Context Engine
so I built them a headless IDE
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What is Context Engine?
Context Engine is an MCP-based code intelligence layer for AI coding agents that integrates language server protocol (LSP) capabilities to provide real-time access to resolved types, symbol references, and dependency APIs from your actual source code and lockfiles. It reduces token usage by giving agents precise information instead of guessing based on training data, and runs entirely locally without sending code anywhere.
Context Engine pricing
Pricing model: Freemium
Context Engine pros
- Agents see real, version-specific code intelligence instead of training-data guesses (e.g., knows pandas 2.2 APIs, not 1.5)
- Token-efficient: agents pay only for code they actually need; the 'attention economy' lets thinking use saved tokens
- Runs entirely on-machine with no external API calls or code transmission
- Works with multiple agents (Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, Antigravity) and languages (Python, TypeScript, Rust, Go, Markdown)
- Eight specialized tools (outline, extract, jump, grep_definitions, show_usage, line_context, hover, smart_read) designed for agent reasoning, not human screens
Context Engine cons
- Requires LSP server availability for each language
- Requires configuration via ~/.context-engine/config.toml
- No explicit pricing information provided (appears free, but unclear if there are paid tiers)
Frequently asked questions about Context Engine
What agents does Context Engine work with?
Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, Antigravity, and any MCP-compatible agent.
Which languages are supported?
Python, TypeScript/JavaScript, Rust, Go, and Markdown. Any language with an LSP server can be configured.
Does Context Engine send my code to external servers?
No. It runs entirely on your machine and never sends code anywhere — this is architecture, not just policy.
How does Context Engine reduce token usage?
It exposes only the specific information agents need (signatures, type info, references) instead of full files, leaving more tokens for thinking.