ratel

by ratel-ai · Memory & Knowledge · ★ 521

ratel is an MCP server by ratel-ai. Context engineering for AI agents. ~80% fewer tokens. Fix tool overload. Skills and memory with in-process BM25 and semantic retrieval. Progressive Disclosure. No vector DB. It has 521 GitHub stars and ranks #136 of 1287 in Memory & Knowledge by stars.

Category: Memory & Knowledge
Author: ratel-ai
GitHub stars: 521
This week: Tracking since 18 Oct 2026
Language: Rust
License: MIT (open source)
Last update: 2026-10-23 (yesterday)
Links: Source Website npm

accuracy
agents
claude-skills
context
harness
llm
llm-routing
mcp
mcp-server
memory
optimization
rag
+4 more

How to install ratel

ratel is published on npm as @ratel-ai/sdk-win32-x64-msvc. These steps assume it runs as a local stdio server, which is the usual setup.

Check the README. Confirm the start command and note any API keys or environment variables it needs (pass them with -e KEY=value or an env block). You need Node.js for npx.

Add it to Claude Code from a terminal:

claude mcp add ratel -- npx -y @ratel-ai/sdk-win32-x64-msvc

Or add it to Cursor or Claude Desktop in .cursor/mcp.json or claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ratel": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@ratel-ai/sdk-win32-x64-msvc"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Restart the client and check it. Run claude mcp list, or open the client's MCP settings, and confirm ratel and its tools are listed. The install guide covers VS Code and Codex.

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Frequently asked questions

What is ratel?

ratel is an MCP server by ratel-ai in the Memory & Knowledge category. Context engineering for AI agents. ~80% fewer tokens. Fix tool overload. Skills and memory with in-process BM25 and semantic retrieval. Progressive Disclosure. No vector DB. It has 521 GitHub stars and ranks #136 of 1287 in Memory & Knowledge by stars.

Is ratel free and open source?

Yes. ratel is published under the MIT license, so you can run, modify and self-host it at no cost. If it connects to a paid service, that service's own pricing and API terms still apply. Check the repository for the exact license text before using it commercially.

What are the alternatives to ratel?

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