AgentIndex icon
AgentIndex
context-mode logo
context-mode
★ 32.5k
vs
deja-vu logo
deja-vu
★ 1.3k

context-mode vs deja-vu

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.; deja-vu: Deja-vu is a zero-dependency, local-first binary that indexes and makes searchable the historical sessions of various AI coding agents. It acts as a universal memory layer, allowing agents to recall past solutions and context efficiently, even from before its installation.

01

TL;DR

context-mode logo
context-modeMemory & Context · ★ 32.5k
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 →
deja-vu logo
deja-vuMemory & Context · ★ 1.3k

Reusing solutions from past agent conversations to avoid re-debugging or re-implementing.

Read deja-vu full review →
02

Side-by-Side Comparison

Field
context-mode logocontext-mode
deja-vu logodeja-vu
Category
Memory & Context
Memory & Context
Stars
★ 32.5k
★ 1.3k
License
Elastic License 2.0
MIT
Install Command
npm install -g context-mode
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/vshulcz/deja-vu/main/install.sh | sh
Updated
1d ago
1d ago
Open Source
Yes
Yes
Website
↗ Visit
↗ Visit
GitHub
↗ GitHub
↗ GitHub
Tags
antigravity, claude, claude-code
AI Agent Memory, Session Search, Code Assistant
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.
deja-vu logodeja-vu
01Fast, Retroactive Session Search
02Automatic AI Agent Memory Recall
03Cross-Machine Memory Synchronization
04Seamless Agent Context Handoff
05Automated Sensitive Data Redaction
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
deja-vu logodeja-vu
↳Reusing solutions from past agent conversations to avoid re-debugging or re-implementing.
↳Debugging complex issues by accessing comprehensive past debugging sessions and design decisions.
↳Maintaining persistent context across different AI agents and development machines.
↳Sharing sanitized session digests with colleagues for onboarding or knowledge transfer.
↳Understanding file change history and decision-making via session blame.
05

Best For

context-mode logocontext-mode
Most PopularTrending
deja-vu logodeja-vu
—
FAQ

FAQ

What is the difference between context-mode and deja-vu?
Both context-mode and deja-vu are in the Memory & Context category. context-mode has 32.5k stars, while deja-vu has 1.3k stars.
Which is better, context-mode or deja-vu?
The best choice depends on your use case. Choose context-mode if Deep repository research and analysis (e.g., architecture, contributors, issues), and deja-vu if Reusing solutions from past agent conversations to avoid re-debugging or re-implementing..
Is context-mode free or open source?
Yes, context-mode is open source on GitHub (Elastic License 2.0).
Is deja-vu free or open source?
Yes, deja-vu is open source on GitHub (MIT).
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