness integration

Cortex supports DeepSeek Harness through the V1 explicit tools and skills integration. Cortex 2.6.0 contains and validates the integration source against the pinned Harness 0.1.1-rc.2 release. Separate npm bundle distribution is deferred and currently unavailable.

The bundle provides four agent-scoped tools (cortex_search, cortex_related, cortex_impact, and cortex_rules) and five Cortex behavior skills (change-impact, context-review, pattern-review, repo-research, and using-cortex). Retrieval is local, repository-scoped, explicit, and user-controlled. The integration does not automatically initialize, update, or watch a repository.

V2 proactive/assistive retrieval remains planned and experimental; it is not included in Cortex 2.6.0. See the V1-to-V2 integration plan for details.

License

MIT

Cortex

Overview

PopNx MCP’s three pillars

What you can do with it

Install

Before you install

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

Compared with others in Search & AI memoryi

Common questions

Alternatives

Context7

Codebase Memory

Exa

README from the maker

Cortex

Start

Use

Follow relationships from a search result.

See what a change may affect.

Read repository rules.

Compare a changed file with nearby patterns.

Inspect deterministic active conventions for a file or indexed entity.

Get cited, deterministic context before implementing a code task.

Review the staged, unstaged, and non-ignored untracked candidate against HEAD.

Refresh context after significant changes.

What Cortex adds

Commands you will use

Keep the index fresh

Large repositories

Upgrade

Optional MCP compatibility

DeepSeek Harness integration

Links

License