virtual-workspace vs Grain SQL
virtual-workspace is a plugin bundle for AI coding tools published by Filipe Alvarenga. Marketplaces we read that list it: 1 (Community GitHub marketplaces). Grain SQL is an MCP server published by pattrnlabs. Marketplaces we read that list it: 2 (Official MCP Registry, npm registry (MCP servers)). As of our marketplace pass on 2026-10-21. 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 |   Grain SQL | |
|---|---|---|
| Community marketplace filipealva/virtual-workspace | Listed Version: 0.3.3 Forks (GitHub): 0 Stars (GitHub): 14 Not marked · First seen |
Not listed |
| Official MCP Registry | Not listed | Listed Version: 0.10.35 Downloads/month (npm): 5 377 Downloads/week (npm): 506 Forks (GitHub): 1 Stars (GitHub): 3 Not marked · First seen |
| npm registry (MCP servers) | Not listed | Listed Version: 0.10.35 Downloads/month (npm): 5 377 Downloads/week (npm): 506 Forks (GitHub): 1 Stars (GitHub): 3 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 | virtual-workspace | Grain SQL |
|---|---|---|
| Marketplaces that list it (differs) | 1 (worse) | 2 (better) |
| Stars (GitHub) (differs) | 14 (better) | 3 (worse) |
| Forks (GitHub) (differs) | 0 (worse) | 1 (better) |
| Last release (differs) | Not published | 2026-10-20 |
| Where it runs (differs) | Installs as a plugin bundle | On your machine (grain-tools) |
| Transport (differs) | Not stated | stdio |
| Tools it declares | Not published | Not published |
| Environment variables it asks for (differs) | Not published | 3, secrets among them: 1 |
| Parts of the bundle (differs) | 1 | Not a bundle |
| Licence (differs) | MIT | Not stated |
| Repository (differs) | github.com/filipealva/virtual-workspace | github.com/pattrnlabs/grain |
| Changes in the last 7 days (differs) | 2 | 6 |
| First seen (differs) | 2026-10-18 | 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
virtual-workspace
Create virtual workspaces that unify AI coding assistant configs (agents, commands, skills, hooks) across multiple sibling git repos. Works with Claude Code and Codex. Supports worktrees for synchronized multi-repo feature development.
Grain SQL
Run SQL queries and inspect database schemas through safe, visible MCP tools.
How to run each
virtual-workspace As a Claude Code plugin
/plugin marketplace add filipealva/virtual-workspace
/plugin install virtual-workspace@filipealvaGrain SQL As a local MCP server: npm package
claude mcp add --env "GRAIN_CONNECTIONS=<YOUR_GRAIN_CONNECTIONS>" --transport stdio grain -- npx -y grain-toolsRequires: GRAIN_CONNECTIONS (secret)
Commands built only from what the marketplaces declare; the full set for every client is on each card.
Tools each declares
Neither one's marketplaces publish a list of tools, so there is nothing to compare.
Settings each asks for
The marketplaces of virtual-workspace publish no settings it asks for, so we do not compare settings.
What it can do: virtual-workspace · What it can do: Grain SQL · Compare two other plugins
Data comes from public marketplace files in GitHub repositories of their authors. Data comes from the Official MCP Registry (registry.modelcontextprotocol.io), CC0 1.0. Package data comes from the public npm registry (registry.npmjs.org). Figures come from our own regular passes over the marketplaces, last read on . We publish no contact details for plugin publishers.