Visual Studio Code docs on MCP servers and Agents #

The Visual Studio Code docs on MCP servers show how to extend GitHub Copilot's agent mode. You plug in external tools with the Model Context Protocol (MCP).

What is MCP? #

MCP is an open standard. It lets AI talk to tools and services through one shared interface. Hook MCP-compatible servers up to VS Code, and Copilot does more than suggest code. It can:

  • Run file operations
  • Access databases
  • Make API calls

All directly inside your editor.

The Guide Covers #

  • Setting up MCP servers
  • Configuring them in VS Code
  • Managing the whole integration

It also explains what types of servers are supported and how to use MCP tools in agent mode.

The goal:

Smoother workflows, smarter tooling, and more time for building cool stuff.

Read the docs: VS Code MCP Guide

Sample MCP Servers I Use #

These are the MCP servers I have configured right now:

More MCP servers are available here: List of MCP Servers

Secure Setup Tips #

When you set up your mcp.json, you might worry about exposing settings. To hide your MCP server variables, follow this flow:

{
  "inputs": [{
    "id": "atl_token",
    "type": "promptString",
    "password": true,
    "description": "Enter your Atlassian Jira and Confluence token"
  },{
    "id": "BS_user",
    "type": "promptString",
    "password": false,
    "description": "Enter your BS User"
  },{
    "id": "BS_token",
    "type": "promptString",
    "password": true,
    "description": "Enter your BS token"
  }]
}

VS Code asks for the secrets at server start and remembers them. Use placeholder variables in your config, for example ${input:atl_token}.

"CONFLUENCE_API_TOKEN": "${input:atl_token}",

Project-Specific Instructions for Copilot #

GitHub Copilot now supports a .github/copilot-instructions.md file in your repo. It tailors responses to your tools, workflows and coding style.

How to Set It Up #

  1. Create .github/copilot-instructions.md in your repository root
  2. Write clear, natural-language instructions in Markdown

Copilot now includes these instructions in its responses automatically.

How to Check It’s Working #

Look for .github/copilot-instructions.md in the References section of Copilot Chat responses.

GitHub Docs: Copilot Instructions

Custom Prompts (Optional) #

You can also create prompt files like .github/prompts/example.prompt.md. These files guide Copilot to follow your coding style, frameworks and project needs. That makes its suggestions better. For more details, visit the official documentation.

Additional Specialized Instructions #

Two more instruction files are available. You configure them in your settings.json with the settings below. The names explain what they are for.

"github.copilot.chat.codeGeneration.instructions": [
  {
    "file": ".github/code-style.md"
  }
],
"github.copilot.chat.testGeneration.instructions": [
  {
    "file": ".github/test-style.md"
  }
]