Install Context Mode Engine in your agent

Context Mode Engine is a free plugin for your coding agent. Install it with the agent's own install command, restart the agent, then run one check. Every command on this page comes from the plugin's own install guide.

Free · Local · Private · Forever

Context Mode Engine is source-available under the Elastic License 2.0. Free to use, for all time. It runs on your machine and keeps your data in ~/.context-mode.

Every agent installs in its own way

Claude Code uses a plugin marketplace. Gemini CLI uses extensions. Pi installs from npm. When each tool asks for a different config file, setup takes longer than the work.

Context Mode Engine uses the command your agent already knows. You type what you type for any other plugin in that agent. The Engine then brings its tools, hooks and skills with it.

Before you start

Check your Node version first. The Engine needs Node 24.15.0 or later, because it uses the built-in node:sqlite:

node -v

• On Windows: Git for Windows. The shell tools run in Git Bash.
• One of the ten agents on this page.

Step 1: pick your agent and run its command

Pick your agent below. Each tab shows that agent's own install command first, then the next step and the check. The agents fall in three groups: agents with a plugin store, agents that load the Engine as a plugin inside the agent (Pi and OpenCode load it as a plugin in their own process, and the plugin brings the tools), and agents that install from npm, then run setup.

claude plugin marketplace add mksglu/context-mode
claude plugin install context-mode@context-mode

/ctx-doctor

claude plugin update context-mode@context-mode

context-mode setup --remove --agents claude-code

codex plugin marketplace add mksglu/context-mode
codex plugin add context-mode@context-mode

npm i -g context-mode
context-mode setup --agents codex

/ctx-doctor

codex plugin marketplace upgrade context-mode

context-mode setup --remove --agents codex

gemini extensions install https://github.com/mksglu/context-mode

/ctx-doctor

gemini extensions update context-mode

context-mode setup --remove --agents gemini
gemini extensions uninstall context-mode

qwen extensions install https://github.com/mksglu/context-mode:context-mode

/ctx-doctor

qwen extensions update context-mode

context-mode setup --remove --agents qwen
qwen extensions uninstall context-mode

pi install npm:context-mode

pi list

pi update --extensions

pi remove npm:context-mode

opencode plugin add context-mode

opencode plugin context-mode --global

/ctx-doctor

opencode plugin update

opencode plugin remove context-mode
context-mode setup --remove --agents opencode

npm i -g context-mode
context-mode setup --agents copilot-cli

/ctx-doctor

context-mode upgrade

context-mode setup --remove --agents copilot-cli

npm i -g context-mode
context-mode setup --agents kiro

/ctx-doctor

context-mode upgrade

context-mode setup --remove --agents kiro

npm i -g context-mode
context-mode setup --agents vscode

/ctx-doctor

context-mode upgrade

context-mode setup --remove --agents vscode

npm i -g context-mode
context-mode setup --agents zcode

/ctx-doctor

context-mode upgrade

context-mode setup --remove --agents zcode

Source for every command and status line: the plugin's install guide.

Codex: trust the hooks

Codex runs a hook after you trust it. The context-mode command from npm marks the hooks trusted. Install it, then run setup once:

npm i -g context-mode
context-mode setup --agents codex

Already installed from GitHub?

Did you add the plugin straight from GitHub before 2.0 was on main? Add it again from main. Find your agent below.

Claude Code

Did you add mksglu/context-mode before 2.0 was on main? claude plugin marketplace remove removes a configured marketplace and its plugins. Then add the marketplace again from main:

claude plugin marketplace remove context-mode
claude plugin marketplace add mksglu/context-mode
claude plugin install context-mode@context-mode

claude plugin list must show 2.0.0 or later.

Codex

Did you add mksglu/context-mode before 2.0 was on main? codex plugin remove uninstalls a plugin and removes its local cache; codex plugin marketplace remove removes a configured marketplace source by name. Then add it again from main:

codex plugin remove context-mode@context-mode
codex plugin marketplace remove context-mode
codex plugin marketplace add mksglu/context-mode
codex plugin add context-mode@context-mode

codex plugin list must show 2.0.0 or later.

Gemini CLI

Did you install before 2.0 was on main? gemini extensions uninstall uninstalls one or more extensions. Then install again from main:

gemini extensions uninstall context-mode
gemini extensions install https://github.com/mksglu/context-mode

gemini extensions list must show 2.0.0 or later.

Qwen Code

Did you install before 2.0 was on main? qwen extensions uninstall uninstalls an extension. Then install again from main:

qwen extensions uninstall context-mode
qwen extensions install https://github.com/mksglu/context-mode:context-mode

qwen extensions list must show 2.0.0 or later.

Step 2: restart the agent

Close your agent and open it again. The agent loads the Engine's tools, hooks and skills when it starts. Restart it again after each update.

Step 3: check the install

Inside the agent, run the doctor skill:

/ctx-doctor

Doctor checks Node, the tools, the hooks and the skills for each agent. Each check shows PASS when it is ready. If a check asks for a fix, doctor prints the command to run.

Pi has its own check. It lists the Engine package when the install worked:

pi list

What you get

Your agent now sends large tool output to a local sandbox and index, and reads a short reply. The hooks stay light. In the 2026-10-31 run, a hook added 7.3 ms to 14.6 ms per tool call, by agent. That is the median of 5 hook runs, minus the median of 5 bare node starts (raw results).

Next, run your first session and see the bytes the Engine keeps out of your context.

Context Mode Gateway is optional and hosted. The Engine works on its own. How the two fit

Prompts to give your agent

Paste one into your agent. Each prompt shows in full.

Install Context Mode Engine for this agent. Use the agent's own install command from https://github.com/mksglu/context-mode/blob/16a4bcc5170528db5bcf9924ceaac05e28db8588/docs/install/README.md, then run `context-mode doctor` and show me the result.

Run `context-mode doctor` and tell me which checks show PASS. For each other check, run the command it prints.