CodeCortex 0.7.0

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What CodeCortex does

CodeCortex runs on your computer and plugs into Claude through MCP. When Claude works on your code, it asks CodeCortex instead of reading every file: where things are, who calls what, what a change would break, which tests to run. Answers come from a map of your project, findings are remembered locally, and everything is recorded in a dashboard at http://127.0.0.1:7331. Nothing leaves your machine.

Where it saves tokens

Situation	Saves tokens?
Claude works on code saved on your computer	Yes Targeted answers instead of whole files. First test: 3 answers ≈ 14,500 tokens versus ≈ 154,000 to read the same files.
Any other code folder on your laptop	Yes Name the folder in your question.
Code pasted into the chat	No It is already in the conversation.
Research, emails, documents	No Claude does not call a code tool there; switch the extension off when not coding.

CodeCortex helps Claude; it does not control it. Claude decides when to call it, so savings come from Claude choosing CodeCortex's short answers over reading whole files.

Install

Set up CodeCortex

Download from github.com/aipeople11/codecortex/releases/tag/v0.7.0, then follow the steps for your AI tool.

Download codecortex-0.7.0-windows-x64.mcpb (Windows) or codecortex-0.7.0-macos-arm64.mcpb (Apple Silicon Mac).
In Claude open Settings → Extensions and drag the .mcpb onto that page, then click Install. Double-clicking the file in Windows does not open Claude; if Windows asks which app to use, close that box.
If Install stays grey (a known Claude Desktop bug in some builds): download codecortex-0.7.0-windows-x64.zip, extract it, then Settings → Extensions → Advanced settings → Install unpacked extension and pick the folder with manifest.json directly inside.
Click Configure on CodeCortex, add your project folder(s) (up to 16, not inside each other) and Save. Set Read-only tools to Always allow; leave tools that edit files on Needs approval.
Fully quit Claude (right-click its icon near the clock → Quit) and reopen it.
New chat: Show CodeCortex status. Then open the dashboard address it gives and start with Get started.

Windows security warning. The download is not code-signed yet. Choose More info → Run anyway, or ask IT to allow it.

Make Claude prefer it. Add to Claude's preferences: "For questions about my code, use CodeCortex tools before reading files directly."

Test

Five-minute first test

Type these in a new Claude chat (replace the parts in angle brackets), then check the dashboard with Ctrl+F5.

Show CodeCortex status

Use CodeCortex to find where login is handled in <project>.

Save to CodeCortex memory that login is handled in <file>.

Add a CodeCortex action: write a test for login.

Before you change <function>, show me what else would be affected.

Full checklist

#	Do	Expect
1	Show CodeCortex status	Folders and dashboard address listed
2	Ask a "find where…" question	Tokens & cost → CodeCortex answers +1; File reads avoided > 0
3	Ask the identical question again	Repeats not resent increases
4	Save something to CodeCortex memory	Memories shows it; Get started counts it
5	New chat, ask about that topic	Claude's answer includes the saved fact
6	Add a CodeCortex action	Actions shows it
7	3–4 questions on one project	Profile → Top files and Top concepts filled
8	Open Graph, Sessions, Timeline, Activity	Your runs appear
9	Open Health	Status cards and wiring visible
10	(Claude Code) finish one prompt	Token usage by prompt gets a row with cost
11	(Several folders) switch the Project menu	Pages filter per project; All projects shows everything

Dashboard pages

Every page, what it shows and how to test it

Open http://127.0.0.1:7331. The Project menu at the top filters most pages (choose All projects with several folders). Number labels say where data comes from: OBSERVED HOST-REPORTED DERIVED / ESTIMATE.

Memory · Tokens · Projects

How the main features work

Project memory

Claude saves findings with "Save to CodeCortex memory…". They go to .codecortex/memory.jsonl in the project folder (first folder with several), are recalled automatically in later chats, and show on Memories, Lessons and Actions. Types: fact, architecture, pattern, preference, bug, workflow, lesson, action. An external service is optional (CODECORTEX_MEMORY_URL).

Tokens and cost

Claude Code: exact per-prompt input, output and cache tokens, cost at list price. Claude Desktop: only CodeCortex's own share (Desktop shares no usage with extensions). Own rates: copy pricing.json and set CODECORTEX_PRICING_FILE.

Token savers

Identical repeated answers are not resent; search answers default to 3,000 tokens (Claude can ask for more; change with CODECORTEX_DEFAULT_BUDGET_TOKENS); waste alerts flag re-reads, repeated searches and retry loops.

Several projects

Add up to 16 folders in Configure (not nested). CodeCortex combines them so search and call-following work across all. The dashboard shows "workspace: N projects" and an All projects menu. Quality-delta / prove-change run one project at a time.

Prompts that use these features

What does CodeCortex remember about authentication?

Save a CodeCortex lesson: the retry loop must not call the API twice.

Use CodeCortex across all my projects to find where orders are created.

Troubleshooting

Something looks wrong

Click a symptom to see the fix.

Windows asks which app should open the .mcpb

Close that box. Drag the file onto Claude → Settings → Extensions instead.

The Install button stays grey

A Claude Desktop bug in some builds. Download the Windows zip, extract it, and use Settings → Extensions → Advanced settings → Install unpacked extension.

"No manifest.json found in extension folder"

Pick the folder that has manifest.json directly inside; Windows sometimes creates a folder inside a folder when extracting.

Claude says it has no CodeCortex tool

Fully quit Claude (tray icon → Quit), reopen it and start a new chat.

The dashboard is frozen or shows an old session

Quit Claude, end any codecortex.exe in Task Manager, reopen Claude and ask "Show CodeCortex status" for the current dashboard address (it moves to 7332, 7333… if an older copy still holds 7331).

A dashboard page is empty

Press Ctrl+F5. With several folders choose All projects. Most pages fill as Claude uses CodeCortex; the Dashboard pages tab says what fills each one.

Tokens say "Not reported by host"

Expected in Claude Desktop. For exact per-prompt numbers use Claude Code and run codecortex install --host claude once.

Claude uses the wrong project

Settings → Extensions → CodeCortex → Configure → change the folders → Save, then fully quit and reopen Claude.

Limits

It helps Claude; it cannot stop Claude reading files directly or reduce non-code chats.
Claude Desktop shares no conversation token usage with extensions.
Costs are list-price estimates; your bill depends on your plan.
Downloads are not code-signed yet.

What's new

Changes in 0.7.0

Area	Change
Install	Windows build and download; Claude Desktop extension (.mcpb) for Windows and Mac; the Windows zip also works as an unpacked extension.
Tokens	Per-prompt tokens and cost (Claude Code); CodeCortex's share and savings; repeat guard; smaller default answers; waste alerts.
Projects	Up to 16 folders in one workspace; All projects menu; dashboard moves to the next free port if an older one is running.
Memory	Built-in project memory: Memories, Lessons and Actions work with no extra service; lessons learned automatically from retries.
Dashboard	Get started and Tokens & cost pages; Profile per project with top files and concepts; Health page fixed; retry chains in Graph.
Fixes	Dashboard files ship in every download; callers/callees lists disclose when cut short; Windows and Mac build fixes.

For maintainers

Source and releases: github.com/aipeople11/codecortex. This guide lives in docs/index.html.
Dashboard-only changes (HTML/JS/CSS/pricing.json): copy into the installed extension's share/codecortex/ui folder and press Ctrl+F5 — no build.
Program changes (C++): GitHub → Actions → Release → Run workflow → v0.7.0, then reinstall the extension from the new zip.