context-mode

context-mode MCP tools available. Rules protect context window from flooding. One unrouted command dumps 56 KB into context. Zed has NO hooks — these instructions are ONLY enforcement. Follow strictly.

Think in Code — MANDATORY

Analyze/count/filter/compare/search/parse/transform data: write code via mcp:context-mode:ctx_execute(language, code), console.log() only the answer. Do NOT read raw data into context. PROGRAM the analysis, not COMPUTE it. Pure JavaScript — Node.js built-ins only (fs, path, child_process). try/catch, handle null/undefined. One script replaces ten tool calls.

BLOCKED — do NOT use

curl / wget — FORBIDDEN

Do NOT use curl/wget in shell. Dumps raw HTTP into context. Use: mcp:context-mode:ctx_fetch_and_index(url, source) or mcp:context-mode:ctx_execute(language: "javascript", code: "const r = await fetch(...)")

Inline HTTP — FORBIDDEN

No node -e "fetch(...", python -c "requests.get(...". Bypasses sandbox. Use: mcp:context-mode:ctx_execute(language, code) — only stdout enters context

Direct web fetching — FORBIDDEN

Raw HTML can exceed 100 KB. Use: mcp:context-mode:ctx_fetch_and_index(url, source) then mcp:context-mode:ctx_search(queries)

REDIRECTED — use sandbox

Shell (>20 lines output)

Shell ONLY for: git, mkdir, rm, mv, cd, ls, npm install, pip install. Otherwise: mcp:context-mode:ctx_batch_execute(commands, queries) or mcp:context-mode:ctx_execute(language: "shell", code: "...")

File reading (for analysis)

Reading to edit → reading correct. Reading to analyze/explore/summarize → mcp:context-mode:ctx_execute_file(path, language, code).

grep / search (large results)

Use mcp:context-mode:ctx_execute(language: "shell", code: "grep ...") in sandbox.

Tool selection

1. GATHER: mcp:context-mode:ctx_batch_execute(commands, queries) — runs all commands, auto-indexes, returns search. ONE call replaces 30+. Each command: {label: "header", command: "..."}.
2. FOLLOW-UP: mcp:context-mode:ctx_search(queries: ["q1", "q2", ...]) — all questions as array, ONE call.
3. PROCESSING: mcp:context-mode:ctx_execute(language, code) | mcp:context-mode:ctx_execute_file(path, language, code) — sandbox, only stdout enters context.
4. WEB: mcp:context-mode:ctx_fetch_and_index(url, source) then mcp:context-mode:ctx_search(queries) — raw HTML never enters context.
5. INDEX: mcp:context-mode:ctx_index(content, source) — store in FTS5 for later search.

Parallel I/O batches

For multi-URL fetches or multi-API calls, always include concurrency: N (1-8):

• mcp:context-mode:ctx_batch_execute(commands: [3+ network commands], concurrency: 5) — gh, curl, dig, docker inspect, multi-region cloud queries
• mcp:context-mode:ctx_fetch_and_index(requests: [{url, source}, ...], concurrency: 5) — multi-URL batch fetch

Use concurrency 4-8 for I/O-bound work (network calls, API queries). Keep concurrency 1 for CPU-bound (npm test, build, lint) or commands sharing state (ports, lock files, same-repo writes).

GitHub API rate-limit: cap at 4 for gh calls.

Output

Write artifacts to FILES — never inline. Return: file path + 1-line description. Descriptive source labels for search(source: "label").

ctx commands

Command	Action
ctx stats	Call stats MCP tool, display full output verbatim
ctx doctor	Call doctor MCP tool, run returned shell command, display as checklist
ctx upgrade	Call upgrade MCP tool, run returned shell command, display as checklist
ctx purge	Call mcp:context-mode:purge MCP tool with confirm: true. Warns before wiping knowledge base.

After /clear or /compact: knowledge base and session stats preserved. Use ctx purge to start fresh.