Other MCP clients (unofficial)

(Optional) Install the global binary

Skip this step to run context-mode with npx and no global install. Install it globally only if you prefer a fixed binary on your PATH.

npm install -g context-mode

Register the MCP server

Add context-mode to your client's MCP server configuration. Most MCP clients use a standard mcpServers block; consult your client's docs for the exact file path. Use the npx form for no global install, or the context-mode command if you installed it globally.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "context-mode": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "context-mode"]
    }
  }
}

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "context-mode": {
      "command": "context-mode",
      "args": []
    }
  }
}

The npx form needs Node 22.5+ or Bun available on your PATH.

Add a routing instruction file

Unsupported clients expose no hooks, so the only way to steer the agent toward the ctx_* tools is an instruction file the host reads. Drop an AGENTS.md at your project root telling the model to route data-heavy work through the sandbox. Most MCP clients read AGENTS.md natively; if yours uses a different convention, use that filename instead.

# Routing rules for context-mode

Use the context-mode MCP tools instead of dumping raw output into context:

- Analyze, count, filter, parse, or transform data → write code with
  `ctx_execute` and `console.log` only the answer.
- Gather lots of state at once → `ctx_batch_execute`.
- Follow-up questions over indexed data → `ctx_search`.
- Fetch a URL → `ctx_fetch_and_index`, then `ctx_search`.

Do not read large files or raw command output into context to analyze them.

See tool selection for the full routing hierarchy this file is summarizing.

Check the savings in chat

In any host, type ctx stats in chat — the model calls the ctx_stats MCP tool and reports the tokens saved and savings ratio for the session. On an unsupported client there is no hook layer, so savings depend on how closely the agent follows your AGENTS.md; ctx stats is the way to confirm routing is actually happening.

Confirm the MCP server is registered

If your client exposes a terminal, run the doctor to confirm the MCP server is registered. It checks language runtimes, the FTS5 knowledge base, and MCP server registration, then reports anything that needs attention. There is no hook or status line to confirm on an unsupported host — only MCP.

Run the command that matches your install:

npx -y context-mode doctor

context-mode doctor