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Guides · VS Code

How to add an MCP server to VS Code (GitHub Copilot)

VS Code (with GitHub Copilot) can use remote HTTP/SSE servers and local stdio servers. The guided MCP: Add Server command writes the config for you; you can also edit the JSON yourself.

Steps summarize the official docs linked below, checked 2026-10-19. Client UIs change; if a menu name differs, the linked docs win.

  1. 1. Use the guided flow

    Command Palette → MCP: Add Server. Choose HTTP for a server URL or Command (stdio) for a launch command, enter a unique server ID, then pick a destination (Global → Copilot Global for personal use, or a workspace file to share it).

  2. 2. Or write .vscode/mcp.json (VS Code format)

    This format uses a top-level servers object and supports input variables, envFile and sandboxing.

    {
  "servers": {
    "agenttask-atlas": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://agenttaskatlas.com/api/mcp"
    }
  }
}

  3. 3. Or the portable Copilot format

    Workspace-root .mcp.json or ~/.copilot/mcp-config.json use a top-level mcpServers object instead. Don't copy entries between the two formats without checking the field names.

    {
  "mcpServers": {
    "agenttask-atlas": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://agenttaskatlas.com/api/mcp"
    }
  }
}

  4. 4. Prompt for secrets instead of hardcoding them

    In the VS Code format, ${input:id} asks for the value on first start and stores it securely.

    {
  "inputs": [
    {
      "type": "promptString",
      "id": "api-key",
      "description": "API key",
      "password": true
    }
  ],
  "servers": {
    "example": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@example/mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "API_KEY": "${input:api-key}"
      }
    }
  }
}

  5. 5. From the command line

    code --add-mcp adds a server to your user profile in the VS Code format.

    code --add-mcp '{"name":"agenttask-atlas","type":"http","url":"https://agenttaskatlas.com/api/mcp"}'

  6. 6. Verify a real tool call

    Adding the config is not proof it works. Ask the agent to use a tool from that server, expand the tool call in chat and check it came from the server you added. MCP: List Servers lets you start, stop and see output.

Good to know

Sources

30 catalog entries with documented VS Code setup

From the AgentTask Atlas catalog: entries whose official README or docs include setup instructions for VS Code or GitHub Copilot.

Ask the catalog from inside VS Code: the AgentTask Atlas MCP server is free, read-only and needs no account.

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⚠ No independent security audit: entries summarize official sources only. Review permissions and code before installing.