AgentIndex icon
AgentIndex
context-mode logo
context-mode
★ 31.8k
vs
totem logo
totem
★ 17

context-mode vs totem

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.; totem: Totem is a set of CLI tools that provides persistent memory and enforcement layer for AI agents. It uses deterministic hooks to remember lessons the AI forgets, catching architectural mistakes before they become permanent. Totem runs entirely offline and completes linting in under 2 seconds.

01

TL;DR

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 →
totem logo
totemMemory & Context · ★ 17

Prevent AI agents from repeating architectural mistakes

Read totem full review →
02

Side-by-Side Comparison

Field
context-mode logocontext-mode
totem logototem
Category
Memory & Context
Memory & Context
Stars
★ 31.8k
★ 17
License
Elastic License 2.0
Apache-2.0
Install Command
npm install -g context-mode
pnpm dlx @mmnto/cli init
Updated
1d ago
3d ago
Open Source
Yes
Yes
Website
↗ Visit
↗ Visit
GitHub
↗ GitHub
↗ GitHub
Tags
antigravity, claude, claude-code
ai-agents, ast-grep, cli
03

Features

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.
totem logototem
01Offline linting in under 2 seconds
02Convert plain-English lessons into enforceable rules
03Git hooks for pre-push enforcement
04Cross-repo semantic memory via local knowledge base
05MCP server for agent context retrieval
04

Use Cases

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
totem logototem
↳Prevent AI agents from repeating architectural mistakes
↳Enforce project-specific coding conventions and lessons
↳Provide persistent context to AI agents across sessions
05

Best For

context-mode logocontext-mode
Most PopularTrending
totem logototem
—
FAQ

FAQ

What is the difference between context-mode and totem?
Both context-mode and totem are in the Memory & Context category. context-mode has 31.8k stars, while totem has 17 stars.
Which is better, context-mode or totem?
The best choice depends on your use case. Choose context-mode if Deep repository research and analysis (e.g., architecture, contributors, issues), and totem if Prevent AI agents from repeating architectural mistakes.
Is context-mode free or open source?
Yes, context-mode is open source on GitHub (Elastic License 2.0).
Is totem free or open source?
Yes, totem is open source on GitHub (Apache-2.0).
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