Context Sync: 🧠 The Memory Layer for AI Development
Finally, AI that remembers.
🎉 NEW in v1.0.3: Your AI Can Now Write Directly to 
Notion
Ask AI to generate feature docs → AI writes them to Notion. Pull project specs from Notion → AI understands your plan instantly.
💡 "Create API documentation in Notion" • 📄 "Export this architecture decision to Notion" • 🔍 "Read the product spec from Notion and implement it"
npm install -g @context-sync/server
context-sync-setup # Interactive wizard for Notion integration
Context Sync is the open-source infrastructure that gives AI systems persistent memory across all your development tools, sessions, and projects.
# The future of AI-assisted development
npm install -g @context-sync/server
Local-first • Open source • Platform agnostic • Built by developers, for developers
Supports:
The Problem Every Developer Faces
AI systems lose context between conversations. You spend hours explaining your codebase, architecture decisions, and project context... then close the chat and start over tomorrow.
The memory loss problem affects everyone:
- Freelancers juggling multiple client projects
- Teams building complex applications
- Open source maintainers across different tools
- Anyone using AI for serious development work
This isn't just inconvenient - it's fundamentally broken.
Context Sync: GitHub for AI Memory
Context Sync creates persistent, queryable memory for AI systems across all development environments.
Think of it as distributed version control for AI context:
┌─────────────────┐ ┌─────────────────┐ ┌─────────────────┐
│ Claude.ai │ │ Cursor IDE │ │ VS Code │
│ (Web & App) │ │ │ │ + Copilot │
└─────────┬───────┘ └─────────┬───────┘ └─────────┬───────┘
│ │ │
│ MCP Protocol (standardized) │
│ │ │
└──────────────────────┼──────────────────────┘
│
┌───────────▼────────────┐
│ Context Sync │
│ Memory Layer │
│ │
│ • Project Context │
│ • Code Understanding │
│ • Decision History │
│ • Architecture Maps │
│ • File Operations │
│ • Git Integration │
└────────────────────────┘
Every AI tool gets the same shared memory.
Why Open Source?
AI memory shouldn't be controlled by corporations.
Context Sync is built by developers who were tired of:
- Losing context between AI conversations
- Being locked into single AI platforms
- Having no control over their development data
- Paying subscription fees for basic memory functionality
Our philosophy:
- Local-first: Your data stays on your machine
- Platform agnostic: Works with any AI that supports MCP
- Community-driven: Built for developers, by developers
- Extensible: Open architecture for unlimited customization
Quick Start
# Install globally
npm install -g @context-sync/server
# Restart your AI tool (Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code)
# Then ask: "help me get started with context-sync"
That's it. Context Sync auto-configures and guides you through first-time setup with natural language instructions.
🎯 See the Problem in Action
Before Context Sync:
Monday - Claude Desktop:
You: "I'm building a React app with TypeScript, using Supabase for auth..."
Claude: *helps for 2 hours*
Tuesday - New chat:
You: "Continue working on my React app"
Claude: "What React app? Can you describe your project?"
You: *spends 20 minutes re-explaining everything*
After Context Sync:
Monday - Claude Desktop:
You: "I'm building a React app with TypeScript, using Supabase for auth..."
Claude: *helps for 2 hours*
Tuesday - New chat (or different AI tool):
You: "Continue working on my React app"
Claude: "Continuing your TypeScript React app with Supabase auth. What should we work on next?"
That's the power of persistent AI memory.
🚀 Get Started in 2 Minutes
# 1. Install Context Sync
npm install -g @context-sync/server
# 2. Restart your AI tool (Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code)
# 3. Ask for help setting up
"help me get started with context-sync"
Context Sync automatically detects your platform and guides you through setup with personalized instructions.
📖 Need detailed documentation? See the Context Sync v1.0.0 Comprehensive Documentation for complete setup guides, troubleshooting, and advanced configuration.
🔧 Platform-Specific Setup
VS Code + GitHub Copilot
Quick Setup for VS Code (30 seconds)
After installing Context Sync globally:
- Restart VS Code completely
- Open Copilot Chat (Ctrl+Shift+I / Cmd+Shift+I)
- Switch to Agent mode (if available)
- Look for context-sync in the Tools list
- Test: Ask Copilot
"help me get started with context-sync"
Context Sync should appear in available tools! ✨
🔧 Setup for Cursor
Quick Setup for Cursor (30 seconds)
After installing Context Sync, in Claude Desktop type:
setup cursor
Claude will give you OS-specific instructions! ✨
Manual Cursor Setup
-
Open Cursor:
Settings → MCP -
Add this configuration:
{
"mcpServers": {
"context-sync": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@context-sync/server"]
}
}
}
-
Refresh MCP servers
-
Test:
"Help me get started with context-sync"
Done! ✅
Claude Desktop
Quick Setup for Claude Desktop (30 seconds)
After installing Context Sync globally:
- Restart Claude Desktop completely
- Start a new conversation
- Test: Ask Claude
"help me get started with context-sync"
Claude will automatically configure itself! ✨
Manual Claude Desktop Setup
Windows:
# Edit config file
notepad "%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json"
macOS:
# Edit config file
open ~/Library/Application\ Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Linux:
# Edit config file
nano ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Add this configuration:
{
"mcpServers": {
"context-sync": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@context-sync/server"]
}
}
}
Restart Claude Desktop and test: "Help me get started with context-sync"
Continue.dev (VS Code Extension)
Quick Setup for Continue.dev (30 seconds)
After installing Context Sync globally:
- Install Continue.dev extension in VS Code
- Restart VS Code completely
- Open Continue chat (Ctrl+Shift+M / Cmd+Shift+M)
- Test: Ask Continue
"help me get started with context-sync"
Context Sync should be available as an MCP tool! ✨
Manual Continue.dev Setup
-
Open Continue config:
~/.continue/config.yaml -
Add MCP server configuration:
mcpServers:
context-sync:
command: npx
args: ["-y", "@context-sync/server"]
-
Restart VS Code
-
Test:
"Help me get started with context-sync"
Windsurf IDE
Quick Setup for Windsurf (30 seconds)
After installing Context Sync globally:
- Open Windsurf Settings → MCP
- Add new server with name
context-sync - Command:
npx - Args:
-y @context-sync/server - Save and restart Windsurf
- Test: Ask Windsurf
"help me get started with context-sync"
Zed Editor
Quick Setup for Zed (30 seconds)
After installing Context Sync globally:
- Open Zed Settings (Cmd+, / Ctrl+,)
- Navigate to MCP section
- Add server:
- Name:
context-sync - Command:
npx - Args:
["-y", "@context-sync/server"]
- Name:
- Restart Zed
- Test: Ask Zed assistant
"help me get started with context-sync"
TabNine
Quick Setup for TabNine (30 seconds)
After installing Context Sync globally:
- Open TabNine settings
- Navigate to MCP Servers
- Add new server:
{
"context-sync": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@context-sync/server"]
}
}
- Restart your editor
- Test: Ask TabNine
"help me get started with context-sync"
🔗 Notion Integration
New in v1.0.3: Sync your AI context directly to Notion!
Context Sync now includes native Notion API integration with interactive setup wizard:
# Install Context Sync
npm install -g @context-sync/server
# Run the setup wizard
context-sync-setup
# The wizard will:
# 1. Open your browser to Notion's integration page
# 2. Guide you step-by-step (just copy/paste 2 values)
# 3. Test the connection automatically
# 4. Save everything for you
Features:
- 🔍 Search your Notion workspace
- 📖 Read and update pages with proper formatting
- 📝 Create new documentation automatically
- 🎯 Export decisions as Architecture Decision Records (ADRs)
- 📊 Generate project dashboards with tech stack and architecture
- ✨ Markdown support - Beautiful, formatted pages in Notion
Benefits:
- ✅ Smart updates - Skip wizard if already configured
- ✅ User-friendly setup - Select pages by number, not UUID
- ✅ Input validation - Catches errors before API calls
- ✅ Native integration - Works seamlessly with Context Sync tools
📚 Full Notion Integration Guide →
How It Works: Distributed AI Memory
Context Sync creates a persistent knowledge layer between you and AI systems using the Model Context Protocol (MCP).
Architecture:
Your Development Environment
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ IDE/Editor AI Tool Browser/Web │
│ ┌───────────┐ ┌───────────┐ ┌─────────────┐ │
│ │ Cursor │ │ Claude │ │ Claude.ai │ │
│ │ VS Code │ │ Desktop │ │ Web app │ │
│ │ Vim/etc │ │ Copilot │ │ Other AIs │ │
│ └─────┬─────┘ └─────┬─────┘ └──────┬──────┘ │
└────────┼──────────────────┼─────────────────┼───────────┘
│ │ │
└──────────────────┼─────────────────┘
│ MCP Protocol
│
┌───────────────────────────▼─────────────────────────────┐
│ Context Sync (Open Source) │
│ │
│ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────────┐ │
│ │ Memory │ │ Files │ │ Git & Code │ │
│ │ • Projects │ │ • Read │ │ • Status │ │
│ │ • Context │ │ • Write │ │ • Diffs │ │
│ │ • History │ │ • Search │ │ • Analysis │ │
│ └─────────────┘ └─────────────┘ └─────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ Local SQLite Database (~/.context-sync/) │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Key advantages:
- Universal compatibility: Works with any MCP-enabled AI
- Local ownership: All data stays on your machine
- Zero vendor lock-in: Open source and extensible
- Intelligent caching: Only loads what AI needs when it needs it
What Makes Context Sync Different
🌍 Universal AI Memory Layer
Context Sync isn't just another tool - it's infrastructure.
Like Git for code, Context Sync is version control for AI knowledge:
- Distributed: Every AI tool gets the same shared memory
- Local-first: Your data, your control, your privacy
- Platform agnostic: Works with any MCP-compatible AI
- Extensible: Open source architecture for unlimited customization
Current ecosystem support:
- ✅ Claude Desktop (Mac/Windows/Linux)
- ✅ Cursor IDE
- ✅ VS Code + GitHub Copilot
- ✅ Continue.dev
- ✅ Windsurf
- ✅ Zed Editor
- ✅ TabNine
- ✅ Any MCP-compatible AI tool
- 🔄 More platforms added regularly via community contributions
🧠 Intelligent Context Management
Smart memory that scales with your projects:
Project-Aware Context:
- Automatic project detection and initialization
- Tech stack recognition (TypeScript, React, Python, etc.)
- Architecture decision tracking with reasoning
- Code structure understanding and analysis
Efficient Memory Usage:
- 1-3K tokens per project (not full conversation dumps)
- On-demand querying (AI requests details as needed)
- Structured summaries instead of raw chat logs
- Never saturates context windows
Developer-Focused Features:
- File operations (read, write, search) with approval workflows
- Git integration (status, diffs, branches)
- Dependency analysis and call graph tracing
- TODO management with cross-project tracking
- Code symbol search and type analysis
🔒 Privacy-First Architecture
Your code stays yours:
- 100% local storage (SQLite database on your machine)
- No cloud dependencies (optional git-based sync available)
- No tracking or analytics (we don't even have servers!)
- Open source transparency (audit every line of code)
- Zero vendor lock-in (export your data anytime)
Context Sync vs. Existing Solutions
The fundamental difference: Context Sync is infrastructure, not a product.
Other approaches:
- Chat-based solutions: Store conversations → become bloated and slow
- Platform-specific tools: Lock you into one AI tool
- Cloud-based services: Your data on someone else's servers
- Proprietary solutions: No customization, no transparency
Context Sync approach:
- Memory infrastructure: Structured, queryable knowledge base
- Universal compatibility: Works with any MCP-enabled AI
- Local-first: Your data stays on your machine
- Open source: Community-driven development and customization
Complementary, not competitive:
- Use with Claude Pro for more daily messages
- Works alongside
/compactfor conversation compression - Enhances existing AI tools rather than replacing them
💬 Common Questions
Why isn't this built into Claude already?
Honest answer: Business incentives.
If Claude remembered everything perfectly:
- You'd have shorter conversations
- Use fewer messages
- Hit rate limits slower
Persistent memory makes AI more useful but potentially less profitable for AI companies.
That's why Context Sync is:
- Open source (no profit motive)
- Local-first (you own your data)
- Community-driven (built by developers, for developers)
Won't this fill up my context window?
No! Context Sync uses only 1-3K tokens per project.
How it works:
- Stores structured summaries (not full conversations)
- AI queries for details on-demand via MCP
- Never dumps everything into a new chat
Analogy:
- ❌ Bad: Loading 10GB codebase into RAM
- ✅ Good: IDE that loads files as needed
Example:
- Your 10K line project with 50 decisions
- Context Sync summary: ~1.5K tokens
- AI queries for specific details when needed
You never saturate because you're not copying conversations - you're giving AI access to a queryable database.
Is my data safe and private?
100% local. 100% yours.
- ✅ SQLite database on YOUR machine
- ✅ No cloud sync (unless you configure it)
- ✅ No data sent to our servers (we don't have servers!)
- ✅ Open source - audit the code yourself
- ✅ Delete anytime - just remove
~/.context-sync/
Database location:
- Mac/Linux:
~/.context-sync/data.db - Windows:
%USERPROFILE%\.context-sync\data.db
You control everything.
Does this work with VS Code?
Yes! Available since v0.6.0! 🎉
VS Code with GitHub Copilot is now fully supported through MCP integration.
Setup instructions:
- Install Context Sync:
npm install -g @context-sync/server - Restart VS Code
- Open Copilot Chat
- Switch to Agent mode
- Look for context-sync in Tools list
Currently works with:
- ✅ VS Code + GitHub Copilot (new!)
- ✅ Cursor IDE (full support)
- ✅ Claude Desktop (full support)
Does this work with Claude Code CLI?
Also supported since v0.6.0!
Claude Code just launched and supports MCP, so integration should be straightforward.
We're prioritizing:
- VS Code extension
- Claude Code CLI
- Better onboarding
Want it sooner? Let us know in GitHub Discussions!
Can I use this on mobile?
Not yet. Mobile requires:
- Claude mobile app to support MCP (not available yet)
- OR a custom mobile app (planned for future)
Current workaround:
- Use Claude.ai web on mobile (read-only)
- Full features on desktop only
Mobile support depends on Anthropic adding MCP to their mobile app.
How much does this cost?
Context Sync is 100% free and open source (MIT License).
Why free?
- Built by developers, for developers
- Solves a problem we personally had
- Community-driven development
- No profit motive = no business incentives to limit features
You might pay for:
- Claude Pro subscription (recommended but not required)
- Your time (2 minutes to set up)
That's it!
What if I have multiple projects?
Context Sync handles multiple projects beautifully!
You: "Switch to my blog project"
AI: [loads blog context instantly]
You: "List my projects"
AI:
1. TaskFlow (Next.js + Supabase)
2. Personal Blog (Astro)
3. Client Website (WordPress)
You: "Switch to TaskFlow"
AI: [back to TaskFlow context]
Each project maintains its own:
- Architecture decisions
- Tech stack
- TODOs
- Code context
- Conversation history
🎬 Real-World Example
Freelance Developer Workflow
Monday Morning (Cursor):
You: "Initialize project 'EcommerceClient' - Next.js 14, Stripe, PostgreSQL"
AI: "Project created! ✓"
*Build product catalog for 3 hours*
Tuesday Afternoon (Claude Desktop):
You: "Continue EcommerceClient - add shopping cart"
AI: "Adding cart to your Next.js app with Stripe integration.
Using the product schema we defined yesterday..."
Wednesday (Cursor):
You: "Switch back to Cursor. Review cart implementation"
AI: "Analyzing cart code... found 2 potential improvements..."
No re-explaining. No context loss. Just continuous progress across tools.
🗺️ Roadmap
✅ v0.6.1 - prevReleased October 2025✓ VS Code & GitHub Copilot support ✓ Performance optimizations ✓ Async file operations ✓ File size limits & safety ✓ Real-time cache invalidation |
🔄 v1.0.0 - Currentrelease November 2025• Windsurf, Tabnine, Zed, Continue intergration • Enhanced VS Code integration • Enhanced cursor integration • Better onboarding flow • Improved documentation • Additional performance optimizations |
🔮 FutureComing later• Mobile support • Team collaboration • Analytics dashboard • More AI platforms • Advanced features |
See detailed roadmap: ROADMAP.md
📊 Stats
Recent milestones:
- 🎉 26 stars in first 24 hours
- 📦 400+ npm downloads in launch week
- 🚀 #17 on Product Hunt
- 💬 20K+ Reddit impressions
🛠️ Advanced Features
Full Feature List
Project Management
- Initialize and switch between projects
- Track architecture and tech stack
- Store design decisions with reasoning
- Manage TODOs and priorities
Code Analysis
- Dependency graph analysis
- Function call traces
- Type definition lookup
- Find all references
- Impact analysis
File Operations
- Read project structure
- Search files and content
- Modify files (with approval)
- Preview changes before applying
Git Integration
- Status and diff viewing
- Branch information
- Commit message suggestions
- Change tracking
Cross-Platform
- Seamless Cursor ↔ Claude sync
- Platform-specific optimizations
- Context handoff automation
Developer Tools
- 50+ MCP tools
- Extensible architecture
- TypeScript + SQLite
- Open source
Join the AI Infrastructure Revolution
Context Sync is built by the developer community, for the developer community.
🚀 Why Contribute?
You're not just contributing to a tool - you're building the future of AI-assisted development.
- Shape AI tooling standards: Help define how AI systems should handle persistent memory
- Solve your own problems: Build features you need for your workflow
- Learn cutting-edge tech: Work with MCP, TypeScript, SQLite, and AI integrations
- Join a movement: Be part of making AI development tools truly open and extensible
🛠️ Ways to Contribute
Code Contributions:
- Add support for new AI platforms (Gemini, Ollama, etc.)
- Implement new analysis tools (Python dependency tracking, etc.)
- Build integrations for more editors (Vim, Emacs, etc.)
- Optimize performance and memory usage
Non-Code Contributions:
- Write documentation and tutorials
- Test beta features and report bugs
- Share use cases and workflows
- Help other developers in discussions
- Create example projects and templates
Community Building:
- Share Context Sync with fellow developers
- Write blog posts about your experience
- Speak at conferences or meetups
- Contribute to roadmap planning
📋 Current Priorities
Help wanted on:
- Python ecosystem support - pip, poetry, requirements analysis
- Mobile/web integration - React Native, Expo, web development workflows
- Docker/containerization - workspace detection for containerized apps
- More Git integrations - PR analysis, commit message generation
- Performance optimizations - faster workspace scanning, better caching
- UI/dashboard development - web interface for memory management
🎯 Get Started Contributing
- Star the repo to show support
- Join discussions to share ideas and get help
- Read CONTRIBUTING.md for technical guidelines
- Pick an issue labeled
good-first-issueorhelp-wanted - Submit a PR - we review quickly and provide feedback
New to open source? We're beginner-friendly! Many contributors started here.
💬 Community Links
- GitHub Discussions: Feature requests, questions, showcase
- Issues: Bug reports and feature planning
- Pull Requests: Code contributions welcome
- Roadmap: ROADMAP.md - see what's coming next
🔧 Troubleshooting
Claude Desktop doesn't see Context Sync
- Verify installation:
context-sync --version
- Check config file:
# Mac/Linux
cat ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
# Windows
type %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
- Restart Claude completely:
- Mac:
⌘ + Q(force quit) - Windows: Right-click tray icon → Exit
- Check MCP servers in Claude: Look for Context Sync in settings
Still stuck? Create an issue
Cursor doesn't see Context Sync
-
Open Cursor settings:
Settings → MCP -
Verify configuration exists:
{
"mcpServers": {
"context-sync": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@context-sync/server"]
}
}
}
-
Refresh MCP servers in Cursor
-
Test: Ask AI "What's my current project?"
"No active project" error
Set up a workspace first:
You: "Set workspace to /path/to/your/project"
Or check existing projects:
You: "What projects do I have?"
You: "Switch to [project-name]"
Context not syncing between platforms
- Check platform status:
You: "Check platform status"
-
Verify both platforms are configured
-
Try manual sync:
You: "Sync context to Cursor"
More help: TROUBLESHOOTING.md
License & Philosophy
MIT License - Use commercially, modify freely, redistribute openly.
Context Sync is truly open source:
- No dual licensing schemes
- No "enterprise" vs "community" versions
- No feature paywalls or subscription tiers
- No proprietary extensions or locked ecosystem
Why MIT? Because AI tooling infrastructure should belong to the developer community, not corporations.
The Vision
We're building the git of AI development.
Just as git transformed how developers collaborate on code, Context Sync is transforming how developers collaborate with AI systems.
Current state: AI tools are isolated, forgetful, and platform-locked Our vision: Universal, persistent, extensible AI memory layer End goal: AI that truly understands and remembers your development context across all tools and platforms
This is bigger than Context Sync - we're establishing standards and protocols that any tool can implement. Think of us as the Apache Foundation for AI development infrastructure.
Star History & Community
Growing fast thanks to developers like you:
Recent milestones:
- 🎉 26 stars in first 24 hours
- 📦 400+ npm downloads in launch week
- 💬 Active community in GitHub Discussions
- 🚀 Growing contributor base from 6 countries
Spread the Word
Help other developers discover Context Sync:
- ⭐ Star the repository (most important!)
- 🐦 Share on social media with your experience
- � Write about it in blogs, newsletters, forums
- 💬 Tell colleagues about the productivity gains
- 🎤 Present at meetups or conferences
- 🤝 Contribute code or documentation
Every developer who discovers Context Sync makes the AI development ecosystem a little more open and powerful.
Built by developers, for developers. Join the movement.
⭐ Star on GitHub • 📖 Documentation • 💬 Discussions • 🐛 Issues