VS Code MCP setup

Where to configure

Config file locations

User-level (recommended)	`~/.vscode/mcp.json`
Workspace	`.vscode/mcp.json in your repo root`

Steps

Good setup flow

Install an MCP-capable assistant (GitHub Copilot with MCP, or your team's approved extension).
Create ~/.vscode/mcp.json (user scope) or .vscode/mcp.json (workspace scope).
Add the pickwise HTTP server with Authorization and X-Pickwise-Client-Id headers.
Reload the window or restart VS Code so MCP servers are picked up.
Open Copilot Chat (or your agent panel) and verify PickWise tools are listed before pasting the task prompt.

VS Code-specific notes

Workspace mcp.json is good for team onboarding via git; user-level keeps keys off the repo.
Never commit API keys — use user-level config or a local gitignored override.

Template

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pickwise": {
      "url": "https://mcp.pickwise.dev/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer <your-api-key>",
        "X-Pickwise-Client-Id": "<your-work-email>"
      }
    }
  }
}

Example (replace with your values)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pickwise": {
      "url": "https://mcp.pickwise.dev/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer pw_live_7f3a9c2e1b4d8f6a0c5e",
        "X-Pickwise-Client-Id": "jane@yourcompany.com"
      }
    }
  }
}

Good setup checklist

Sign in and create API keys at https://intelligence.pickwise.dev/api-keys — not from chat or task prompts.
MCP endpoint in IDE config is exactly https://mcp.pickwise.dev/mcp over HTTPS (not the setup guide URL).
Authorization uses Bearer <api-key>; X-Pickwise-Client-Id is the same email you use on the portal.
PickWise MCP tools appear in the IDE after a full restart (not just reload window).
Your task standard is published before developers begin work in the IDE (pickwise_begin_task).

Troubleshooting

Common things to debug

Most connection issues are config path, JSON/TOML syntax, or credentials — not PickWise itself.

What you see	Likely cause	What to try
401 Unauthorized or authentication failed	Wrong API key, revoked key, or email header does not match your PickWise account.	Create a fresh key at https://intelligence.pickwise.dev/api-keys. Copy the full pw_live_… value once. Match X-Pickwise-Client-Id to your portal login email exactly.
PickWise tools never appear in the assistant	Config file path is wrong, JSON is invalid, or the IDE was not restarted after editing.	Validate JSON (trailing commas break parsers). Save the file, quit the IDE completely, reopen, and check the MCP server list.
Connection error or timeout	Corporate proxy, offline VPN, or typo in the URL.	Confirm https://mcp.pickwise.dev/mcp is reachable from your machine. Try curl with the same headers if your security team allows it.
Agent runs but policy decisions are not logged	Task prompt missing, standard not published, or a different MCP server is active.	Ensure the task standard is published and the developer uses pickwise_begin_task (or pickwise_load_standard with the standard ID). Ensure only one pickwise entry exists in mcpServers.

Other IDEs

Using a different client?

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