Memory (Reference) vs backpack-ontology
Memory (Reference) is an MCP server published by modelcontextprotocol. Marketplaces we read that list it: 1 (Docker MCP Catalog). backpack-ontology is a plugin bundle for AI coding tools published by NoahIrzinger. Marketplaces we read that list it: 1 (Claude Code: claude-plugins-community). As of our marketplace pass on 2026-10-13. This pair was picked by a reader, not by our comparison rule, so search engines are asked not to index the page.
Where each is published
| Marketplace |  Memory (Reference) |  backpack-ontology |
|---|---|---|
| Docker MCP Catalog | Listed Version: sha256:db0c2db07a44 Forks (GitHub): 11 780 Pulls (Docker Hub): 554 486 Stars (Docker Hub): 26 Stars (GitHub): 91 180 Not marked · First seen |
Not listed |
| Claude Code: claude-plugins-community | Not listed | Listed Version: 0.7.1 Forks (GitHub): 0 Stars (GitHub): 0 Not marked · First seen |
Each figure is the marketplace's own and is never added up across marketplaces. A marketplace that publishes no figure shows none: no number is not zero.
The facts side by side
| Fact | Memory (Reference) | backpack-ontology |
|---|---|---|
| Marketplaces that list it | 1 | 1 |
| Stars (GitHub) (differs) | 91 180 (better) | 0 (worse) |
| Pulls (Docker Hub) (differs) | 554 486 | No figure on Docker Hub |
| Forks (GitHub) (differs) | 11 780 (better) | 0 (worse) |
| Last release | Not published | Not published |
| Where it runs (differs) | On your machine (mcp/memory) | On your machine (backpack-ontology) |
| Transport (differs) | stdio | Not stated |
| Tools it declares (differs) | 9 | Not published |
| Environment variables it asks for | Not published | Not published |
| Parts of the bundle (differs) | Not a bundle | 6 |
| Licence (differs) | NOASSERTION | Apache-2.0 |
| Repository (differs) | github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers | github.com/noahirzinger/backpack-ontology-plugin |
| Changes in the last 7 days | 0 | 0 |
| First seen | 2026-10-11 | 2026-10-11 |
Lines where the two differ have a tinted background and bold values. Where the data itself says which value is better (more marketplaces, a larger figure of the same marketplace, a fresher release, a verified mark on a marketplace that lists both), the better one is also marked green with ▲ and the worse one red with ▼. Where it runs, the transport, the tools, the settings, hooks, the bundle's parts, the licence and the week's changes are marked only as different: more or fewer is not better in itself.
What each says it does
Memory (Reference)
Knowledge graph-based persistent memory system.
backpack-ontology
A persistent knowledge graph engine for Claude Code. Gives your AI agent structured, searchable memory that persists across sessions — stored as typed graphs with nodes and edges. Features progressive discovery so the context window stays clean: Claude browses layer by layer, only pulling in what it needs. Supports freeform schemas, full-text search, graph traversal, and bulk operations. Data is stored as human-readable JSON following the XDG specification.
How to run each
Memory (Reference) As a local MCP server: Docker image
claude mcp add --transport stdio memory -- docker run -i --rm mcp/memorybackpack-ontology As a Claude Code plugin
/plugin marketplace add anthropics/claude-plugins-community
/plugin install backpack-ontology@claude-communityCommands built only from what the marketplaces declare; the full set for every client is on each card.
Tools each declares
The marketplaces of backpack-ontology publish no list of tools, so we do not compare tools.
Settings each asks for
Neither one's marketplaces publish the settings it asks for.
What it can do: Memory (Reference) · What it can do: backpack-ontology · Compare two other plugins
Data comes from the Docker MCP Catalog (desktop.docker.com/mcp/catalog) and Docker Hub. Data comes from the public marketplace file https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/HEAD/.claude-plugin/marketplace.json. Figures come from our own regular passes over the marketplaces, last read on . We publish no contact details for plugin publishers.