What is the key difference between Cortex and One Brain?

Cortex belongs to the Knowledge & Memory category with cloud HTTP/SSE execution, while One Brain belongs to the Knowledge & Memory category with local stdio execution.

How do I install Cortex or One Brain in Claude Desktop or Cursor?

Copy the mcpServers JSON configuration snippet provided on this page into your claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json file and restart your AI client.

Are Cortex and One Brain free or paid?

Cortex operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required). One Brain operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required).

Which MCP server has more tools and community activity?

Cortex lists 0 tools with 0 views and 0 GitHub stars. One Brain lists 0 tools with 0 views and 0 GitHub stars.

Can I use both Cortex and One Brain together in the same MCP host?

Yes! MCP hosts like Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, and VS Code support configuring multiple servers under the mcpServers object simultaneously.

How do I install Cortex or One Brain in Claude Desktop, Cursor, or Windsurf?

Both servers follow the standard Model Context Protocol configuration format. Simply copy the JSON block from the configuration section above and paste it into your AI client's mcpServers configuration object (for instance in claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json ), then completely restart or refresh the application.

Are Cortex and One Brain free to use, or do they require API keys?

Cortex is listed under a Free / Open Source model with No auth required . One Brain operates under a Free / Open Source model with No auth required . If environment variables are required (such as API keys), be sure to define them under the env key in your MCP client's configuration file.

Can I run both Cortex and One Brain at the same time in my AI client?

Yes! MCP clients support multi-server orchestration. You can include both cortex-2 and one-brain as distinct keys inside the single mcpServers object in your configuration file. Your AI assistant will automatically select and call the appropriate tool from either server during chat sessions.

Which MCP server has higher directory engagement and quality ratings?

On AllMCPs, Cortex has a Quality Score of 45 /100 ( Fair ) with 0 views, 0 installs, and 0 GitHub stars. One Brain holds a Quality Score of 27 /100 ( Emerging ) with 0 views, 0 installs, and 0 GitHub stars.

Side-by-Side Model Context Protocol Comparison

Cortex vs One Brain

In-depth architectural comparison of the Cortex and One Brain MCP servers. Compare execution transports, security boundaries, tool capabilities, quality scores, and ready-to-paste client installation snippets for Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, and VS Code.

At a Glance & Executive Verdict

Cortex

Knowledge & Memory · Remote HTTP/SSE

Quality: 45/100 (Fair) | Auth: No auth required

One Brain

Knowledge & Memory · Local stdio

Quality: 27/100 (Emerging) | Auth: No auth required

Verdict Summary: Choose Cortex if you need specialized Knowledge & Memory tools running via a hosted cloud SSE transport. Choose One Brain if your workspace requires Knowledge & Memory integration with local subprocess execution. Both servers can be configured concurrently in your client's mcpServers manifest.

Which MCP Server Should You Choose?

Choose Cortex when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Knowledge & Memory domain.
You prefer remote streaming HTTP/SSE transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).

Explore Cortex Details

Choose One Brain when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Knowledge & Memory domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).

Explore One Brain Details

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	C Cortex Knowledge & Memory	O One Brain Knowledge & Memory
Summary	Shared, persistent semantic memory for your AI: save, search by meaning, recall with sources.	Shared memory for a team in Claude Code: what one person records, everyone has.
Category & Scope	Knowledge & Memory	Knowledge & Memory
Quality signal

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

Cortex Tools (0)

No explicit tool names declared in metadata yet. Check project README on main listing page.

One Brain Tools (0)

No explicit tool names declared in metadata yet. Check project README on main listing page.

Ready-to-Paste Client Configurations

Paste either (or both) of these JSON server blocks into your client config file (e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json).

Cortex Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "cortex-2": {
      "url": "https://skynetlab-cortex.com"
    }
  }
}

One Brain Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "one-brain": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "one-brain"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions

Cortex is categorized under Knowledge & Memory and uses a remote streaming HTTP/SSE transport. In contrast, One Brain belongs to Knowledge & Memory using local stdio subprocess. Select Cortex when you need capabilities focused on knowledge & memory and One Brain when you require tools for knowledge & memory.

More alternatives to Cortex More alternatives to One Brain Knowledge & Memory category hub

Related MCP Server Comparisons

Popular comparisons with Cortex

Popular comparisons with One Brain

One Brain vs Moxie Docs MCP