VS Code

Set up Nella as an MCP server for VS Code with GitHub Copilot.

Prerequisites

• VS Code with GitHub Copilot extension
• Node.js 18 or later

Setup

Add a .vscode/mcp.json file to your project:

{
  "servers": {
    "nella": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@getnella/mcp", "--workspace", "."]
    }
  }
}

Direct stdio/local MCP requires --workspace. If VS Code does not launch the server from the workspace root, replace . with an absolute path.

You can also let the CLI write this file:

nella connect --client vscode

Reload VS Code after saving.

Usage

With the MCP server configured, Copilot’s agent mode can call Nella tools during conversations. Ask Copilot to search the codebase, track assumptions, or check dependencies — it will use the appropriate Nella tool automatically.

@workspace Add a health check endpoint. Use nella_search to find existing endpoint patterns first.

Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
Tools not available	Ensure you’re using Copilot in agent mode, not inline completions
Server not starting	Verify npx -y @getnella/mcp --workspace /path/to/project runs without errors in your terminal
Path issues	Use an absolute path if . does not resolve to the workspace you expect