AgentIndex icon
AgentIndex
claude-soul logo
claude-soul
★ 92
vs
context-mode logo
context-mode
★ 31.8k

claude-soul vs context-mode

claude-soul: Claude Soul gives Claude Code persistent memory across sessions, automatically tracks user corrections with lifecycle stages, and develops improved behavioral frameworks over time. It runs entirely locally using SQLite, integrates via MCP server and hooks, and requires no cloud or API keys.; 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

claude-soul logo
claude-soulMemory & Context · ★ 92

Maintain context and recall previous decisions across Claude Code sessions

Read claude-soul 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
claude-soul logoclaude-soul
context-mode logocontext-mode
Category
Memory & Context
Memory & Context
Stars
★ 92
★ 31.8k
License
MIT
Elastic License 2.0
Install Command
npx claude-soul init --starter
npm install -g context-mode
Updated
4mo ago
1d ago
Open Source
Yes
Yes
Website
↗ Visit
↗ Visit
GitHub
↗ GitHub
↗ GitHub
Tags
ai, ai-agent, claude
antigravity, claude, claude-code
03

Features

claude-soul logoclaude-soul
01Cross-session memory with semantic search (local SQLite + optional Ollama embeddings)
02Automatic correction tracking with lifecycle stages (new → active → improving → internalized)
03Self-evolving judgment and framework optimization through reflection cycles
04Shadow analysis CLI to inspect behavioral patterns with trends
05Fully local, no cloud, no API key, no telemetry
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

claude-soul logoclaude-soul
↳Maintain context and recall previous decisions across Claude Code sessions
↳Track and internalize corrections to improve Claude's behavior over time
↳Allow Claude to autonomously develop and refine working frameworks based on repeated successful patterns
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

claude-soul logoclaude-soul
—
context-mode logocontext-mode
Most PopularTrending
FAQ

FAQ

What is the difference between claude-soul and context-mode?
Both claude-soul and context-mode are in the Memory & Context category. claude-soul has 92 stars, while context-mode has 31.8k stars.
Which is better, claude-soul or context-mode?
The best choice depends on your use case. Choose claude-soul if Maintain context and recall previous decisions across Claude Code sessions, and context-mode if Deep repository research and analysis (e.g., architecture, contributors, issues).
Is claude-soul free or open source?
Yes, claude-soul 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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