VS Code

Configure Visual Studio Code to use agentgateway via GitHub Copilot’s native MCP support.

Before you begin

• Install VS Code (1.92+) with the GitHub Copilot extension.
• Enable GitHub Copilot Chat.
• In the GitHub Copilot Chat, make sure that Agent Mode is active (MCP tools are primarily utilized when Copilot is in “Agent” mode).
• Set up an MCP server in agentgateway. For example, check out the MCP connection guides.

Server configuration

Configure your MCP server in the mcp.json file in the root directory of your project. For more locations, refer to the VS Code docs. If your MCP server is running on a different host and port, update the URL accordingly.

{
  "servers": {
    "agentgateway": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "http://localhost:3000/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Authentication

You have two ways to handle security, depending on your setup: native MCP authentication flow or manual bearer token.

Option 1: Native MCP authentication flow

If your agentgateway proxy is configured to use an OIDC/OAuth provider (like Okta or Entra ID), VS Code automatically detects the challenge and prompts you to “Sign In” via a browser pop-up.

{
  "servers": {
    "agentgateway": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "http://localhost:3000/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Option 2: Manual bearer token

If you prefer to explicitly pass a token, such as for local development or simple API key setups, use the headers object.

{
  "servers": {
    "agentgateway": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "http://localhost:3000/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer your-token-here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Verify the connection

In agentgateway, run a configuration that includes the URL that you configured in the mcp.json file.

In VS Code:

1. Reload Window: Run Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + P, then search for and select “Developer: Reload Window”.
2. Open Chat: Open the GitHub Copilot Chat panel.
3. Switch to Agent Mode: Ensure the dropdown at the bottom of the chat is set to Agent.
4. Check Tools: Click the Tools icon in the chat box menu. In the tools dropdown, filter for agentgateway and expand to view the MCP server’s available tools.
5. Test: In the chat box, type # followed by a tool name, such as #get_k8s_logs to see it in action.