AgentIndex icon
AgentIndex
magic-context logo
magic-context
★ 2.4k
vs
context-mode logo
context-mode
★ 31.8k

magic-context vs context-mode

magic-context: Magic Context is a context and memory plugin for coding agent harnesses (OpenCode, Pi and OMP) that compresses history in the background, lifts decisions and conventions into project memory and recalls them each turn. It replaces the host's built-in compaction so one session per project can run for weeks without pauses.; context-mode: Every tool call in an MCP (Model-Controller-Program) environment dumps raw data into the context window, quickly consuming space and causing the agent to lose track of ongoing tasks. Context Mode is an MCP server that tackles this by sandboxing tool outputs to significantly reduce context usage, tracking session events in SQLite for continuity, and promoting 'think in code' to minimize data processing within the LLM.

01

TL;DR

magic-context logo
magic-contextMemory & Context · ★ 2.4k

Keep one coding-agent session per project running for weeks

Read magic-context full review →
context-mode logo
context-modeMemory & Context · ★ 31.8k
When to choose:
  • Your sessions fill up with tool output such as Playwright snapshots, GitHub issue lists or logs.
  • You want work state (edits, git operations, tasks, decisions) to survive context compaction without being dumped back into the window.
  • You use a hook-capable agent, where tool routing happens automatically.
When to skip:
  • You need an OSI open-source licence: it uses the Elastic License 2.0, which restricts uses such as offering it as a managed service.
  • Your sessions are short and rarely hit the context limit.
  • You do not want hooks changing how your agent's tools behave.
Read context-mode full review →
02

Side-by-Side Comparison

Field
magic-context logomagic-context
context-mode logocontext-mode
Category
Memory & Context
Memory & Context
Stars
★ 2.4k
★ 31.8k
License
MIT
Elastic License 2.0
Install Command
npx @cortexkit/magic-context@latest setup
npm install -g context-mode
Updated
1d ago
1d ago
Open Source
Yes
Yes
Website
↗ Visit
↗ Visit
GitHub
↗ GitHub
↗ GitHub
Tags
agent-framework, agent-memory, ai
antigravity, claude, claude-code
03

Features

magic-context logomagic-context
01Background history compression that lifts durable knowledge into project memory
02Overnight dreamer agents verify, deduplicate and curate memories
03Automatic recall each turn plus search across memories, past conversations and git history
04Setup wizard that configures OpenCode, Pi or OMP and disables built-in compaction
context-mode logocontext-mode
01Context Saving: Sandbox tools keep raw data out of the context window, achieving up to 98% reduction.
02Session Continuity: Tracks every file edit, git operation, task, and user decision in SQLite for seamless session resume.
03Think in Code: Promotes LLMs to program analysis, not compute it, saving 100x context by logging only results.
04Batch Execution & Search: Run multiple commands/queries in one call with tools like `ctx_batch_execute`.
05Advanced Knowledge Base: Uses SQLite FTS5 with BM25 ranking, smart snippets, and TTL cache for efficient information retrieval.
04

Use Cases

magic-context logomagic-context
↳Keep one coding-agent session per project running for weeks
↳Avoid compaction pauses that drop context mid-task
↳Give an agent memory of past decisions and project conventions
context-mode logocontext-mode
↳Deep repository research and analysis (e.g., architecture, contributors, issues)
↳Analyze Git history to identify top contributors, commit frequency, and most changed files
↳Efficiently process large JSON APIs, web pages, or logs without flooding the context window
05

Best For

magic-context logomagic-context
EssentialTrending
context-mode logocontext-mode
Most PopularTrending
FAQ

FAQ

What is the difference between magic-context and context-mode?
Both magic-context and context-mode are in the Memory & Context category. magic-context has 2.4k stars, while context-mode has 31.8k stars.
Which is better, magic-context or context-mode?
The best choice depends on your use case. Choose magic-context if Keep one coding-agent session per project running for weeks, and context-mode if Deep repository research and analysis (e.g., architecture, contributors, issues).
Is magic-context free or open source?
Yes, magic-context is open source on GitHub (MIT).
Is context-mode free or open source?
Yes, context-mode is open source on GitHub (Elastic License 2.0).
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Related

Alternatives to magic-context →Alternatives to context-mode →magic-context details →context-mode details →context-mode vs headroom →Trail-Code vs context-mode →