VS Code Integration

Use ContextFS with VS Code and GitHub Copilot

Prerequisites

1.VS Code - Version 1.85 or higher
2.GitHub Copilot - For AI-powered features
3.Python 3.9+ - Required for ContextFS

Installation

Install ContextFS CLI

pip install contextfs

VS Code MCP Configuration

1. Create MCP config file

Create a .vscode/mcp.json in your workspace:

{
  "servers": {
    "contextfs": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["contextfs"]
    }
  }
}

2. Alternative: User settings

Add to your VS Code settings.json:

{
  "mcp.servers": {
    "contextfs": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["contextfs"],
      "env": {
        "CONTEXTFS_DATA_DIR": "~/.contextfs"
      }
    }
  }
}

3. Reload VS Code

Reload the window (Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + P → Reload Window) to activate MCP.

GitHub Copilot Chat

With MCP configured, you can use ContextFS in Copilot Chat:

// In Copilot Chat
@contextfs search for authentication patterns
@contextfs save this decision about API structure
@contextfs what did we decide about error handling?

Note: MCP support in VS Code Copilot is evolving. Check VS Code release notes for the latest features.

Terminal Integration

Use ContextFS directly in VS Code's integrated terminal:

# Initialize your project
contextfs index index init

# Index your codebase
contextfs index index

# Search for context
contextfs memory search "API design patterns"

# Save a memory
contextfs memory save "Using REST for public API" --type decision

Environment Variables

Configure ContextFS behavior in your MCP config:

{
  "servers": {
    "contextfs": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["contextfs"],
      "env": {
        "CONTEXTFS_DATA_DIR": "~/.contextfs",
        "CONTEXTFS_LOG_LEVEL": "INFO",
        "CONTEXTFS_CHROMA_HOST": "localhost",
        "CONTEXTFS_CHROMA_PORT": "8000"
      }
    }
  }
}

Next Steps

Get the most out of ContextFS in VS Code:

• Set up workspace-specific config in .vscode/mcp.json
• Index your project: contextfs index index
• Enable cloud sync for cross-device access