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Update MCP server template readme to show both VS Code and Visual Studio notes (#6591)
* Initial plan * Add VS IDE-specific README and update template configuration Co-authored-by: timheuer <[email protected]> * Update to single README with both VS Code and Visual Studio sections Co-authored-by: jeffhandley <[email protected]> * Fix Visual Studio MCP documentation URL Co-authored-by: timheuer <[email protected]> * Fix Visual Studio MCP JSON configuration format Co-authored-by: timheuer <[email protected]> * Restructure README to reduce repetition between VS Code and Visual Studio sections Co-authored-by: jeffhandley <[email protected]> * Eliminate repetitive JSON configuration in README by consolidating server definitions Co-authored-by: jeffhandley <[email protected]> * Revise the mcp server template README * Update MCP template README paths and sync snapshot with source template Co-authored-by: joelverhagen <[email protected]> * Update mcpserver project template baseline * Bump MEAI.Templates package to preview.3. * Add feedback survey to mcpserver project template README --------- Co-authored-by: copilot-swe-agent[bot] <[email protected]> Co-authored-by: timheuer <[email protected]> Co-authored-by: jeffhandley <[email protected]> Co-authored-by: Jeff Handley <[email protected]> Co-authored-by: joelverhagen <[email protected]>
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‎src/ProjectTemplates/Microsoft.Extensions.AI.Templates/Microsoft.Extensions.AI.Templates.csproj‎

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<PackageTags>dotnet-new;templates;ai</PackageTags>
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<Stage>preview</Stage>
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<PreReleaseVersionIteration>2</PreReleaseVersionIteration>
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<PreReleaseVersionIteration>3</PreReleaseVersionIteration>
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<Workstream>AI</Workstream>
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<MinCodeCoverage>0</MinCodeCoverage>
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<MinMutationScore>0</MinMutationScore>

‎src/ProjectTemplates/Microsoft.Extensions.AI.Templates/src/McpServer/McpServer-CSharp/README.md‎

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# MCP Server
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This README was created using the C# MCP server template project. It demonstrates how you can easily create an MCP server using C# and then package it in a NuGet package.
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This README was created using the C# MCP server project template. It demonstrates how you can easily create an MCP server using C# and publish it as a NuGet package.
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See [aka.ms/nuget/mcp/guide](https://aka.ms/nuget/mcp/guide) for the full guide.
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Please note that this template is currently in an early preview stage. If you have feedback, please take a [brief survey](http://aka.ms/dotnet-mcp-template-survey).
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## Checklist before publishing to NuGet.org
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- Test the MCP server locally using the steps below.
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The `bin/Release` directory will contain the package file (.nupkg), which can be [published to NuGet.org](https://learn.microsoft.com/nuget/nuget-org/publish-a-package).
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## Using the MCP Server in VS Code
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## Developing locally
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Once the MCP server package is published to NuGet.org, you can use the following VS Code user configuration to download and install the MCP server package. See [Use MCP servers in VS Code (Preview)](https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/copilot/chat/mcp-servers) for more information about using MCP servers in VS Code.
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To test this MCP server from source code (locally) without using a built MCP server package, you can configure your IDE to run the project directly using `dotnet run`.
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```json
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{
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"mcp": {
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"servers": {
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"McpServer-CSharp": {
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"type": "stdio",
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"command": "dnx",
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"args": [
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"<your package ID here>",
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"--version",
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"<your package version here>",
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"--yes"
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]
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}
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"servers": {
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"McpServer-CSharp": {
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"type": "stdio",
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"command": "dotnet",
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"args": [
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"run",
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"--project",
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"<PATH TO PROJECT DIRECTORY>"
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]
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}
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}
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}
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```
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Now you can ask Copilot Chat for a random number, for example, `Give me 3 random numbers`. It should prompt you to use the `get_random_number` tool on the `McpServer-CSharp` MCP server and show you the results.
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## Testing the MCP Server
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Once configured, you can ask Copilot Chat for a random number, for example, `Give me 3 random numbers`. It should prompt you to use the `get_random_number` tool on the `McpServer-CSharp` MCP server and show you the results.
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## Publishing to NuGet.org
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1. Run `dotnet pack -c Release` to create the NuGet package
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2. Publish to NuGet.org with `dotnet nuget push bin/Release/*.nupkg --api-key <your-api-key> --source https://api.nuget.org/v3/index.json`
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## Using the MCP Server from NuGet.org
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## Developing locally in VS Code
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Once the MCP server package is published to NuGet.org, you can configure it in your preferred IDE. Both VS Code and Visual Studio use the `dnx` command to download and install the MCP server package from NuGet.org.
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To test this MCP server from source code (locally) without using a built MCP server package, create a `.vscode/mcp.json` file (a VS Code workspace settings file) in your project directory and add the following configuration:
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- **VS Code**: Create a `<WORKSPACE DIRECTORY>/.vscode/mcp.json` file
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- **Visual Studio**: Create a `<SOLUTION DIRECTORY>\.mcp.json` file
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For both VS Code and Visual Studio, the configuration file uses the following server definition:
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```json
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{
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"servers": {
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"McpServer-CSharp": {
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"type": "stdio",
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"command": "dotnet",
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"command": "dnx",
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"args": [
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"run",
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"--project",
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"<RELATIVE PATH TO PROJECT DIRECTORY>"
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"<your package ID here>",
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"--version",
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"<your package version here>",
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"--yes"
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]
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}
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}
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}
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```
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Alternatively, you can configure your VS Code user settings to use your local project:
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## More information
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```json
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{
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"mcp": {
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"servers": {
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"McpServer-CSharp": {
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"type": "stdio",
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"command": "dotnet",
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"args": [
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"run",
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"--project",
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"<FULL PATH TO PROJECT DIRECTORY>"
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]
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}
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}
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}
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}
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```
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.NET MCP servers use the [ModelContextProtocol](https://www.nuget.org/packages/ModelContextProtocol) C# SDK. For more information about MCP:
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- [Official Documentation](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/)
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- [Protocol Specification](https://spec.modelcontextprotocol.io/)
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- [GitHub Organization](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol)
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Refer to the VS Code or Visual Studio documentation for more information on configuring and using MCP servers:
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- [Use MCP servers in VS Code (Preview)](https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/copilot/chat/mcp-servers)
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- [Use MCP servers in Visual Studio (Preview)](https://learn.microsoft.com/visualstudio/ide/mcp-servers)

‎test/ProjectTemplates/Microsoft.Extensions.AI.Templates.IntegrationTests/Snapshots/mcpserver.Basic.verified/mcpserver/README.md‎

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# MCP Server
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This README was created using the C# MCP server template project. It demonstrates how you can easily create an MCP server using C# and then package it in a NuGet package.
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This README was created using the C# MCP server project template. It demonstrates how you can easily create an MCP server using C# and publish it as a NuGet package.
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See [aka.ms/nuget/mcp/guide](https://aka.ms/nuget/mcp/guide) for the full guide.
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Please note that this template is currently in an early preview stage. If you have feedback, please take a [brief survey](http://aka.ms/dotnet-mcp-template-survey).
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## Checklist before publishing to NuGet.org
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- Test the MCP server locally using the steps below.
@@ -14,67 +16,70 @@ See [aka.ms/nuget/mcp/guide](https://aka.ms/nuget/mcp/guide) for the full guide.
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The `bin/Release` directory will contain the package file (.nupkg), which can be [published to NuGet.org](https://learn.microsoft.com/nuget/nuget-org/publish-a-package).
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## Using the MCP Server in VS Code
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## Developing locally
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Once the MCP server package is published to NuGet.org, you can use the following VS Code user configuration to download and install the MCP server package. See [Use MCP servers in VS Code (Preview)](https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/copilot/chat/mcp-servers) for more information about using MCP servers in VS Code.
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To test this MCP server from source code (locally) without using a built MCP server package, you can configure your IDE to run the project directly using `dotnet run`.
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```json
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{
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"mcp": {
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"servers": {
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"mcpserver": {
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"type": "stdio",
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"command": "dnx",
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"args": [
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"<your package ID here>",
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"--version",
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"<your package version here>",
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"--yes"
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]
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}
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"servers": {
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"mcpserver": {
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"type": "stdio",
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"command": "dotnet",
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"args": [
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"run",
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"--project",
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"<PATH TO PROJECT DIRECTORY>"
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]
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}
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}
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}
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```
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Now you can ask Copilot Chat for a random number, for example, `Give me 3 random numbers`. It should prompt you to use the `get_random_number` tool on the `mcpserver` MCP server and show you the results.
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## Testing the MCP Server
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Once configured, you can ask Copilot Chat for a random number, for example, `Give me 3 random numbers`. It should prompt you to use the `get_random_number` tool on the `mcpserver` MCP server and show you the results.
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## Publishing to NuGet.org
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1. Run `dotnet pack -c Release` to create the NuGet package
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2. Publish to NuGet.org with `dotnet nuget push bin/Release/*.nupkg --api-key <your-api-key> --source https://api.nuget.org/v3/index.json`
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## Using the MCP Server from NuGet.org
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## Developing locally in VS Code
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Once the MCP server package is published to NuGet.org, you can configure it in your preferred IDE. Both VS Code and Visual Studio use the `dnx` command to download and install the MCP server package from NuGet.org.
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To test this MCP server from source code (locally) without using a built MCP server package, create a `.vscode/mcp.json` file (a VS Code workspace settings file) in your project directory and add the following configuration:
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- **VS Code**: Create a `<WORKSPACE DIRECTORY>/.vscode/mcp.json` file
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- **Visual Studio**: Create a `<SOLUTION DIRECTORY>\.mcp.json` file
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For both VS Code and Visual Studio, the configuration file uses the following server definition:
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```json
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{
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"servers": {
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"mcpserver": {
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"type": "stdio",
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"command": "dotnet",
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"command": "dnx",
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"args": [
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"run",
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"--project",
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"<RELATIVE PATH TO PROJECT DIRECTORY>"
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"<your package ID here>",
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"--version",
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"<your package version here>",
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"--yes"
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]
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}
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}
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}
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```
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Alternatively, you can configure your VS Code user settings to use your local project:
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## More information
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```json
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{
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"mcp": {
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"servers": {
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"mcpserver": {
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"type": "stdio",
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"command": "dotnet",
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"args": [
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"run",
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"--project",
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"<FULL PATH TO PROJECT DIRECTORY>"
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]
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}
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}
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}
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}
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```
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.NET MCP servers use the [ModelContextProtocol](https://www.nuget.org/packages/ModelContextProtocol) C# SDK. For more information about MCP:
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- [Official Documentation](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/)
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- [Protocol Specification](https://spec.modelcontextprotocol.io/)
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- [GitHub Organization](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol)
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Refer to the VS Code or Visual Studio documentation for more information on configuring and using MCP servers:
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- [Use MCP servers in VS Code (Preview)](https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/copilot/chat/mcp-servers)
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- [Use MCP servers in Visual Studio (Preview)](https://learn.microsoft.com/visualstudio/ide/mcp-servers)

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