Model Context Protocol (MCP) Tips and Best Practices

What is MCP?

The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is a protocol that enables AI models to communicate with development environments and tools. It allows AI assistants to gather context, execute commands, and make changes to codebases in a structured and secure way. MCP servers act as intermediaries between AI models and development environments, providing a standardized interface for interactions.

Setup Guide

Prerequisites

• Docker installed on your system
• GitHub Personal Access Token (PAT) with appropriate permissions
• VS Code with the necessary extensions

Basic Setup Steps

1. Environment Configuration

   • Set up your GitHub token as an environment variable:

     export GITHUB_TOKEN=your_token_here
     

2. Docker Image

   • The MCP server runs in a Docker container
   • The official image is available at: ghcr.io/github/github-mcp-server

3. VS Code Settings

   • Configure the MCP server in your VS Code settings.json
   • Basic configuration example:

     {
       "mcp": {
         "servers": {
           "github": {
             "command": "docker",
             "args": [
               "run",
               "-i",
               "--rm",
               "-e",
               "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN=${env:GITHUB_TOKEN}",
               "ghcr.io/github/github-mcp-server"
             ],
             "env": {
               "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "$GITHUB_TOKEN"
             }
           }
         }
       }
     }
     

Configuration Tips

Best Practices

1. Token Security

   • Never commit your GitHub token to version control
   • Use environment variables for sensitive information
   • Regularly rotate your PAT for security

2. Docker Configuration

   • Use the --rm flag to automatically remove containers after they stop
   • Consider using volume mounts for persistent data
   • Keep your Docker image updated to the latest version

3. VS Code Integration

   • Keep your VS Code and extensions updated
   • Configure logging levels appropriately
   • Use workspace-specific settings when needed

Troubleshooting

Common Issues and Solutions

1. Connection Issues

   • Verify Docker is running
   • Check if your GitHub token is valid and properly set
   • Ensure proper network connectivity to GitHub

2. Authentication Problems

   • Verify your PAT has the required scopes
   • Check environment variable configuration
   • Ensure the token hasn't expired

3. Docker-related Issues

   • Clear Docker cache if experiencing image problems
   • Check Docker logs for detailed error messages
   • Verify Docker has sufficient system resources

4. VS Code Integration Issues

   • Reset VS Code settings to default if needed
   • Check VS Code's extension logs
   • Verify MCP configuration syntax in settings.json

Debugging Tips

• Enable verbose logging in VS Code
• Check Docker container logs
• Verify environment variable availability
• Monitor system resource usage

Advanced Configuration

Custom Server Configuration

• Configure multiple MCP servers
• Set up custom environment variables
• Configure resource limits

Performance Optimization

• Configure caching settings
• Optimize Docker container resources
• Set appropriate timeout values

Additional Resources

• GitHub MCP Server Documentation
• VS Code Documentation
• Docker Documentation