sverklo
v0.28.3
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Sverklo vs Cursor @Codebase

Cursor's built-in @codebase indexing gives you seamless code search inside the IDE. Sverklo is an MCP server that adds symbol-level dependency graphs, blast-radius analysis, and diff-aware PR review to any AI coding client. They complement each other. This page explains what each does best and where they differ.

Feature comparison

Sverklo Cursor @Codebase
Type MCP server (works with any client) Built-in IDE feature (Cursor only)
License / Price MIT Free for all use $20/mo Cursor Pro required
Client support Claude Code, Windsurf, Zed, Cursor, any MCP client Cursor only
Indexing approach Tree-sitter AST parsing + symbol graph + embeddings Embedding-based semantic indexing
Dependency graph Symbol-level with PageRank scoring Not available
Blast-radius analysis Shows what breaks when you change a function Not available
PR review Risk-scored diffs with CI gate (--fail-on) Not available
Memory system Bi-temporal, git-pinned (memories tied to SHA) Not available
PR history search Not available Search across PR history and conversations
Team sharing Local-first, no cloud sync Shared team index and context
Setup npm install + init Zero setup (automatic in Cursor)
Privacy 100% local, no telemetry, no API keys Indexes sent to Cursor's cloud
Open source Yes (MIT) No (proprietary)

When to use each

Choose Sverklo when

  • You use Claude Code, Windsurf, Zed, or multiple AI coding tools
  • You need to understand how a change propagates through your codebase
  • Your CI pipeline needs automated PR review with quality gates
  • You want memory that persists across sessions and tracks git state
  • You work on open-source or commercial projects (MIT licensed, free)
  • Your code must stay local with zero cloud dependency

Choose Cursor @Codebase when

  • Cursor is your primary editor and you want zero-setup indexing
  • You need to search PR history and past conversations
  • Your team shares a Cursor workspace and needs shared context
  • Seamless UX matters more than structural code analysis
  • You already pay for Cursor Pro

Better together

Sverklo and Cursor's @codebase are not mutually exclusive. Use Cursor for fast in-IDE search and conversational context, and add Sverklo as an MCP server for the structural analysis Cursor does not provide: dependency graphs, blast-radius queries, diff-aware review with risk scoring, and persistent git-pinned memory.

If you work across multiple editors or AI coding tools, Sverklo gives you one code intelligence layer that follows you everywhere rather than locking your context into a single IDE. It is MIT licensed and free, so there is no cost to adding it alongside Cursor Pro.

Try Sverklo

MIT licensed. One command. Works with every MCP client.

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