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How to add MCP AI Server for Visual Studio to Claude Desktop

Give AI assistants Roslyn semantic analysis and the Visual Studio Debugger via MCP — 41 tools. Paste the config into ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json and restart Claude Desktop.

Last updated June 14, 2026 · 34★ · http · no auth

Claude Desktop config for MCP AI Server for Visual Studio

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mcp-ai-server-for-visual-studio": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "mcp-remote",
        "http://localhost:3010/sdk/"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Claude Desktop connects to remote servers through the `mcp-remote` proxy (installed on first run via npx). Restart Claude Desktop after saving.

Setup steps

  1. 1Open Claude Desktop → Settings → Developer → Edit Config (this opens ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json).
  2. 2Paste the MCP AI Server for Visual Studio config below under the top-level "mcpServers" key.
  3. 3Fill in any placeholder secrets (API keys, paths) in the snippet.
  4. 4Save the file, then fully quit and reopen Claude Desktop.
  5. 5Open a chat and confirm MCP AI Server for Visual Studio's tools appear under the 🔌 tools menu.

Before you start

  • Visual Studio 2022 (17.13+) or Visual Studio 2026
  • Windows (amd64 or arm64)
  • The MCP AI Server extension installed from the Visual Studio Marketplace
  • An open .NET solution in Visual Studio
  • Any MCP-compatible AI client
  • npx (Node.js) — only if connecting via the mcp-remote proxy from a client without native HTTP support

What MCP AI Server for Visual Studio can do in Claude Desktop

FindSymbols

Find classes, methods, properties by name — semantic, not text matching.

FindSymbolDefinition

Go to definition (F12 equivalent).

FindSymbolUsages

Find all references, compiler-verified (Shift+F12 equivalent).

GetSymbolAtLocation

Identify the symbol at a specific line and column.

GetDocumentOutline

Semantic structure of a document: classes, methods, properties, fields.

GetInheritance

Full type hierarchy: base types, derived types, interfaces.

GetMethodCallers

Which methods call this method (call graph, upward).

GetMethodCalls

Which methods this method calls (call graph, downward).

Security

The server binds to localhost only and requires no authentication, so any local process can reach it on the configured port. It exposes powerful capabilities — running builds/tests, executing immediate-window expressions with side effects (immediate_execute), and driving the debugger — against your open solution. Only enable it on machines you trust, and disable tool groups you do not need in MCP Server Settings.

MCP AI Server for Visual Studio + Claude Desktop FAQ

Where is the Claude Desktop config file?

Claude Desktop reads MCP servers from ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json. Paste the MCP AI Server for Visual Studio config there under the "mcpServers" key and restart the client.

Is MCP AI Server for Visual Studio safe to use with Claude Desktop?

The server binds to localhost only and requires no authentication, so any local process can reach it on the configured port. It exposes powerful capabilities — running builds/tests, executing immediate-window expressions with side effects (immediate_execute), and driving the debugger — against your open solution. Only enable it on machines you trust, and disable tool groups you do not need in MCP Server Settings.

How do I install it?

Install the 'MCP AI Server' extension from the Visual Studio Marketplace (itemName LadislavSopko.mcpserverforvs), or search for 'MCP AI Server' in the Visual Studio Extensions Manager. It is free.

How does my AI client connect?

Open your .NET solution in Visual Studio, confirm the port in Tools > MCP Server Settings, and add an HTTP MCP server pointing at http://localhost:3010/sdk/. Clients without native HTTP support can connect through the mcp-remote proxy (npx -y mcp-remote http://localhost:3010/sdk/).

Which AI tools are supported?

Any MCP-compatible client — including Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, VS Code + Copilot, Cline, Continue, Gemini CLI, OpenAI Codex CLI, Goose, OpenCode, and Aider.

View repo Full MCP AI Server for Visual Studio page