What is the key difference between Ctxfile and Agent Recall?

Ctxfile belongs to the Knowledge & Memory category with local stdio execution, while Agent Recall belongs to the Knowledge & Memory category with local stdio execution.

How do I install Ctxfile or Agent Recall 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 Ctxfile and Agent Recall free or paid?

Ctxfile operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required). Agent Recall operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required).

Which MCP server has more tools and community activity?

Ctxfile lists 6 tools with 3 views and 4 GitHub stars. Agent Recall lists 5 tools with 2 views and 371 GitHub stars.

Can I use both Ctxfile and Agent Recall 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.

Side-by-Side Model Context Protocol Comparison

Ctxfile vs Agent Recall

In-depth architectural comparison of the Ctxfile and Agent Recall 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

Ctxfile

Knowledge & Memory · Local stdio

Quality: 57/100 (Good) | Auth: No auth required

Agent Recall

Knowledge & Memory · Local stdio

Quality: 68/100 (Great) | Auth: No auth required

Verdict Summary: Choose Ctxfile if you need specialized Knowledge & Memory tools running via a local process. Choose Agent Recall 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 Ctxfile 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).
Primary tools included: Structured project snapshots, Session saving and thread handoffs, Schema-enforced context ingestion.

Explore Ctxfile Details

Choose Agent Recall 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).
Primary tools included: session_start, session_end, remember.

Explore Agent Recall Details

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	Ctxfile ctxfile Knowledge & Memory	Agent Recall Knowledge & Memory
Summary	Local-first MCP server that snapshots your project's working state — files, git, plan, and decisions — into one structured context object and hands it to any MCP client in a single call. Save a session in one agent, continue it in another. Zero network calls by default; read-only over your project. Works with Claude Code, Cursor, and any MCP client. npx -y ctxfile	Correction-first agent memory. Precision KPI tracks if agents heed warnings. 5 layers, local-only.
Category & Scope

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

Ctxfile Tools (6)

Structured project snapshots

Session saving and thread handoffs

Schema-enforced context ingestion

Static context export

Local dashboard

Optional encrypted Sync

Agent Recall Tools (5)

session_start

[ENTRY — call FIRST, before acting] Use when the user asks to start, load, continue, resume, or open memory for a project. Set mode='lite' for a ≤500-token briefing (good for fresh conversations where the agent will pull memory on demand via recall()).

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).

Ctxfile Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

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

Agent Recall Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "agent-recall": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "agent-recall-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions

Ctxfile is categorized under Knowledge & Memory and uses a local stdio subprocess. In contrast, Agent Recall belongs to Knowledge & Memory using local stdio subprocess. Select Ctxfile when you need capabilities focused on knowledge & memory and Agent Recall when you require tools for knowledge & memory.

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