Comparison
mcp-local-rag vs cortex-memory
Verdict
Pick mcp-local-rag if mcp-local-rag is designed for developers who prioritize privacy and ease of setup when performing semantic and keyword searches on local codebases and technical documents through MCP or CLI integration; pick cortex-memory if cortex-memory is a TypeScript-based tool with an MIT license that provides persistent memory capabilities for Claude Code, Cursor & Cline through a VSCode extension and.
Markdown twin · mcp-local-rag alternatives · cortex-memory alternatives
GraphCanon updated 2d
Trust & integrity
| Signal | mcp-local-rag | cortex-memory |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance | Very active (0d since push) As of 2d · github_public_v1 | Slowing (128d since push) As of 3w · github_public_v1 |
| Provenance | Not a fork · Personal account As of 2d · github_public_v1 | Not a fork · Personal account As of 3w · github_public_v1 |
| OSV dependency advisories | No published findings from this source as of 2026-08-09 As of 2w · osv@v1 | Published findings As of 1mo · osv@v1 |
| deps.dev advisories | Not queried deps.dev@v1 | Not queried deps.dev@v1 |
| OpenSSF Scorecard | Not queried openssf-scorecard@v1 | Not queried openssf-scorecard@v1 |
Tagline
- mcp-local-rag
- Local-first RAG server for developers with semantic and keyword search capabilities.
- cortex-memory
- Persistent AI memory for Claude Code, Cursor & Cline with a VSCode extension and CLI.
Stars
- mcp-local-rag
- 370
- cortex-memory
- 7
Forks
- mcp-local-rag
- 68
- cortex-memory
- 1
Open issues
- mcp-local-rag
- 2
- cortex-memory
- 0
Language
- mcp-local-rag
- TypeScript
- cortex-memory
- TypeScript
Adopt for
- mcp-local-rag
- mcp-local-rag is designed for developers who prioritize privacy and ease of setup when performing semantic and keyword searches on local codebases and technical documents through MCP or CLI integration.
- cortex-memory
- cortex-memory is a TypeScript-based tool with an MIT license that provides persistent memory capabilities for Claude Code, Cursor & Cline through a VSCode extension and CLI.
Persona
- mcp-local-rag
- -
- cortex-memory
- -
Runtime
- mcp-local-rag
- -
- cortex-memory
- -
License
- mcp-local-rag
- MIT
- cortex-memory
- MIT
Last pushed
- mcp-local-rag
- Aug 23, 2026
- cortex-memory
- Mar 25, 2026
Categories
- mcp-local-rag
- Data & Retrieval, Developer Tools
- cortex-memory
- Data & Retrieval, Developer Tools
Trust and health
Maintenance
- mcp-local-rag
- Very active (96%)
- cortex-memory
- Slowing (36%)
Days since push
- mcp-local-rag
- 0d
- cortex-memory
- 128d
Open issues (now)
- mcp-local-rag
- 2
- cortex-memory
- 0
Stars delta
- mcp-local-rag
- +18 (30d)
- cortex-memory
- Unknown
Open issues delta
- mcp-local-rag
- -2 (30d)
- cortex-memory
- Unknown
OSV dependency advisories
- mcp-local-rag
- No published findings from this source as of 2026-08-09
- cortex-memory
- Published findings
Full report
- mcp-local-rag
- Trust report
- cortex-memory
- Trust report
Choose mcp-local-rag if…
- Tags unique to mcp-local-rag: agent-skills, hybrid-search, local-first, privacy-first.
- mcp-local-rag ships an MCP server manifest.
- When you need to perform both semantic and keyword-based search operations within a local, privacy-focused environment tailored specifically for handling codebases and technical documentation.
When NOT to use mcp-local-rag
- When you do not require a privacy-first approach and are willing to rely on cloud-based solutions that might offer more extensive feature sets beyond just keyword and semantic searches.
- If your use case involves scaling search capabilities across multiple remote databases or servers, as mcp-local-rag is best suited for local data only.
Choose cortex-memory if…
- Pricing: Being open-source under the MIT license, cortex-memory is free for use, although specific pricing around value-added services or enterprise support are not detailed in the provided repository content..
- Tags unique to cortex-memory: ai, ai-coding-assistant, ai-memory, claude-code.
- If you are working extensively with Claude Code, Cursor & Cline and want to automatically capture decisions, patterns, and context across sessions without configuration.
When NOT to use cortex-memory
- If you prefer not using tools that integrate deeply with specific AI platforms like Claude Code, which may limit its usefulness in environments where multiple or different platforms are used.
- In scenarios where custom configuration is required, as cortex-memory emphasizes zero-config setup which might not be adaptable to highly customized workflows.
Explore
Sources
Every stat on this page traces to a dated GitHub sync, license file, enrichment field, or trust scan.
- GitHub stars (shinpr/mcp-local-rag) · observed Aug 23, 2026
- GitHub forks (shinpr/mcp-local-rag) · observed Aug 23, 2026
- Last push (shinpr/mcp-local-rag) · observed Aug 23, 2026
- License file (MIT) · observed Aug 23, 2026
- Decision facts (enrichment) · observed Jul 17, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Aug 9, 2026
- GitHub stars (SKULLFIRE07/cortex-memory) · observed Aug 1, 2026
- GitHub forks (SKULLFIRE07/cortex-memory) · observed Aug 1, 2026
- Last push (SKULLFIRE07/cortex-memory) · observed Mar 25, 2026
- License file (MIT) · observed Aug 1, 2026
- Decision facts (enrichment) · observed Jul 12, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Jul 11, 2026
GitHub stars on cards: mcp-local-rag 370 · cortex-memory 7 (synced Aug 23, 2026).
Common questions
- What is the difference between mcp-local-rag and cortex-memory?
- mcp-local-rag: Local-first RAG server for developers with semantic and keyword search capabilities.. cortex-memory: Persistent AI memory for Claude Code, Cursor & Cline with a VSCode extension and CLI.. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories.
- When should I choose mcp-local-rag over cortex-memory?
- Choose mcp-local-rag over cortex-memory when Tags unique to mcp-local-rag: agent-skills, hybrid-search, local-first, privacy-first; mcp-local-rag ships an MCP server manifest; When you need to perform both semantic and keyword-based search operations within a local, privacy-focused environment tailored specifically for handling codebases and technical documentation.
- When should I choose cortex-memory over mcp-local-rag?
- Choose cortex-memory over mcp-local-rag when Pricing: Being open-source under the MIT license, cortex-memory is free for use, although specific pricing around value-added services or enterprise support are not detailed in the provided repository content.; Tags unique to cortex-memory: ai, ai-coding-assistant, ai-memory, claude-code; If you are working extensively with Claude Code, Cursor & Cline and want to automatically capture decisions, patterns, and context across sessions without configuration.
- When should I avoid mcp-local-rag?
- When you do not require a privacy-first approach and are willing to rely on cloud-based solutions that might offer more extensive feature sets beyond just keyword and semantic searches. If your use case involves scaling search capabilities across multiple remote databases or servers, as mcp-local-rag is best suited for local data only.
- When should I avoid cortex-memory?
- If you prefer not using tools that integrate deeply with specific AI platforms like Claude Code, which may limit its usefulness in environments where multiple or different platforms are used. In scenarios where custom configuration is required, as cortex-memory emphasizes zero-config setup which might not be adaptable to highly customized workflows.
- Is mcp-local-rag or cortex-memory more popular on GitHub?
- mcp-local-rag has more GitHub stars (370 vs 7). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints.
- Are mcp-local-rag and cortex-memory open source?
- Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (mcp-local-rag: MIT, cortex-memory: MIT).
- Where can I find alternatives to mcp-local-rag or cortex-memory?
- GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at mcp-local-rag alternatives and cortex-memory alternatives (mcp-local-rag markdown twin, cortex-memory markdown twin), ranked by typed relationship edges rather than popularity votes.
- Is there a machine-readable version of this comparison?
- Yes. The markdown twin at this comparison mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers.
- Which is better maintained, mcp-local-rag or cortex-memory?
- mcp-local-rag: Very active. cortex-memory: Slowing. Compare maintenance labels, days since push, and release cadence in the trust section below - stars alone do not measure maintenance.
- Where are the full trust reports for mcp-local-rag and cortex-memory?
- GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: mcp-local-rag trust report; cortex-memory trust report.