Cortex
Cortex is a VS Code extension that automatically captures project context from your AI coding sessions and injects it into future sessions, eliminating the need to re-explain your codebase. It works with Claude Code, Cursor, Cline, Copilot, and any MCP client, and is designed for developers who use AI assistants and want to save time and maintain continuity.
✨ Key features
- Real-time memory capture with automatic extraction
- 3-layer memory architecture (working, episodic, semantic)
- Auto-generated decision logs (ADR format)
- VSCode sidebar with memory health dashboard
- CLAUDE.md auto-injection for context
- CLI tool and MCP server for search and integration
🎯 Use cases
- Automatically remember project architecture and decisions across AI sessions
- Avoid re-explaining codebase context to AI assistants
- Track bug patterns and open problems for future reference
- Share project memory with team via git
- Search past sessions and decisions with CLI or MCP
📦 Installation
🧰 Requirements: VS Code extension, optional free Gemini API key for smarter extraction, works without key using local pattern matching.
Search "Cortex Memory" in VS Code Extensions, or run:
ext install cortex-dev.cortex-memory
Optionally, add a free API key: get a Gemini key at aistudio.google.com/apikey, then run Ctrl+Shift+P → Cortex: Set API Key and paste the key.
🚀 Usage
After installation, start coding with your AI assistant. Cortex runs silently in the background. To check status, run:
cortex status
To search memories:
cortex query "auth flow"
To export memories:
cortex export
⚠️ Good to know
Vector embeddings and team sync are planned for v0.2; currently only basic extraction works without an API key.
❓ FAQ
Does Cortex slow down my editor?
No. The bundle is under 200KB and all processing happens in the background.
Does it work without an API key?
Yes. Basic extraction works out of the box. An API key enables deeper LLM-powered extraction.
How much does Gemini cost?
It's free. The free tier allows 500 requests per day, which is more than enough.
Can my team share memories?
Team sync via git is planned for v0.2. You can commit the .cortex/ directory to share memories now.
📊 Repository
🤖 Overview, features, install steps and FAQ were generated from the project's README on Sep 4, 2026. Always check the original source before running commands.