Configuring MCP Server with VS Code

Overview

Visual Studio Code provides support for Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers through GitHub Copilot's MCP integration. This article shows you how to connect your Cequence AI Gateway MCP server to VS Code.

Copilot Required

VS Code MCP support requires GitHub Copilot. Ensure you have Copilot enabled in your VS Code installation.

Configuration Methods

VS Code supports two configuration scopes:

• Workspace: Configuration stored in .vscode/mcp.json (project-specific)
• Global: Configuration stored in user settings (available across all projects)

Method 1: Quick Setup with NPX (Recommended)

The fastest way to configure your MCP server:

npx @cequenceai/mcp-cli@latest vscode --url "your-mcp-server-url" --name "your-server-name"

Options

Flag	Description	Required
-u, --url	Cequence MCP server URL	Yes
-n, --name	Server name (default: "cequence-mcp")	No
-g, --global	Configure globally instead of workspace	No
-k, --api-key	API key for authentication	No

Examples

Workspace configuration:

npx @cequenceai/mcp-cli@latest vscode --url "https://mcp.aigateway.cequence.ai/v1/servers/abc123" --name "salesforce"

Global configuration:

npx @cequenceai/mcp-cli@latest vscode --url "https://mcp.aigateway.cequence.ai/v1/servers/abc123" --name "salesforce" --global

Method 2: Manual Configuration

2.1 Workspace Configuration

Create or edit .vscode/mcp.json in your project root:

{
  "servers": {
    "your-server-name": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "your-mcp-server-url"
    }
  }
}

2.2 Global Configuration

Edit your VS Code user settings to add MCP servers globally:

macOS:

~/Library/Application Support/Code/User/mcp.json

Windows:

%APPDATA%\Code\User\mcp.json

Linux:

~/.config/Code/User/mcp.json

Configuration Parameters

Replace the following placeholders:

• your-server-name: A descriptive name for your MCP server (for example, "salesforce-crm", "github-repo", "jira-project")
• your-mcp-server-url: The URL provided by Cequence AI Gateway after creating your MCP server

Multiple MCP Servers

To configure multiple MCP servers:

{
  "servers": {
    "github": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://mcp.aigateway.cequence.ai/v1/servers/github-abc"
    },
    "jira": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://mcp.aigateway.cequence.ai/v1/servers/jira-xyz"
    },
    "salesforce": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://mcp.aigateway.cequence.ai/v1/servers/sf-123"
    }
  }
}

Configuration with Authentication

If your MCP server requires API key authentication, use input variables:

{
  "inputs": [
    {
      "type": "promptString",
      "id": "salesforce-api-key",
      "description": "Salesforce API Key",
      "password": true
    }
  ],
  "servers": {
    "salesforce": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://mcp.aigateway.cequence.ai/v1/servers/sf-123",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer ${input:salesforce-api-key}"
      }
    }
  }
}

VS Code will prompt for the API key when the MCP server is first accessed.

Verification

Once configured, verify your MCP server is working:

1. Open VS Code
2. Open the Copilot chat panel (Ctrl+Shift+I or Cmd+Shift+I)
3. Check for available MCP tools in the chat interface
4. Try a command related to your configured service

Check MCP Status

1. Open Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P or Cmd+Shift+P)
2. Search for "MCP" related commands
3. Verify your server appears in the list

Using MCP Servers in VS Code

In Copilot Chat

Interact with your MCP server through natural language:

"List my open GitHub pull requests"
"Create a Jira ticket for the login bug"
"Query Salesforce for recent opportunities"

In Code Editor

Use Copilot features that leverage your MCP servers:

• Context-aware code suggestions
• Documentation generation
• Automated refactoring with external data

Troubleshooting

MCP Server Not Appearing

Issue: Server doesn't show up after configuration

Solutions:

• Verify JSON syntax is valid (no trailing commas)
• Check the file is in the correct location
• Restart VS Code completely
• Ensure GitHub Copilot extension is installed and enabled

Connection Errors

Issue: "Cannot connect to MCP server"

Solutions:

• Verify your internet connection
• Ensure the MCP server URL is correct and accessible
• Check if the MCP server is deployed and running
• Verify authentication credentials are valid

Authentication Issues

Issue: "Authentication failed" or "Unauthorized"

Solutions:

• Re-enter API key when prompted
• Verify the API key is correct
• Check that OAuth authentication is completed in Cequence AI Gateway
• Review MCP server permissions

Configuration Not Loading

Issue: Changes to mcp.json don't take effect

Solutions:

• Ensure the file is saved
• Restart VS Code
• Check for JSON syntax errors
• Verify file location is correct

Configuration File Locations

Scope	Platform	Location
Workspace	All	.vscode/mcp.json in project root
Global	macOS	~/Library/Application Support/Code/User/mcp.json
Global	Windows	%APPDATA%\Code\User\mcp.json
Global	Linux	~/.config/Code/User/mcp.json

Tips

1. Use Workspace Config for Projects: Keep project-specific servers in .vscode/mcp.json
2. Use Global Config for Personal Tools: Configure frequently used servers globally
3. Descriptive Names: Use clear names that indicate the service purpose
4. Secure Credentials: Use input variables for sensitive data like API keys
5. Version Control: Consider adding .vscode/mcp.json to .gitignore if it contains sensitive URLs

Example Configuration

Complete example with multiple servers:

{
  "inputs": [
    {
      "type": "promptString",
      "id": "github-token",
      "description": "GitHub Personal Access Token",
      "password": true
    }
  ],
  "servers": {
    "github-devops": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://mcp.aigateway.cequence.ai/v1/servers/gh-abc123"
    },
    "jira-project": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://mcp.aigateway.cequence.ai/v1/servers/jira-xyz789"
    }
  }
}

Additional Resources

• VS Code MCP Documentation
• GitHub Copilot Documentation
• Model Context Protocol
• Cequence AI Gateway Docs