Connect GitHub Copilot to Apryse docs

Bring Apryse documentation into your Copilot workflows.

This guide explains how to connect GitHub Copilot to a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that exposes published Apryse docs. After configuring the connection, Copilot can access your documentation directly and use it to answer questions, retrieve information, and assist with documentation-related tasks.

Prerequisites

Before you start, make sure to:

• Obtain a GitHub account with access to a GitHub Copilot license. See GitHub's Copilot licensing details for more. If applicable, your organization may need to enable MCP policies for use.
• Install Visual Studio Code 1.101 or later. See Download Visual Studio Code.
• Install and set up GitHub Copilot in VS Code. For instructions, see the VS Code documentation.

Info: This guide uses GitHub Copilot in VS Code. Learn about other ways to use Copilot.

1. Add the MCP server

In this section, you'll add the MCP server using VS Code and verify the connection. For more, see Add and manage MCP servers in VS Code.

1

Go to View > Command Palette in VS Code.

2

Run MCP: Open User Configuration (or open your mcp.json file manually).

3

Add the following server entry and save your mcp.json file:

JSON

mcp.json

{
  "servers": {
    "apryse-docs": {
	  "type": "http",
	  "url": "https://docs.apryse.com/~gitbook/mcp"
    }
  }
}

• This configuration registers an MCP server named apryse-docs in Copilot.
• The url value specifies the MCP endpoint Copilot connects to when accessing the server's documentation and tools.
• Use the server's HTTP endpoint when configuring the connection. Configure the server using "type": "http". Don't use stdio or sse transport types.

4

To verify the server, open the Command Palette and run MCP: List Servers.

5

Select the apryse-docs MCP server from the list, then start the server.

Successful output:

Shell

2026-08-12 14:58:16.025 [info] Starting server apryse-docs
2026-08-12 14:58:16.025 [info] Connection state: Starting
2026-08-12 14:58:16.025 [info] Starting server from LocalProcess extension host
2026-08-12 14:58:16.026 [info] Connection state: Running
2026-08-12 14:58:18.510 [info] Discovered 4 tools

6

To verify the MCP server is available, open a new Copilot Chat and execute the following prompt:

Verify the MCP server

List the tools exposed by the apryse-docs MCP server.

Copilot may display a series of security prompts before accessing the MCP server. Review the requests, then grant access to the documentation.

Successful output:

## Apryse docs MCP tools

The `apryse-docs` MCP server exposes these tools:

- `getPage` — fetch the full markdown content of a specific Apryse documentation page by URL
- `searchDocumentation` — search the Apryse docs for relevant guides, examples, and API references
- `askQuestion` — ask a natural-language question and get a synthesized answer with source links
- `sendFeedback` — report documentation issues or gaps to the Apryse docs team

These are the four tools exposed by the server configuration described in the environment.

2. Try a sample prompt

Ask Copilot questions about the documentation content the MCP server exposes.

Build an implementation

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Build an implementation

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Generate a code sample

Show a code example for adding comment annotations using Apryse WebViewer.

3. Remove the MCP server

These steps are optional and remove the Apryse documentation MCP server.

1

In VS Code, go to Extensions > MCP Servers.

2

Select the MCP server you want to remove.

3

Click Uninstall.

The MCP server no longer appears in the MCP Servers view, and Copilot can no longer access its tools or resources.

Depending on how the server was added, you can also remove it directly from its user-level mcp.json configuration file, or from the .vscode/mcp.json workspace configuration. For more, see Add and manage MCP servers in VS Code.

Info: If a removed server still appears in Copilot Chat, start a new chat session or run Developer: Reload Window. Copilot may be referencing tools discovered earlier in the current chat session.

Troubleshooting

MCP commands are unavailable in the VS Code Command Pallete.

• Verify that you're using Visual Studio Code 1.101 or later.
• Verify that GitHub Copilot is installed and signed in.
• Verify that your GitHub account has access to GitHub Copilot.
• Check whether MCP access has been disabled by an organizational policy.

The MCP server doesn't appear or is disabled.

• Verify that the server URL is correct.
• Verify that your mcp.json file contains valid JSON and a valid server definition.
• Save the configuration and restart VS Code.
• Run MCP: List Servers again.
• Verify that MCP access is enabled in VS Code settings.
• If Chat > MCP: Access is marked Managed by organization, contact your administrator to enable MCP server access.

GitHub Copilot can't connect to the MCP server.

• Verify that the MCP server endpoint is reachable.
• Check for firewall, VPN, proxy, or network restrictions.
• Complete any required authentication or authorization prompts.
• Remove and re-add the MCP server configuration if the problem persists.

Copilot doesn't return the expected results.

• Verify that the information exists in the published documentation.
• Use more specific prompts.
• Ask Copilot to search the documentation directly instead of relying on general knowledge.
• Ask Copilot to list the tools exposed by the MCP server and verify that the expected tools are available.

MCP tools aren't available.

• Verify that the server is running and connected.
• Run MCP: List Servers and confirm the server status.
• Ask Copilot to list the tools exposed by the MCP server.
• Restart VS Code and reload the MCP configuration.

Next steps

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