What is the key difference between Octopus Blackboard and Reef?

Octopus Blackboard belongs to the Knowledge & Memory category with local stdio execution, while Reef belongs to the Knowledge & Memory category with local stdio execution.

How do I install Octopus Blackboard or Reef 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 Octopus Blackboard and Reef free or paid?

Octopus Blackboard operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required). Reef operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required).

Which MCP server has more tools and community activity?

Octopus Blackboard lists 0 tools with 0 views and 7 GitHub stars. Reef lists 0 tools with 0 views and 1 GitHub stars.

Can I use both Octopus Blackboard and Reef 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

Octopus Blackboard vs Reef

In-depth architectural comparison of the Octopus Blackboard and Reef 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

Octopus Blackboard

Knowledge & Memory · Local stdio

Quality: 43/100 (Fair) | Auth: No auth required

Reef

Knowledge & Memory · Local stdio

Quality: 36/100 (Fair) | Auth: No auth required

Verdict Summary: Choose Octopus Blackboard if you need specialized Knowledge & Memory tools running via a local process. Choose Reef 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 Octopus Blackboard 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 Octopus Blackboard Details

Choose Reef 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 Reef Details

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	O Octopus Blackboard Knowledge & Memory	R Reef Knowledge & Memory
Summary	Shared memory & coordination for AI coding agents — a blackboard, not an orchestrator.	Shared, living memory for you and your people — coves your AI assistant can read and write.
Category & Scope	Knowledge & Memory	Knowledge & Memory
Quality signal

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

Octopus Blackboard Tools (0)

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

Reef 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).

Octopus Blackboard Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

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

Reef Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "reef-2": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "reef-2"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions

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

More alternatives to Octopus Blackboard More alternatives to Reef Knowledge & Memory category hub