VS Code Copilot MCP Setup

December 5, 2025 · View on GitHub

This guide explains how to use the MCP Aruba Email & Calendar Server with VS Code's Copilot MCP extension.

Prerequisites

VS Code installed
GitHub Copilot subscription (with MCP support)
MCP Aruba server installed (see README.md)

Step 1: Prerequisites

VS Code 1.102+ (MCP support is generally available from this version)
GitHub Copilot subscription with MCP support
Check VS Code MCP documentation for the latest information

Enable MCP in VS Code Settings

Open VS Code Settings (Cmd+, on macOS) and add:

"chat.mcp.enabled": true,
"chat.mcp.autostart": true

Or via Command Palette: Cmd+Shift+P → "Preferences: Open User Settings (JSON)"

Step 2: Install MCP Aruba Server

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/jackfioru92/mcp-aruba-email.git
cd mcp-aruba-email

# Create virtual environment
python -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate  # On Windows: .venv\Scripts\activate

# Install dependencies
pip install -e .

Step 3: Configure MCP Server for VS Code

Configuration File Location

Create the MCP configuration file in your workspace .vscode folder:

Workspace: <your-project>/.vscode/mcp.json

Or for global configuration:

macOS/Linux: ~/.vscode/mcp.json
Windows: %USERPROFILE%\.vscode\mcp.json

Configuration (IMPORTANT: Use `servers` not `mcpServers`)

{
  "servers": {
    "aruba-email": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "/full/path/to/mcp-aruba-email/.venv/bin/python",
      "args": ["-m", "mcp_aruba.server"],
      "env": {
        "IMAP_HOST": "imaps.aruba.it",
        "IMAP_PORT": "993",
        "IMAP_USERNAME": "your_email@aruba.it",
        "IMAP_PASSWORD": "your_password_here",
        "SMTP_HOST": "smtps.aruba.it",
        "SMTP_PORT": "465",
        "CALDAV_URL": "https://syncdav.aruba.it/calendars/your_email@aruba.it/",
        "CALDAV_USERNAME": "your_email@aruba.it",
        "CALDAV_PASSWORD": "your_password_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

⚠️ CRITICAL:

Use "servers" (NOT "mcpServers")
Include "type": "stdio"
These are required for VS Code to recognize the MCP server

Important:

Replace /full/path/to/mcp-aruba-email/ with your actual installation path
Replace your_email@aruba.it and your_password_here with your Aruba credentials

Example (macOS) - Workspace Configuration (Recommended)

# Create .vscode folder in your project
mkdir -p /path/to/your/project/.vscode

# Create configuration file
cat > /path/to/your/project/.vscode/mcp.json << 'EOF'
{
  "servers": {
    "aruba-email": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "/Users/yourusername/mcp-aruba-email/.venv/bin/python",
      "args": ["-m", "mcp_aruba.server"],
      "env": {
        "IMAP_HOST": "imaps.aruba.it",
        "IMAP_PORT": "993",
        "IMAP_USERNAME": "your_email@aruba.it",
        "IMAP_PASSWORD": "your_password",
        "SMTP_HOST": "smtps.aruba.it",
        "SMTP_PORT": "465",
        "CALDAV_URL": "https://syncdav.aruba.it/calendars/your_email@aruba.it/",
        "CALDAV_USERNAME": "your_email@aruba.it",
        "CALDAV_PASSWORD": "your_password"
      }
    }
  }
}
EOF

Step 4: Start the MCP Server

After creating the configuration file:

Reload VS Code Window:
- Press Cmd+Shift+P (macOS) or Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows/Linux)
- Type "Developer: Reload Window"
- Press Enter
Start the MCP Server:
- Press Cmd+Shift+P → "MCP: List Servers"
- You should see aruba-email in the list
- Click Start to start the server
Or enable autostart (recommended): Add to your VS Code settings:
```
"chat.mcp.autostart": true
```

Step 5: Verify MCP Server Connection

Open a new Copilot Chat (Cmd+Shift+I or click the Copilot icon)

Try one of these commands:

"List my last 5 emails"
"Show my calendar for today"

If the server is connected, Copilot will use the MCP tools to fetch your data.

Check Server Status

Cmd+Shift+P → "MCP: List Servers" - shows all configured servers
Look for the green indicator next to aruba-email
If there's an error, click "Show Output" to see logs

Available Tools

Once connected, Copilot will have access to 15 MCP tools:

Email Tools (7)

list_emails - List recent emails with optional sender filter
read_email - Read full email content by ID
search_emails - Search emails by subject/body with date filters
send_email - Send emails via SMTP with optional signature
check_bounced_emails - Check for delivery failure notifications
set_email_signature - Create custom email signature with photo
get_email_signature - Retrieve saved signature
list_email_signatures - List all saved signatures

Calendar Tools (6)

create_calendar_event - Create events with attendees
list_calendar_events - List upcoming events in date range
accept_calendar_event - Accept calendar invitations
decline_calendar_event - Decline calendar invitations
tentative_calendar_event - Respond "maybe" to invitations
delete_calendar_event - Remove events from calendar
tentative_calendar_event - Mark as tentative
delete_calendar_event - Delete events

Example Queries

Email Examples

Usage Examples

Email Examples

"Show me the last 5 emails"

"List emails from christopher.caponi@emotion-team.com"

"Search for emails about 'marketplace' from last week"

"Send an email to team@company.com with subject 'Meeting Notes'"

"Create an email signature with my name and company"

"Check if I have any bounced emails"

Calendar Examples

"What's on my calendar this week?"

"Create a team meeting for tomorrow at 2pm"

"Schedule a 1-hour meeting called 'Project Review' on December 10th at 3pm with john@example.com"

"Accept the calendar invitation for Friday's review"

"Decline the Monday meeting"

"Show me all my meetings next week"

Troubleshooting

Server Not Found in "MCP: List Servers"

Check configuration format - Must use "servers" not "mcpServers":

{
  "servers": {        // ✅ Correct
    "aruba-email": {
      "type": "stdio",  // ✅ Required
      ...
    }
  }
}

Check file location:
- Workspace: <project>/.vscode/mcp.json (recommended)
- Global: ~/.vscode/mcp.json
Reload VS Code: Cmd+Shift+P → "Developer: Reload Window"

Server Not Starting

Verify Python path exists:

ls /path/to/mcp-aruba-email/.venv/bin/python

Test server manually:

cd /path/to/mcp-aruba-email
source .venv/bin/activate
python -m mcp_aruba.server
# Should show: "Starting Aruba Email & Calendar MCP Server"

Check VS Code Output:
- Cmd+Shift+P → "MCP: List Servers" → Select server → "Show Output"
- Look for error messages

Authentication Errors

Verify email and password in mcp.json
Check for typos in credentials
Ensure no extra spaces in values
Test credentials with webmail: https://webmail.aruba.it

No Calendars Found

Enable CalDAV sync in Aruba Webmail:

Go to https://webmail.aruba.it
Navigate to Calendar section
Click "Sincronizza calendario" (Sync calendar)
Select calendars to sync

MCP Tools Not Available in Copilot

Verify MCP support:
- Check you have VS Code Insiders or latest stable with MCP support
- GitHub Copilot extension must support MCP
Check logs:
- Open Command Palette (Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + P)
- Type "Developer: Show Logs"
- Look for MCP connection errors
Restart completely:
- Quit VS Code completely
- Reopen VS Code
- Open a new Copilot chat

Alternative Setup Methods

Method 1: Use Full Python Path (Recommended)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "aruba-email": {
      "command": "/Users/username/mcp-aruba-email/.venv/bin/python",
      "args": ["-m", "mcp_aruba.server"],
      "env": { ... }
    }
  }
}

Method 2: Use python3 Command

Only works if mcp_aruba is installed globally:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "aruba-email": {
      "command": "python3",
      "args": ["-m", "mcp_aruba.server"],
      "env": { ... }
    }
  }
}

Security Notes

Configuration file ~/.vscode/mcp.json contains credentials in plain text
Ensure the file has appropriate permissions: chmod 600 ~/.vscode/mcp.json
Consider using environment variables or password managers
The MCP server runs locally and connects directly to Aruba servers
No data is sent to third parties

Additional Resources

Main README - Full project documentation
Claude Desktop Setup - For Claude Desktop app
Signature Examples - Email signature guide
Examples - Usage examples

Additional Resources

README.md - Main documentation
EXAMPLES.md - Usage examples
CLAUDE_SETUP.md - Claude Desktop setup
GitHub Repository

Support

If you encounter issues:

Check the troubleshooting section above
Review VS Code's Output panel (View → Output → Select "MCP")
Test the server independently: python test_connection.py and python test_calendar.py
Open an issue on GitHub

Security Best Practices

✅ Use Option A (.env file) to keep credentials separate
✅ Never commit mcp-settings.json with credentials to git
✅ Use strong, unique passwords
✅ Enable 2FA on your Aruba account if available
✅ Regularly rotate your credentials
✅ Review MCP server logs periodically

Tips

The MCP server runs locally and only connects directly to Aruba servers
All credentials stay on your machine
You can use the same server with both Claude Desktop and VS Code Copilot
Copilot will automatically choose the right tool based on your request
You can ask Copilot to explain what tools are available: "What MCP tools do you have access to?"

Enjoy using your Aruba email and calendar with AI assistance! 🚀