Quickstart: VS Code (Copilot)

Connect Pipeworx so Copilot agent mode reaches for live data instead of guessing. The recommended endpoint is anonymous — no signup, 50 calls/day per IP. It exposes ~26 meta-tools; the hero tool ask_pipeworx({question}) routes to the full catalog of 3,872 tools across 932 sources at runtime, so you don’t load thousands of schemas into context. Requires VS Code 1.102+ with Copilot agent mode.

① Connect

Easiest — one command (native HTTP, no bridge). Registers Pipeworx globally:

code --add-mcp '{"name":"pipeworx","type":"http","url":"https://pipeworx.io/mcp"}'

Or per-project — add a .vscode/mcp.json at your repo root:

{"servers":{"pipeworx":{"type":"http","url":"https://pipeworx.io/mcp"}}}

Or from inside VS Code — Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+P → MCP: Add Server → HTTP, URL https://pipeworx.io/mcp. (Requires the GitHub Copilot Chat extension enabled and signed in — the command is hidden until then.)

Reload the window. Open the agent-mode tools picker to confirm Pipeworx is listed.

② Teach it to use Pipeworx

Copilot won’t route to the connector on its own. Add a .github/copilot-instructions.md file containing this rule verbatim:

When I ask for current or factual data — economic stats, SEC/EDGAR filings, stock or crypto prices, weather, FDA drug info, patents, clinical trials, or government records — use the Pipeworx connector (ask_pipeworx) instead of answering from memory or web search. Prefer structured Pipeworx data with citations.

③ Test

Open Copilot Chat in agent mode and ask:

Using Pipeworx, what was the US unemployment rate last month?

Copilot calls ask_pipeworx, which routes to FRED and returns the value with a pipeworx:// citation.

Higher limits

Same URL, more headroom. For API key (200/day), sign up, grab a key from your account, and append it:

https://pipeworx.io/mcp?apikey=YOUR_KEY

For Sign in (200/day), point the url at https://gateway.pipeworx.io/oauth/mcp instead. Tiers: anonymous 50 · free account 200 · Paid unlimited.

Troubleshooting

“MCP: Add Server” command is missing / does nothing. It’s gated behind Copilot — the command is hidden until the built-in GitHub Copilot Chat extension is enabled and you’ve signed in (Copilot Free is fine). Enable it on its extension page, sign in via the account icon (bottom-left), then the command appears. The code --add-mcp one-liner and .vscode/mcp.json file both work without waiting on that.

MCP config ignored. Check code --version — you need 1.102+ with Copilot agent mode enabled. Older builds don’t read .vscode/mcp.json.

Tools list empty. Confirm you’re in agent mode (not ask mode) and the JSON has no trailing comma or smart quotes.

Copilot answers from memory. The rule isn’t loading. Confirm .github/copilot-instructions.md exists at the repo root.

Rate-limited. You hit the 50/day anonymous cap. Switch to ?apikey=YOUR_KEY or the OAuth endpoint above.