Set up Visual Studio Code with Remote MCP

You can connect Visual Studio Code with the Atlan Remote MCP server to access Atlan metadata directly from your development environment. This enables you to search for assets, explore lineage, update metadata, create glossary terms, and more without leaving your code editor.

The fastest way to connect is the Atlan extension for VS Code, which signs you in, registers the Remote MCP server automatically, and adds an Atlan sidebar for browsing assets. The extension also works in Cursor and Windsurf via VSIX install.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

• An Atlan tenant with Remote MCP enabled.
• Visual Studio Code installed and updated to the latest version.

Set up Remote MCP Recommended models: GPT-5 series, Sonnet 4+, Gemini 2.5

Choose the setup method that fits your use case. Select the Atlan extension if you want a fast, one-click install with an in-editor asset sidebar. Choose Manual configuration if you can't install the extension or need API key authentication instead of OAuth.

Atlan extension

You can use the Atlan extension if you want the fastest, one-click setup with an in-editor asset sidebar. The extension registers Atlan's hosted MCP server with VS Code and signs you in via OAuth—no JSON editing required. After install, MCP-aware assistants like GitHub Copilot can use Atlan tools immediately.

1. Install the Atlan extension from the VS Code Marketplace, or open the Extensions view in VS Code (Cmd+Shift+X on macOS, Ctrl+Shift+X on Windows/Linux), search for Atlan, and click Install.

2. Click the Atlan icon in the Activity Bar to open the sidebar.

3. Sign in with your Atlan workspace when prompted. SSO is supported. To use an API key instead, open the Command Palette (Cmd+Shift+P or Ctrl+Shift+P) and run Atlan: Configure Connection (API Key). Generate the key under Admin Settings → API access → Tokens.

4. The extension registers the Atlan MCP server automatically on first activation. To re-register it later, run Atlan: Setup MCP Server from the Command Palette.

5. Open GitHub Copilot Chat (or any MCP-aware assistant) and trigger an Atlan tool, for example: "search Atlan for the customers table". For the full tool list, see Atlan MCP tools.

Manual (OAuth)

You can use manual configuration with OAuth if you prefer to add the MCP server JSON yourself. OAuth uses your Atlan login and permissions.

1. Open Visual Studio Code and press Cmd+Shift+P (macOS) or Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows/Linux) to open the Command Palette.

2. Search for and select:

   MCP: Open User Configuration

3. A file named mcp.json opens. Add the following configuration:

   {
     "servers": {
       "atlan-oauth": {
         "url": "https://mcp.atlan.com/mcp",
         "type": "http"
       }
     },
     "inputs": []
   }

4. Save the file and click the Start button for MCP in VS Code.

5. A login prompt appears to complete authentication. After login, VS Code connects to the Remote MCP server using your Atlan roles and permissions.

6. You can now use Atlan MCP tools directly in the VS Code chat interface. For more information, see the list of Atlan MCP tools.

Manual (API key)

You can use manual configuration with an API key if you want VS Code to connect using a static token for automation or service-to-service use cases.

1. In Atlan, generate an API key by going to Admin Settings → API access → Tokens.

2. Open Visual Studio Code and press Cmd+Shift+P (macOS) or Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows/Linux) to open the Command Palette.

3. Search for and select:

   MCP: Open User Configuration

4. A file named mcp.json opens. Add the following configuration:

   {
     "servers": {
       "atlan-api-key": {
         "url": "https://mcp.atlan.com/mcp/api-key",
         "type": "http",
         "headers": {
           "Authorization": "<your-api-key>"
         }
       }
     },
     "inputs": []
   }

5. Replace <your-api-key> with your actual API key.

6. Save the file and click the Start button for MCP in VS Code.

7. The server is ready with API key authentication, and VS Code connects to Atlan metadata through Remote MCP.

8. You can now use Atlan MCP tools directly in the VS Code chat interface. For more information, see the list of Atlan MCP tools.

Troubleshooting

• If you encounter authentication errors, verify that your API key is valid and has the necessary permissions.
• If OAuth authentication fails, try logging out and logging back in to refresh your session.
• If the extension doesn't register the MCP server, run Atlan: Setup MCP Server from the Command Palette.
• If you have any issues while configuring the integration, contact Atlan Support for assistance.

See also

• Atlan MCP tools