VS Code MCP Server

@juehang

About VS Code MCP Server

MCP server to expose VS Code editing features to an LLM for AI coding

Config

Add this server to your MCP-compatible client using the configuration below.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "vscode-mcp-server": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "mcp-remote@next",
        "http://localhost:3000/mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Tools

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Fetch the live tool list by running this server in a temporary sandbox using the button above.

Overview

What is VS Code MCP Server?

A Visual Studio Code extension that allows Claude and other MCP clients to code directly in VS Code. It creates a local MCP server exposing VS Code's filesystem, editing, symbol, diagnostics, and shell capabilities to AI coding agents via the streamable HTTP API.

How to use VS Code MCP Server?

Install the extension from the VS Code Marketplace. Configure Claude Desktop with mcp-remote@next pointing to http://localhost:3000/mcp. The server runs locally on a configurable port (default 3000) and host (default 127.0.0.1), and can be toggled on/off via the status bar item. Users can enable individual tool categories (file, edit, shell, diagnostics, symbol) through extension settings.

Key features of VS Code MCP Server

List and read files in the VS Code workspace
Create, move, rename, and copy files with refactoring support
Search symbols and get definitions across the workspace
Check code diagnostics (errors/warnings) in files
Execute shell commands in the integrated terminal

Use cases of VS Code MCP Server

Extending coding agents like Claude Code with VS Code-specific capabilities (symbol search, document outlines) without duplicating existing tools
Letting AI assistants edit code files directly in VS Code with proper refactoring and diagnostics feedback
Running CLI commands, git operations, and build tasks through the integrated terminal via AI agents
Exploring codebase structure using document symbol trees and symbol search to reduce context consumption

FAQ from VS Code MCP Server

How is VS Code MCP Server different from similar tools like Serena?

It uses VS Code's built-in capabilities rather than duplicating tools that coding agents like Claude Code already have, focusing on VS Code-specific features such as symbol search and diagnostics.

What runtime or dependencies are required?

The extension runs inside VS Code and requires Node.js to install via npx. It uses the streamable HTTP API protocol, not the SSE API.

Where does data live and what are the security considerations?

The server runs locally on 127.0.0.1 only and is not exposed to the network. Because it allows shell command execution, the README warns about potential security risks and recommends ensuring the MCP client is trusted and the port is not exposed.

What are the known limitations?

Only one workspace is supported at a time. The MCP authentication spec is still in flux, so authentication has not been implemented. Only local use is supported.

What transports and configuration options are available?

The server uses HTTP. Configurable settings include port (default 3000), host (default 127.0.0.1), default enabled state on startup, and selective tool categories (file, edit, shell, diagnostics, symbol).

Frequently asked questions

How is VS Code MCP Server different from similar tools like Serena?

It uses VS Code's built-in capabilities rather than duplicating tools that coding agents like Claude Code already have, focusing on VS Code-specific features such as symbol search and diagnostics.

What runtime or dependencies are required?

The extension runs inside VS Code and requires Node.js to install via npx. It uses the streamable HTTP API protocol, not the SSE API.

Where does data live and what are the security considerations?

The server runs locally on `127.0.0.1` only and is not exposed to the network. Because it allows shell command execution, the README warns about potential security risks and recommends ensuring the MCP client is trusted and the port is not exposed.

What are the known limitations?

Only one workspace is supported at a time. The MCP authentication spec is still in flux, so authentication has not been implemented. Only local use is supported.

What transports and configuration options are available?

Comments

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