VS Code

VS Code Integration

Give GitHub Copilot agent mode live web access with CrawlForge MCP. A .vscode/mcp.json in the workspace, or the user-profile mcp.json, adds the server in one block.

Prerequisites

VS Code

Download from code.visualstudio.com with GitHub Copilot

Required

Node.js 18+

Install from nodejs.org

Required

API Key

Get from dashboard

Free

Get a CrawlForge API Key

The config below starts the server through npx, so nothing needs a global install—only a key.

Sign in from the terminal: the CLI opens a browser page where you approve a new key, then saves it to ~/.crawlforge/config.json.

Bash

npm install -g crawlforge-mcp-server
crawlforge login        # opens the browser approval page

Or copy a key from the dashboard and paste it into the config in the next step.

Tip: The CLI guide covers crawlforge login and the other ways to authenticate.

Configure VS Code

Choose your preferred configuration method:

AOption A: Workspace .vscode/mcp.json

Create .vscode/mcp.json in the repo root. VS Code uses a servers key and a type field:

.vscode/mcp.jsonJson

{
  "servers": {
    "crawlforge": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "crawlforge-mcp-server@latest",
        "mcp"
      ],
      "env": {
        "CRAWLFORGE_API_KEY": "cf_live_your_api_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

If you commit the file, keep the key out of it: VS Code's ${input:…} variables prompt each developer for their own value.

BOption B: User profile

Run MCP: Open User Configuration from the Command Palette (⇧⌘P / Ctrl+Shift+P) and add the same servers entry; it then applies to every workspace. MCP: Add Server walks you through the same fields.

Trust prompt: VS Code does not auto-trust a workspace mcp.json. Open the file, accept the trust notification, then reload the window.

Set Your API Key

Replace cf_live_your_api_key_here with your key, or let the configurator fill it in.

Generate this config with your key: The MCP configurator fills in your key and outputs the exact JSON for VS Code.

Limit the tool list (optional)

CrawlForge ships 31 tools. Set CRAWLFORGE_TOOL_GROUPS in the same env block to load only the groups you need, for example basic,search:

Json

"env": {
  "CRAWLFORGE_API_KEY": "cf_live_your_api_key_here",
  "CRAWLFORGE_TOOL_GROUPS": "basic,search"
}

Groups: basic, search, crawl, extract, batch, research, tracking, llmstxt, stealth, templates, scrape, agent.

Security: Never commit your API key to version control. Use environment variables or the config file.

Test the Integration

Open Copilot Chat in Agent mode and confirm the server is running.

Open Copilot Chat — press Ctrl+Alt+I (⌃⌘I on macOS) and switch the mode picker to Agent
Check the server — run MCP: List Servers from the Command Palette; crawlforge should show as running
Test a prompt — try one of the examples below; the agent picks the CrawlForge tool itself

Example Prompts

"Search for the latest AI news"

"Extract all links from example.com"

"Crawl the documentation site and summarize it"

"Extract product prices from this e-commerce site"

See the full API reference for all 31 tools and their parameters.

Troubleshooting

Server not starting?

Check .vscode/mcp.json is valid JSON
Ensure Node.js 18+ is installed: node --version
Run MCP: List Servers, select crawlforge and open its output for the error
Reload the window after editing the file

Authentication Errors?

Check the API key starts with cf_live_
Run crawlforge login to save a fresh key
Generate a new API key from the dashboard

Tools not appearing in chat?

Make sure Copilot Chat is in Agent mode—Ask mode does not call tools
Click the tools icon in the chat input and enable the crawlforge tools
Restart VS Code completely

Still having issues? Contact simon@crawlforge.dev with your VS Code version, Node.js version, and the server output from MCP: List Servers.

Successfully integrated?

Explore all available tools, or follow the step-by-step walkthrough for Copilot agent mode.

View All Tools Copilot Agent Walkthrough

{ "servers": { "crawlforge": { "type": "stdio", "command": "npx", "args": [ "-y", "crawlforge-mcp-server@latest", "mcp" ], "env": { "CRAWLFORGE_API_KEY": "cf_live_your_api_key_here" } } } }