QuietContext

The problem it solves

A long test log or repeated file dump can crowd useful instructions out of an agent’s conversation. QuietContext stores large raw material outside that conversation and returns compact answers or references the agent can query again. Separate project roots keep their search stores apart.

Ways to use it

• Read a failed test without flooding the chat

  Run your project’s real test command through qc run. The child exit code is preserved, while verbose output is compacted and omitted text can be retrieved from retained evidence or search.

• Find a symbol before reading entire files

  Use qc repo map for orientation, then qc repo symbol MyType or qc repo references MyType. Replace MyType with the symbol in your project to locate the relevant code first.

• Reuse a document instead of pasting it again

  Index a README or a small documentation folder once, then search for a specific setup term. Keep the project identity consistent so later queries reach the same store.

Before you start

• Node.js 22.5 or newer and npm; the documented native archive supports Linux x64 and Windows x64.
• The release archive and its published SHA256SUMS file. A plain Git clone does not contain the staged native qc executable.
• An MCP-capable client only if you want agent integration; the local qc CLI can be used separately.

Install and set up

1. Download and verify the release candidate

   From the linked README’s release page, download quietcontext-1.1.0-rc.3.tgz and SHA256SUMS into one directory. On Linux run the checksum check below; on Windows compare Get-FileHash with the published value.

   sha256sum -c SHA256SUMS

2. Install the verified archive

   Run from the download directory. This installs the packaged CLI, not the unrelated upstream context-mode package. Review the RC and platform limits first.

   npm install -g ./quietcontext-1.1.0-rc.3.tgz
   qc --version
   qc status

3. Optionally connect your agent

   For stdio MCP, configure the client to launch quietcontext, not qc. Use an absolute executable path if the client cannot resolve it. Preserve existing servers and verify that the seven tools are discovered in a new session.

   [mcp_servers.quietcontext]
   command = "quietcontext"

Use it in your project

1. Inspect a repository

   Run from your project root. The map is an overview; follow it with a symbol/reference query when you need a precise location.

   qc repo map
   qc run -- git status --short

2. Index one non-sensitive document

   Start with your project README. The source label helps you find it again; choose a file you are authorized to process.

   qc index README.md --source project-readme

3. Search for a phrase you know is there

   Replace installation with a word in that README. No matches is a valid search result. Use the same project directory or an explicit --project path for indexing and searching.

   qc search installation --source project-readme --full

What to know first

The documented package is a release candidate. Elastic License 2.0, not MIT. Commands still run with the local user’s permissions; compact output is not a security sandbox or a guarantee of token savings.