Overview of Model Context Protocol (MCP)
The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard that defines how applications share context with large language models (LLMs). MCP provides a standardized way to connect AI models to different data sources and tools, enabling them to work together more effectively.
You can use MCP to extend the capabilities of Copilot Chat by integrating it with a wide range of existing tools and services. For example, the GitHub MCP server allows you to use Copilot Chat in your IDE to perform tasks on GitHub. You can also use MCP to create new tools and services that work with Copilot Chat, allowing you to customize and enhance your experience.
For more information on MCP, see the official MCP documentation. For information on currently available MCP servers, see the MCP servers repository.
To learn how to configure and use MCP servers with Copilot Chat, see MCP(모델 컨텍스트 프로토콜)를 사용하여 Copilot Chat 확장.
엔터프라이즈 및 조직에서는 소속 구성원의 MCP 사용 여부를 선택할 수 있습니다. 엔터프라이즈에서 Copilot Business에 대한 정책과 기능 관리하기을(를) 참조하세요. MCP 정책은 정책을 구성하는 조직이나 엔터프라이즈의 Copilot Business 또는 Copilot Enterprise 구독이 있는 사용자에게만 적용됩니다. Copilot Free이나 Copilot Pro 또는 Copilot Pro(프로)+의 경우, 이 정책을 통해 제어되는 MCP 액세스 권한이 없습니다.
About the GitHub MCP server
The GitHub MCP server is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server provided and maintained by GitHub.
GitHub MCP server can be used to:
- Automate and streamline code-related tasks.
- Connect third-party tools (like Cursor, Windsurf, or future integrations) to leverage GitHub’s context and AI capabilities.
- Enable cloud-based workflows that work from any device, without local setup.
- Invoke GitHub tools, such as Copilot 코딩 에이전트 (requires GitHub Copilot subscription) and code scanning (requires GitHub Advanced Security subscription), to assist with code generation and security analysis.
For all public repositories, and private repositories covered by GitHub Advanced Security, interactions with the GitHub MCP server are secured by push protection, which blocks secrets from being included in AI-generated responses and prevents you from exposing secrets through any actions you perform using the server, such as creating an issue. See 푸시 보호 및 GitHub MCP 서버 작업.
You can access the GitHub MCP server remotely through Copilot Chat in GitHub, Visual Studio Code, or other editors that support remote MCP; or you can run it locally in any MCP-compatible editor, allowing you to choose between the convenience of a hosted solution or the customizability of a self-hosted setup.
If you want to utilize the remote GitHub MCP server, you can do so in a few steps, without any local setup. This is particularly useful for users who want to quickly leverage GitHub’s AI capabilities without the overhead of managing a local MCP server.
Running the GitHub MCP server locally requires a bit more setup, but it allows for greater customization and control over your AI interactions.
To learn how to set up and use the GitHub MCP server, see GitHub MCP 서버 사용.
Availability
There is currently broad support for local MCP servers in clients such as Visual Studio Code, JetBrains IDEs, XCode, and others.
Support for remote MCP servers is growing, with editors like Visual Studio Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains IDEs, Xcode, Eclipse, and Cursor providing this functionality with OAuth or PAT, and Windsurf supporting PAT only.
To find out if your preferred editor supports remote MCP servers, check the documentation for your specific editor.