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Overview

With SSE transport, you receive updates and responses from Elitea agents as they happen, making your workflows more interactive and efficient. Whether you’re using Visual Studio Code or another MCP client, this guide will walk you through connecting and making the most of Elitea’s MCP Server capabilities.

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What is the MCP Protocol?

The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard designed to enable seamless communication between AI-powered tools, agents, and client applications. By following the MCP protocol, different systems can exchange context, tasks, and results in a consistent and interoperable way. MCP is widely adopted in the AI ecosystem, making it easier to integrate various tools and platforms—like Elitea—with your favorite development environments and assistants. To learn more about the technical details and capabilities of MCP, visit the official documentation: MCP Protocol.

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Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following:
  • MCP Server Endpoint
    Your project’s MCP Server URL in the format:     
    https://your-elitea-server.com/app/PROJECT_ID/mcp
    Find your endpoint in Elitea → Settings → AI Configuration.
  • Authentication Token
    A personal access token from Elitea → Settings → Personal Tokens. Copy and store it securely as it will only be shown once.
  • VS Code Requirements
    • VS Code version 1.99 or later
    • chat.mcp.enabled setting turned on (enabled by default)
    • GitHub Copilot subscription with Agent mode enabled
Only MCP clients that support custom HTTP headers (specifically Authorization: Bearer [TOKEN]) can connect to Elitea’s SSE MCP Server. VS Code is currently the primary supported client.

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How to Connect to ELITEA MCP Server

You can add and configure an Elitea MCP Server in VS Code using either Workspace or User settings. This flexibility allows you to share configurations with your team or keep them global for all your projects.

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Step-by-Step Setup

  1. Open Your Project
    Launch VS Code and open the project or workspace where you want to use the Elitea MCP Server.
  2. Open GitHub Copilot Chat
    Access the Copilot Chat panel in VS Code.
  3. Switch to Agent Mode
    In Copilot Chat, select Agent mode.
  4. Select Tools
    Click the Select Tools icon.
  5. Add MCP Server
    • Click Add More Tools.
    • Choose + Add MCP Server.
    • Select HTTP (Server Sent Events).
    • Enter your Server URL (e.g., https://next.elitea.ai/app/PROJECT_ID/mcp).
    • Enter a Server ID (use the default generated one or provide a descriptive name).
  6. Choose Configuration Scope
    You can save your MCP server configuration in either:
    • Workspace Settings (shared with your team, local to the project)
    • User Settings (applies globally to all VS Code workspaces)
Add MCP Server

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Option 1: Workspace Settings

If you choose Workspace Settings, VS Code will create a .vscode/mcp.json file in your project. This MCP server will only be available within this workspace.
  1. Open .vscode/mcp.json
    Navigate to the file in your workspace and open it.
  2. Add Your Token
    Add the "headers" section to your server configuration exactly as shown below. Make sure to keep the word Bearer (with a space after it) and replace [Your Token] with your actual authentication token. Do not remove Bearer—it is required for authorization to work correctly.     
    "headers": {
    "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_TOKEN_HERE"
}
    !!! example “Example” if your token is abc123, it should look like: 
    "headers": {
    "Authorization": "Bearer abc123"
}
  3. Save and Start
    Save the file, then click the Start button in the json file to activate the server.     Add Token to mcp.json
If you are using VS Code version 1.100.1 or higher, you’ll also need to manually add "type": "sse" to your configuration file, as shown below:
"type": "sse",
"url": "https://next.elitea.ai/app/1/mcp",
"headers": {
    "Authorization": "Bearer abc123"
}

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Option 2: User Settings

If you choose User Settings, VS Code will create a global mcp.json file in your user configuration directory (%APPDATA%\Code\User\mcp.json on Windows). This MCP server will be available globally for all your projects and workspaces in VS Code.
  1. Open Global mcp.json
    Navigate to your global mcp.json file in VS Code (typically located at %APPDATA%\Code\User\mcp.json).
  2. Add Your Token
    Add the "headers" section to your server configuration exactly as shown below. Make sure to keep the word Bearer (with a space after it) and replace [Your Token] with your actual authentication token. Do not remove Bearer—it is required for authorization to work correctly.     
    "headers": {
    "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_TOKEN_HERE"
}
    !!! example “Example” if your token is abc123, it should look like: 
    "headers": {
    "Authorization": "Bearer abc123"
}
  3. Save and Start
    Save the file, then click the Start button in the mcp.json file to activate the server.     Add Token to mcp.json
If you are using VS Code version 1.100.1 or higher, you’ll also need to manually add "type": "sse" to your configuration file, as shown below:
"type": "sse",
"url": "https://next.elitea.ai/app/1/mcp",
"headers": {
    "Authorization": "Bearer abc123"
}
You can add as many MCP servers as you need. For example, if you have several Elitea projects and want to use different agents from each, simply repeat the above steps for each server—regardless of whether you use workspace or user settings.

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Using Elitea Agents as MCP Tools

To use Elitea agents, pipelines, and toolkit tools in VS Code via MCP, they must be made available through MCP in Elitea.
Note: If you add or update agents/pipelines with the mcp tag, or enable toolkit tools for MCP after starting your MCP server, restart the server to sync and make them available as tools.

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Tagging Agents and Pipelines

  1. In the Elitea web interface, tag your agents or pipelines with mcp. Tag agent as mcp
  2. Only tagged agents and pipelines will be synced and available as tools in VS Code.
  • Only the “latest” version of each agent or pipeline tagged with mcp will be pulled and used. If you have multiple versions of the same agent/pipeline, ensure the version you want to use is the “latest”.
  • If you have several agents with the same name, only one will be fetched and shown in VS Code. Please consider renaming your agents with unique names if you need them all to be fetched and used.

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Making Toolkit Tools Available by MCP

Besides agents and pipelines, you can also expose selected toolkit tools through the MCP interface.
  1. When creating or editing a toolkit in Elitea, navigate to the TOOLS section.
  2. Select the Make tools available by MCP checkbox to enable MCP access for the selected tools. Make tools available by MCP
Only the tools you select in your toolkit configuration are exposed via MCP and made available in VS Code; they appear alongside your tagged agents and pipelines in the MCP client’s tool list.
For detailed instructions on making toolkit tools available by MCP, including security considerations and testing procedures, see Make Tools Available by MCP.

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Using MCP Tools in Agent Mode

Once your MCP server is connected and your agents, pipelines, and toolkit tools are made available:
  1. Open GitHub Copilot Chat
    Open the Copilot Chat panel in VS Code.
  2. Switch to Agent Mode
    In the chat mode selector, choose Agent mode.
  3. Select Tools
    Click the Select Tools icon in the chat interface.
  4. Choose Your Tools
    • All synced tools (tagged with mcp) will appear in the list.
    • By default, all are selected. You can search, select, or deselect tools as needed.
    MCP tools list
  5. Reference Tools in Chat
    • In the chat input, write your instructions. You can reference a tool directly by typing # followed by the tool name (e.g., #my_agent).
    • Copilot will automatically suggest matching tools as you type.
    • Copilot can also intelligently select and invoke appropriate tools based on your request.
  6. Confirm and Execute the Tool
    • When Copilot proposes to use a tool, it will show the tool call with parameters.
    • You’ll be asked to confirm the tool execution for security.
    • Click Aloww to proceed with running the tool.
  7. Configure Auto-Confirm (Optional)
    • Use the Allow button dropdown to configure auto-confirm preferences if desired.
    • Options include: current session only, this workspace, or always auto-confirm. alt text
  8. Review Output
    • After execution, review the tool’s output in the chat.
    • Use the results to continue your workflow or refine your request.
Run tool
You can reference any available tool in your prompt by typing # and the tool name. This works in all chat modes (ask, edit, and agent mode).

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Use Cases

Here are practical examples demonstrating how to use Elitea MCP tools in your daily workflow:
Scenario: You want to improve the acceptance criteria of a Jira User Story using the BA Assistant agent.
  1. Select the BA Assistant Tool
    • Open GitHub Copilot Chat in Agent mode
    • Click Select Tools and ensure BA Assistant is selected from your MCP server
  2. Request Enhancement
    In the chat, reference the tool and provide your instruction:     
    #BA Assistant
Show me the scope of PLAN-3012 user story. Enhance ACs.
  3. Review and Confirm
    • Copilot will propose using the BA Assistant tool to retrieve and enhance the user story
    • Click Allow to confirm the tool execution
    • The agent will fetch the Jira ticket, analyze it, and present enhanced acceptance criteria
  4. Save Results
    • Copilot will offer to save the enhanced user story as a file (e.g., PLAN-3012_enhanced.md)
    • Confirm to save it to your workspace
Scenario: You need to analyze a Confluence page and extract key information for a technical specification.
  1. Select the Content Analyzer Tool
    • Open GitHub Copilot Chat in Agent mode
    • Click Select Tools and choose Content Analyzer from your Elitea MCP server
  2. Request Analysis
    In the chat, provide your instruction:     
    #Content Analyzer
Analyze the API documentation page in Confluence space "TECH" titled "REST API v2 Specification". 
Extract all endpoint definitions and create a summary table.
  3. Confirm and Execute
    • Review the tool call parameters
    • Click Allow to run the analysis
    • The tool will fetch the Confluence page and extract structured information
  4. Use Results
    • Review the generated summary table
    • Ask Copilot to save it as a markdown file or incorporate it into your documentation
Scenario: You want to retrieve test case details from QTest and update their execution status.
  1. Select QTest Tools
    • Open GitHub Copilot Chat in Agent mode
    • Click Select Tools and enable QTest toolkit tools from your MCP server
  2. Retrieve Test Case
    In the chat, request test case information:     
    #Get test case
Get details for test case TC-12345 from QTest project "Mobile App Testing"
  3. Review and Update
    • Copilot will show the test case details including steps, expected results, and current status
    • Click Allow to confirm
    • Request an update if needed:
    Update the execution status to "Passed" and add a comment: "All scenarios verified successfully in build 2.3.1"
  4. Confirm Changes
    • Review the proposed update
    • Click Allow to apply changes to QTest
    • Verify the update was successful

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Troubleshooting

Problem: MCP tools (agents, pipelines, or toolkit tools) don’t appear in the VS Code tool list after connecting the MCP server.Solution:
  1. Check MCP Tag: Ensure your agents and pipelines in Elitea are tagged with mcp. Only tagged items will sync and appear as tools in VS Code.
  2. Check Toolkit MCP Checkbox: For toolkit tools, verify that the “Make tools available by MCP” checkbox is enabled in the toolkit’s TOOLS section.
  3. Restart the Server: If you add or update tags or enable MCP for toolkit tools after starting the MCP server, restart the server to sync the changes:
    • In VS Code, go to the MCP server list
    • Click the Stop button for your Elitea MCP server
    • Click the Start button to restart it
  4. Scope of MCP Server: Verify whether your MCP server is configured for the correct scope (User or Workspace). Sometimes, tools may not appear if the configuration is not in the expected location.
  5. Check Server Status: Ensure the MCP server shows as “Running” in VS Code. If it shows an error status, check the server logs for details.
Problem: Connection fails with authentication errors or “401 Unauthorized” messages.Solution:
  1. Correct Token: Double-check that you have copied and pasted the correct authentication token into your configuration. Tokens are case-sensitive and should not have extra spaces.
  2. Token Expiry: Ensure your token has not expired. Check the token’s expiration date in Elitea Settings under Personal Tokens.
  3. Token Placement: Verify the token is added under the "headers" section in your MCP server configuration with the exact format: 
    "headers": {
    "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_TOKEN_HERE"
}
  4. Bearer Prefix: Ensure the word “Bearer” (with a capital B and a space after it) appears before your token. Do not include extra colons or quotes around “Bearer”.
  5. Generate New Token: If the issue persists, generate a new token in Elitea and update your configuration.
Problem: VS Code shows error indicators for the MCP server or fails to connect.Solution:
  1. Check Error Indicator: If VS Code encounters an issue with an MCP server, an error indicator will appear in the Chat view. MCP Server Error
  2. View Server Logs:
    • Select the error notification in the Chat view
    • Choose Show Output to view detailed server logs
    • Look for specific error messages that indicate the root cause MCP Server Error Output
  3. Command Palette Access: Alternatively, run MCP: List Servers from the Command Palette, select your Elitea server, and choose Show Output for troubleshooting details.
  4. Verify Server URL: Ensure your server URL is correctly formatted:
    • Should be: https://your-elitea-server.com/app/PROJECT_ID/mcp
    • Should NOT include extra paths or trailing slashes
  5. Check VS Code Version: Verify you’re using VS Code 1.99 or later with chat.mcp.enabled setting turned on.
Problem: MCP server configuration not loading or showing syntax errors.Solution:
  1. Validate JSON Syntax: Ensure your mcp.json file contains valid JSON. Common issues include:
    • Missing commas between properties
    • Extra commas after the last property
    • Mismatched quotes or brackets
    • Incorrect escape characters
  2. Check File Location:
    • Workspace: .vscode/mcp.json in your project root
    • User/Global: %APPDATA%\Code\User\mcp.json (Windows) or ~/.config/Code/User/mcp.json (Linux/Mac)
  3. Verify Type Property: For VS Code 1.100.1 or higher, ensure you have "type": "sse" in your configuration: 
    {
    "servers": {
        "Elitea-mcp-server": {
            "type": "sse",
            "url": "https://next.elitea.ai/app/1/mcp",
            "headers": {
                "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_TOKEN"
            }
        }
    }
}
  4. Reload VS Code: After making configuration changes, reload VS Code window (Command Palette → “Developer: Reload Window”).
Problem: MCP server fails to connect due to network-related errors.Solution:
  1. Check Internet Connection: Ensure your internet connection is stable and active.
  2. Firewall and Proxy Settings:
    • Verify that your firewall is not blocking the MCP server URL
    • If behind a corporate proxy, ensure VS Code proxy settings are configured correctly
    • Check that SSE (Server-Sent Events) connections are allowed through your firewall
  3. VPN Considerations: If using a VPN, try connecting with and without it to identify if the VPN is causing issues.
  4. Test Server Accessibility: Open the MCP server URL in a web browser to verify it’s accessible from your network.
  5. SSL/TLS Issues: Ensure your system trusts the SSL certificate of your Elitea server. Self-signed certificates may cause connection failures.
Problem: MCP tools appear in the list but don’t execute or hang when invoked.Solution:
  1. Check Tool Selection: Ensure the tool is selected (checked) in the Select Tools menu before trying to use it.
  2. Verify Agent Mode: Confirm you’re in Agent mode in GitHub Copilot Chat. MCP tools only work in Agent mode.
  3. Review Tool Parameters: Some tools may hang if required parameters are missing or invalid. Check the tool call preview before clicking Allow.
  4. Server Timeout: If tools consistently timeout, check the Elitea server logs for performance issues or rate limiting.
  5. Restart Server and VS Code: Try restarting both the MCP server and VS Code completely.
Problem: Issues when multiple MCP servers are configured.Solution:
  1. Verify Active Server: Use MCP: List Servers from Command Palette to see all configured servers and their status.
  2. Check Server Names: Ensure each MCP server has a unique name/ID to avoid conflicts.
  3. Scope Conflicts: If you have the same server configured in both User and Workspace settings, the Workspace setting takes precedence.
  4. Disable Unused Servers: Stop or remove MCP servers you’re not currently using to simplify troubleshooting.

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Support Contact

If you encounter issues not covered in this guide or need additional assistance with MCP Server integration, please refer to Contact Support for detailed information on how to reach the ELITEA Support Team. Email: SupportAlita@epam.com

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FAQ

Workspace configuration (.vscode/mcp.json) is project-specific and can be shared with your team via version control. It only works when you open that specific workspace.User/Global configuration (%APPDATA%\Code\User\mcp.json) applies to all VS Code workspaces on your machine and is not shared with others. It’s ideal for personal tokens and servers you use across multiple projects.Which should I use?
  • Use Workspace if you want team members to have the same MCP servers configured (they’ll need to add their own tokens)
  • Use User for personal MCP servers or when working across multiple projects with the same Elitea instance
Yes, you can use the same Elitea personal token in both configurations. However, for security reasons, it’s recommended to:
  • Store the token in Secrets in Elitea
  • Use different tokens for different environments (development vs. production)
  • Regularly rotate tokens and update configurations accordingly
Only the “latest” version of each agent or pipeline tagged with mcp will be pulled and used in VS Code. If you have multiple versions:
  1. Ensure the version you want to use is marked as “latest” in Elitea
  2. If you have multiple agents/pipelines with the same name, only one will be fetched
  3. Consider renaming agents with unique names if you need multiple versions accessible via MCP
No, MCP tools can only be invoked in Agent mode in GitHub Copilot Chat. However, you can reference tools in all chat modes (ask, edit, agent) by typing # followed by the tool name, but the actual execution requires Agent mode.
The MCP server caches the list of available tools when it starts. When you add new tags (mcp) to agents/pipelines or enable toolkit tools for MCP, the server needs to be restarted to:
  1. Re-scan the Elitea project for MCP-tagged items
  2. Refresh its internal tool registry
  3. Make newly tagged items available in VS Code’s tool list
Simply stop and start the server from VS Code’s MCP server list to sync the changes.
Agents are AI assistants with specific instructions and capabilities that can be invoked as tools via MCP. They can use toolkits and perform complex reasoning.Pipelines are multi-step workflows that chain together agents and other operations. They can also be exposed as MCP tools when tagged.Toolkit Tools are individual functions from integrated services (like Jira, Confluence, QTest) that can be made available directly through MCP by enabling the “Make tools available by MCP” checkbox.All three types appear in the same MCP tool list in VS Code and can be used interchangeably in your workflows.
There’s no hard limit on the number of MCP servers you can configure. You can add multiple Elitea MCP servers (for different projects), as well as other MCP servers from different providers. Each server appears separately in the tools list, grouped by server name.Best practice: Give each server a descriptive name (e.g., “Elitea-Production”, “Elitea-Development”) to easily identify them in the tool selection menu.
Yes, you need an active GitHub Copilot subscription to use MCP tools in VS Code. The MCP integration works through GitHub Copilot’s Agent mode, which is a Copilot feature. Without Copilot, you won’t be able to access the MCP tool interface in VS Code.
Yes! When configuring a toolkit in Elitea, you can selectively enable the “Make tools available by MCP” checkbox for specific toolkits. Only the tools you’ve selected in that toolkit will be exposed through MCP. This allows you to:
  1. Limit exposure of sensitive operations
  2. Keep the MCP tool list focused and manageable
  3. Follow the principle of least privilege
For more details, see Make Tools Available by MCP.
When your Elitea personal token expires:
  1. Go to Elitea → Settings → Personal Tokens
  2. Generate a new token with an appropriate expiration date
  3. Update your mcp.json file with the new token in the "Authorization": "Bearer NEW_TOKEN" field
  4. Save the file
  5. Restart the MCP server in VS Code
Tip: Set token expiration dates based on your security policies, and consider calendar reminders to rotate tokens before they expire.
The Allow button dropdown provides flexibility in how you want to handle tool execution confirmations:
  • Current session only: Auto-confirms for this VS Code session only (until you close VS Code)
  • This workspace: Auto-confirms whenever you’re working in this specific project/workspace
  • Always auto-confirm: Auto-confirms for all workspaces and sessions
Security recommendation: Use “Current session only” or “This workspace” for better security control, especially when working with tools that modify data (like creating issues or updating tickets).
For further reading and to deepen your understanding of Elitea MCP Server integration and related technologies, explore the following resources: