# cortex

Maps project symbols, code relationships, and repo rules locally so coding agents find relevant context without scanning every file.

- MCP server · `type=mcp` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Windsurf (Devin Desktop), Cline, Zed, Gemini CLI · ★ 18
- Author: DanielBlomma
- License: not stated · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/DanielBlomma/cortex
- Updated: 2026-09-11
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/cortex

## What it does

The tool scans your codebase directly on your machine, cataloging symbol definitions, dependencies, and project conventions. Instead of guessing filenames or reading broad directory trees, the assistant queries this local map to pull exact call paths and dependency graphs.

Under the hood, it pairs background file watchers and Git hooks with diagnostic utilities like `cortex impact` for blast radius checks and `cortex conventions` for rule verification. An MCP interface is available, but assistants can also execute the CLI commands directly.

Running this indexer requires Git alongside Node.js 20.9+. Without that runtime baseline, index generation fails. Background bootstrap mode is limited to macOS, Linux, and WSL, meaning standard Windows installations must run indexing in the foreground.

## Requirements
- Needs: Node.js (commands run via npx)

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

**Platform CLI**
```bash
claude mcp add cortex -- npx -y @danielblomma/cortex-mcp
```

### Codex

**Platform CLI**
```bash
codex mcp add cortex -- npx -y @danielblomma/cortex-mcp
```

### Cursor

**Config file**
File `.cursor/mcp.json`:
```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "cortex": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "-y",
                "@danielblomma/cortex-mcp"
            ]
        }
    }
}
```

### GitHub Copilot

**Config file**
File `.vscode/mcp.json`:
```json
{
    "servers": {
        "cortex": {
            "type": "stdio",
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "-y",
                "@danielblomma/cortex-mcp"
            ]
        }
    }
}
```

### Gemini CLI

**Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini mcp add cortex npx -y @danielblomma/cortex-mcp
```

## When to use it
- estimate the blast radius before refactoring sensitive modules
- find symbol definitions and file relationships without broad scans
- verify staged diffs against repository rules and coding patterns
- keep indexing caches synchronized after Git branch switches

## Example prompts
- Run cortex search to locate where auth tokens are parsed
- Check the blast radius of modifying payments.ts using cortex impact
- Review candidate changes with cortex review --diff before staging

## Similar
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