VS Code

VS Code stores MCP server definitions in mcp.json. Use a user-level configuration for all workspaces, or .vscode/mcp.json for one trusted workspace.

Prerequisites

Node.js 20 or later;
a SocQ API key;
a current VS Code chat setup with MCP support.

Configure

Run MCP: Open User Configuration from the Command Palette and add:

{
  "servers": {
    "socq": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@socq/mcp"],
      "env": {
        "SOCQ_API_KEY": "${input:socq-api-key}"
      }
    }
  },
  "inputs": [
    {
      "type": "promptString",
      "id": "socq-api-key",
      "description": "SocQ API key",
      "password": true
    }
  ]
}

VS Code prompts for the key when the server starts and securely stores the input for later use.

Avoid hardcoding the API key in a workspace file or committing it to source control.

Limit the tool list

To expose typed YouTube tools, change the bridge arguments to:

"args": ["-y", "@socq/mcp", "--platforms", "youtube"]

See Choose MCP tools for mode selection and filtering limits.

Verify

Start or restart socq from MCP: List Servers, approve the server trust prompt, then ask:

Use SocQ to check my account, then collect the latest 20 comments from this
YouTube video. Wait for the task to finish and return the results as a table:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID

The connection is working when VS Code discovers the SocQ tools, calls socq_account, submits the collection, and reads the returned task with socq_get_task.

Troubleshoot

Use MCP: List Servers → Show Output when the process does not start or tools are missing. See Troubleshooting integrations for authentication, missing-tool, and task errors. See the official VS Code guides for adding MCP servers and the mcp.json configuration reference.

Get started

Clients

VS Code

VS Code

Prerequisites

Configure

Limit the tool list

Verify

Troubleshoot

​VS Code

​Prerequisites

​Configure

​Limit the tool list

​Verify

​Troubleshoot

VS Code

Prerequisites

Configure

Limit the tool list

Verify

Troubleshoot