Setup Guides

Configure MCP with your preferred AI assistant. GitHub Copilot is recommended for the best experience.

Install GitHub Copilot

Install the GitHub Copilot and GitHub Copilot Chat extensions in VS Code.

Create MCP Configuration

Create a .vscode/mcp.json file in your project root:

json .vscode/mcp.json

{
  "servers": {
    "Azure Developer CLI - App Extension": {
      "command": "azd",
      "args": ["app", "mcp", "serve"]
    }
  }
}

This file tells VS Code how to connect to the azd-app MCP server. The server starts automatically when you open Copilot Chat.

Restart VS Code

Close and reopen VS Code to load the new MCP configuration.

Start Your Services

Run your services so Copilot can access their status and logs:

bash

azd app run

Open Copilot Chat

Open GitHub Copilot Chat with Ctrl+Shift+I (or Cmd+Shift+I on Mac).

Try asking:

"What services are running?" "Show me errors from the API service" "Why is my database connection failing?"

Verify It's Working

When MCP is working correctly, you'll see Copilot reference your actual service names and show real-time data from your running services.

Copilot shows your service names Copilot can describe service health Copilot can show recent logs

Open Cursor Settings

Open Cursor Settings → Features → MCP Servers.

Add MCP Server

Add a new MCP server with the following configuration:

json

{
  "azd-app": {
    "command": "azd",
    "args": ["app", "mcp", "serve"]
  }
}

Enable the Server

Toggle the server to enabled and restart Cursor if prompted.

Start Your Services

bash

azd app run

Use Cursor Chat

Open Cursor's AI chat and ask about your services. The MCP tools will be available automatically.

Install Claude Desktop

Download and install Claude Desktop from Anthropic.

Download Claude Desktop

Edit Configuration

Open Claude Desktop's configuration file:

macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

Add the MCP server configuration:

json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "azd-app": {
      "command": "azd",
      "args": ["app", "mcp", "serve"]
    }
  }
}

Restart Claude Desktop

Quit and reopen Claude Desktop to load the new configuration.

Start Your Services

bash

azd app run

Chat with Claude

Start a new conversation and ask Claude about your services. You should see the MCP tools icon indicating available tools.

Troubleshooting

MCP server not connecting

Make sure:

azd-app is installed: run azd app --help
The mcp.json file is in the correct location
You've restarted your editor/application
Your services are running with azd app run

Copilot doesn't show service information

The MCP server needs running services to report on. Make sure:

You have an azure.yaml file in your project
Services are running with azd app run
Try asking: "List the MCP tools available"

Getting permission errors

On macOS/Linux, you may need to grant terminal access. Check:

System Preferences → Security & Privacy → Privacy → Developer Tools
Ensure your editor has permission to run terminal commands

Next Steps

AI Debugging Guide

Learn how to debug issues using AI

Prompt Library

Copy-paste prompts for common tasks

Tools Reference

All 10 MCP tools explained