Integrate 🤖 GitHub MCP Server in VS Code

🚀 Using GitHub MCP Server in VS Code

Overview

This guide explains how to configure GitHub MCP Server inside VS Code so Copilot can interact with GitHub — such as listing repositories, creating branches, and creating pull requests — all through chat.

GitHub CLI (gh) is not required for this setup. 

✔ Prerequisites

Requirement	Status

Visual Studio Code

Installed

GitHub Copilot Extension

Installed

GitHub Account

Required

🔐 Step 1 - Create PAT (Personal Access Token)

1. Open: https://github.com/settings/personal-access-tokens?type=beta

2. Click Generate new token

3. Select Fine-grained token

4. Repository Access → choose:
   ✔ All repositories
   or
   ✔ Specific repositories (recommended for security)

5. Under Repository permissions, enable:

Permission	Access
Contents	Read and write
Administration	Read and write

     6. Click Generate toke

     7. Copy & save the token securely 

         (you will enter it later in VS Code)

🧩 Step 2 - Add MCP Configuration to VS Code

1. Press: Ctrl + Shift + P

2. Search:
   Open User MCP Settings (JSON)

3. Paste this JSON and Save:

{

  "servers": {

    "io.github.github/github-mcp-server": {

      "type": "http",

      "url": "https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/",

      "headers": {

        "Authorization": "${input:Authorization}"

      },

      "gallery": "https://api.mcp.github.com",

      "version": "0.21.1"

    }

  },

  "inputs": [

    {

      "id": "Authorization",

      "type": "promptString",

      "description": "Authentication token (PAT or App token)",

      "password": true

    }

  ]

}

    

🔄 Step 3 - Reload VS Code

Use any option:

• Press Ctrl + Shift + P → Reload Window

• OR restart VS Code

VS Code will ask for:

Authorization Token

Paste the PAT you created earlier.

🔐 Step 4 - Allow MCP GitHub Tools (Safest Option)

When prompted:

⚠ Allow Tools from GitHub MCP Server?

Choose:
✔ Allow Tools in this Session (best for security)

This ensures MCP is only active when you want it.

🚀 Step 5 — Test in Copilot Chat

Open Copilot Chat and run: /tools

If the setup is correct, you will see GitHub actions like:

• listRepositories

• createRepository

• getFileContents

• createPullRequest

🧪 Example Command

 Create a private repository named "First-MCP" with a description "Repository created via Copilot"

 Note: if you failed to create a repo, then add more permissions on PAT, regenerate the Token, and save.

🛑 Troubleshooting

Issue	Cause	Fix
403 Resource not accessible by PAT	Token missing Admin or Contents access	Update token permissions
No tools found	VS Code didn't reload MCP config	Restart / Reload Window
Token prompt missing	Wrong JSON file edited	Check Open User MCP Settings (JSON)
gh command not found	GitHub CLI not installed	Ignore — not required

Copilot MCP will:

1. Connect to the GitHub MCP server

2. MCP will assist with code-level corrections, completion of code, and create an AL object with NLP

3. Create an issue, pull the repo, commit object/code, and merge via Copilot

4. Issue Respond with:

   • issue number

   • issue URL

   • status confirmation

Copilot Chat in VS Code ✨
No CLI, no terminal — just natural language.