VS Code - Installation Guide¶

VS Code has native MCP support built-in. Installing the F5 XC Cloud Status MCP server requires just one command.

Prerequisites¶

Before starting, ensure you have: - VS Code installed with version 1.96.0+ (code --version) - Node.js 18.0.0 or higher (node --version) - npm installed (comes with Node.js)

Check your VS Code version:

code --version  # Should show version 1.96.0 or higher

Installation¶

Method 1: CLI Command (Recommended)¶

The easiest way is to use the --add-mcp flag:

code --add-mcp '{"name":"f5xc-cloudstatus","command":"npx","args":["-y","@robinmordasiewicz/f5xc-cloudstatus-mcp@latest"]}'

You should see confirmation:

Added MCP servers: f5xc-cloudstatus

Method 2: Manual Configuration¶

If you prefer manual configuration, edit VS Code settings:

1. Open VS Code settings:

   code ~/.config/Code/User/settings.json
   

2. Add the MCP server configuration:

   {
     "mcp.servers": {
       "f5xc-cloudstatus": {
         "command": "npx",
         "args": ["-y", "@robinmordasiewicz/f5xc-cloudstatus-mcp@latest"]
       }
     }
   }
   

3. Reload VS Code (Ctrl+Shift+P → "Developer: Reload Window")

Method 3: Workspace Settings (Optional)¶

For project-specific installation, create .vscode/settings.json in your project:

{
  "mcp.servers": {
    "f5xc-cloudstatus": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@robinmordasiewicz/f5xc-cloudstatus-mcp@latest"]
    }
  }
}

Verification¶

Method 1: VS Code Chat¶

1. Open VS Code chat (Cmd+L on macOS, Ctrl+L on Windows/Linux)
2. Try this prompt:

   "What is the current status of F5 Cloud services?"
   

3. You should see F5 Cloud status in the response

Method 2: Command Line Verification¶

# Test the package directly
npx @robinmordasiewicz/f5xc-cloudstatus-mcp@latest --version

# You should see version information if successful

Method 3: Check MCP Server Status¶

In VS Code: 1. Open Developer Tools (Help → Toggle Developer Tools) 2. Look for MCP server connection logs 3. Should show "f5xc-cloudstatus connected"

Quick Test Prompts¶

After installation, try these prompts in VS Code chat to verify all tools work:

Basic Status Check:

Prompt: "What is the current status of F5 Cloud services?"
Expected: Overall status, operational indicator, timestamp
Response Time: < 5 seconds

Component Listing:

Prompt: "Show me all F5 Cloud service components"
Expected: 100+ components organized by category
Response Time: < 5 seconds

Incident Check:

Prompt: "Are there any active incidents affecting F5 Cloud?"
Expected: Active incidents or confirmation of no issues
Response Time: < 5 seconds

Configuration Reference¶

Multiple MCP Servers¶

You can configure multiple MCP servers:

{
  "mcp.servers": {
    "f5xc-cloudstatus": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@robinmordasiewicz/f5xc-cloudstatus-mcp@latest"]
    },
    "other-server": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "other-mcp-package"]
    }
  }
}

Using Local Development Build¶

If you're developing the MCP server locally:

{
  "mcp.servers": {
    "f5xc-cloudstatus": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/f5xc-cloudstatus-mcp/dist/index.js"]
    }
  }
}

Replace /path/to/f5xc-cloudstatus-mcp with your actual project path.

Troubleshooting¶

"VS Code version too old"¶

• Cause: VS Code version < 1.96.0 (MCP support requires newer version)
• Solution: Update VS Code to the latest version
• Verify: Run code --version (should be 1.96.0+)

"npx: command not found"¶

• Cause: Node.js or npm not properly installed
• Solution: Install Node.js from https://nodejs.org (v18.0.0+)
• Verify: Run npm --version

"Cannot find module '@robinmordasiewicz/f5xc-cloudstatus-mcp'"¶

• Cause: Package not on npm registry or network issue
• Solution: Check internet connection, run npm cache clean --force, then retry
• Verify: Run npm search @robinmordasiewicz/f5xc-cloudstatus-mcp

"EACCES: permission denied"¶

• Cause: Node.js modules directory permission issue
• Solution: Fix npm permissions: https://docs.npmjs.com/resolving-eacces-permissions-errors-when-installing-packages-globally
• Verify: Run npm list -g without sudo

Server not showing in VS Code chat¶

• Cause: Configuration file location, format, or VS Code not reloaded
• Solution:
• Check file syntax: python -m json.tool ~/.config/Code/User/settings.json
• Reload VS Code: Cmd+Shift+P → "Developer: Reload Window"
• Check configuration location is correct
• Try using --add-mcp command instead
• Verify: Run code --add-mcp command and check for confirmation

"Invalid JSON syntax"¶

• Cause: Missing commas, quotes, or brackets in settings file
• Solution: Validate JSON: python -m json.tool ~/.config/Code/User/settings.json
• Fix: Edit file and correct syntax errors

Platform-Specific Paths¶

macOS¶

User settings: ~/.config/Code/User/settings.json
Workspace settings: .vscode/settings.json (in project root)

Windows¶

User settings: %APPDATA%\Code\User\settings.json
Workspace settings: .vscode\settings.json (in project root)

Linux¶

User settings: ~/.config/Code/User/settings.json
Workspace settings: .vscode/settings.json (in project root)

Uninstallation¶

To remove the F5 XC Cloud Status MCP server:

If using --add-mcp:¶

VS Code stores the configuration internally. To remove: 1. Open VS Code 2. There's no direct removal command; manually edit settings.json (see Method 2) 3. Remove the f5xc-cloudstatus block from the mcp.servers object

If using manual configuration:¶

1. Edit ~/.config/Code/User/settings.json (or workspace settings)
2. Remove the f5xc-cloudstatus block
3. Reload VS Code

{
  "mcp.servers": {
    // f5xc-cloudstatus block removed
  }
}

Comparison with Other Platforms¶

Keyboard Shortcuts¶

Once installed, use these VS Code shortcuts with MCP:

• Open Chat: Cmd+L (macOS) / Ctrl+L (Windows/Linux)
• Quick Chat: Cmd+K (macOS) / Ctrl+K (Windows/Linux)
• Reload Window: Cmd+Shift+P → "Developer: Reload Window"
• Open Settings: Cmd+, (macOS) / Ctrl+, (Windows/Linux)

Next Steps¶

• Review Troubleshooting Guide if issues arise
• Check Home for tool descriptions and verification queries

Installation Time: ~1-2 minutes Difficulty Level: Medium Restart Required: Yes (reload VS Code window) Last Updated: January 2026