Classic Shell
Fences
Start Menu X
Start Menu Reviver
Open Shell
StartAllBack
Power8
StartIsBack
ContextForge.dev
Agentmemory
OpenMemory MCP
ContextForge is persistent, searchable memory for AI coding agents โ built on the Model Context Protocol (MCP).
Your AI assistant forgets everything when the session ends. ContextForge fixes that: save architectural decisions, naming conventions, and debugging context once, and any MCP client recalls it later with semantic search โ across sessions and across projects.
Works with: Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, and Windsurf.
Classic Shell ContextForge.devClassic Shell is recommended for users who miss the classic Windows Start menu and layout, those who find the new Windows designs less intuitive, and individuals who want more control over their interface customization. It's particularly suitable for people transitioning from older Windows versions to newer ones who wish to maintain a certain level of familiarity.
ContextForge.dev's answer:
ContextForge is memory that lives at the MCP layer, so it works across every AI coding agent at once โ Claude Code, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, and Windsurf โ not just one. Save a decision once and any client recalls it later with semantic search. It goes beyond a note store: automatic git sync turns your commits and PRs into searchable knowledge, plus task tracking, snapshots, and team sharing โ all through a single MCP server you add with one command.
ContextForge.dev's answer:
Most memory tools are tied to a single agent or are just a key-value store. ContextForge is MCP-native, so it's portable across all your AI tools; it adds git sync so your codebase history becomes searchable context automatically; and it includes team features (shared spaces, collaborators) that solo-memory tools lack. Setup is one command, there's a genuine free-forever tier with no credit card, and paid plans start at just $9/month.
ContextForge.dev's answer:
Software developers and engineering teams who use AI coding assistants โ Claude Code, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, Windsurf โ and are tired of re-explaining their project, architecture, and conventions every session. It fits solo developers working across multiple projects as well as small teams that need shared, persistent context.
ContextForge.dev's answer:
ContextForge was born from a simple frustration: AI coding agents forget everything the moment a session ends. Every new conversation meant re-explaining the same architecture, naming conventions, and past decisions. ContextForge was built to give AI agents a permanent, searchable memory through the Model Context Protocol โ so knowledge is captured once and reused forever, across sessions and projects. It even dogfoods its own memory to help build itself.
ContextForge.dev's answer:
Next.js 16 (App Router), React and Tailwind CSS for the dashboard, hosted on Vercel. Supabase (PostgreSQL) with pgvector powers the semantic vector search, and Deno edge functions serve the API. Embeddings use OpenAI text-embedding-3-small. The MCP client is a Node.js package (contextforge-mcp) on npm, implementing the Model Context Protocol.
Based on our record, Classic Shell seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 18 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.
There's a great add-on called... ClassicShell http://classicshell.net/. - Source: Hacker News / almost 3 years ago
Windows Classic Shell is what I have used for over a decade. It brings back the old start menu and can be customized. Source: over 3 years ago
ClassicShell is no longer being developed. OpenShell succeeded it. (c.f., http://classicshell.net/). Source: over 3 years ago
Http://classicshell.net/This lets you pick UI goodness you want. Source: almost 4 years ago
Other, non-rainmeter options that I'm aware of include TranslucentTB and Classic Shell (note: Open Shell is the newer version, but I'm unsure if it has the same features). Source: over 4 years ago
Fences - Keep your desktop organized with Fences. This is a simple software program that allows you to sort the tabs on your desktop and create files that are easily recognizable to you.
Agentmemory - Persistent memory for Claude Code, Codex & coding agents
Start Menu X - Start Menu X with Start Button. Power users know how inconvenient and time-consuming it is to launch programs from the system menu.
OpenMemory MCP - Your private, local memory layer for all AI tools
Start Menu Reviver - Free Download! Recover and update your computer with Driver Reviver and Registry Reviver. Easily update software, unlock new functionality and remove hardware device errors and clean, repair and optimize your registry in a few simple mouse clicks!
Open Shell - Open Shell is a fork of the Classic Shell project for Windows that getting back the classic start...