VS Code / GitHub Copilot

Configure VS Code and GitHub Copilot to use docpenny’s MCP tools for PDF generation.

Note: VS Code uses the root key servers (not mcpServers).

Prerequisites

• A docpenny API key (create one in Settings → API Keys in the dashboard)

Configuration

Add to .vscode/mcp.json in your project root:

{
  "servers": {
    "docpenny": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://mcp.docpenny.com/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "x-api-key": "YOUR_API_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}

Using Secure Token Input

To avoid hardcoding your API key in the config file, VS Code supports ${input:...} prompts:

{
  "servers": {
    "docpenny": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://mcp.docpenny.com/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "x-api-key": "${input:api-key}"
      }
    }
  }
}

VS Code will prompt you to enter the API key when the server starts. The value is not stored in the config file.

Troubleshooting

Problem	Solution
Auth required or 401	Check your x-api-key value. Keys can be managed in the dashboard.
Connection refused	Verify the URL is https://mcp.docpenny.com/mcp.
Server not starting	Ensure the config file uses "servers" (not "mcpServers") as the root key.
Copilot not using tools	Make sure GitHub Copilot Chat is enabled and you have the latest VS Code update.