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GitHub Copilot (VS Code)

GitHub Copilot in VS Code reads MCP servers from VS Code's MCP settings. Make sure the GitHub Copilot extension is installed and enabled, then configure Spotto at the workspace level or in your user settings.

GitHub Copilot can be sensitive to large MCP tool catalogs. For Spotto, the regional read endpoint is usually the best starting point. If you later need action tools, switch that configuration to the matching write endpoint or use the default full endpoint if Copilot can load it.

Create a .vscode/mcp.json file in your project root:

{
  "servers": {
    "spotto": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://mcp-au-read.spotto.ai/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "X-API-Key": "YOUR_API_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}

User Settings Configuration​

Alternatively, configure MCP at the user level so it's available across all projects:

  1. Press Cmd+Shift+P (macOS) or Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows/Linux)
  2. Type "MCP: Open User Configuration"
  3. Add the following to the mcp.json file that opens:
{
  "servers": {
    "spotto": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://mcp-au-read.spotto.ai/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "X-API-Key": "YOUR_API_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}

Using Environment Variables​

For better security, you can reference environment variables using the inputs feature:

{
  "inputs": [
    {
      "type": "promptString",
      "id": "spotto-api-key",
      "description": "Spotto API Key",
      "password": true
    }
  ],
  "servers": {
    "spotto": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://mcp-au-read.spotto.ai/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "X-API-Key": "${input:spotto-api-key}"
      }
    }
  }
}

VS Code will prompt you for the API key when the server is first accessed.

If You Need Write Tools​

The read endpoint keeps the catalog smaller and is usually more reliable in Copilot. If you need tools that dismiss, prioritize, share, or update data, replace the URL with the matching regional write endpoint or the default full endpoint.

For the full regional mapping, see MCP Endpoint Profiles.

Verifying the Connection​

  1. Open the Command Palette (Cmd+Shift+P or Ctrl+Shift+P)
  2. Run "MCP: List Servers"
  3. Select "spotto" from the list
  4. If the status shows "stopped", select "Start Server" to connect
  5. Verify that the status changes to "running" or "connected"

You can also check the MCP output panel for connection logs:

  1. Open the Output panel (Cmd+Shift+U or Ctrl+Shift+U)
  2. Select "MCP" from the dropdown

Once the server is running, open Copilot Chat and ask a Spotto question (for example, "Check the Spotto API status") to confirm the tools are available.

Troubleshooting​

Copilot cannot load all Spotto tools​

What you're seeing: Copilot connects to the MCP server but does not show the Spotto tools, or only some of them appear.

Likely causes:

  • Copilot is struggling with the full Spotto tool catalog.
  • The MCP server URL is pointing at the wrong profile for this client.

How to fix:

  1. Use the regional read endpoint, such as https://mcp-au-read.spotto.ai/mcp.
  2. Restart VS Code or reconnect the MCP server.
  3. Re-run "MCP: List Servers" and verify the server shows as connected.

Copilot shows "limiting number of tool calls to 70" or "couldn't retrieve the requested items"​

What you're seeing: Tool discovery fails with a limit or retrieval error.

Likely causes:

  • Copilot cannot consume the full Spotto catalog from one MCP server.

How to fix:

  1. Change the server URL to the matching regional read endpoint.
  2. Restart the MCP server from VS Code.
  3. Test again with a simple read prompt such as "What companies do I have access to in Spotto?"