How to Use the CERN Open Data MCP in VS Code Copilot

Q: How do I configure VS Code Copilot for my team to access CERN Open Data?

Create a .vscode/mcp.json file in your project's root directory. Add the CERN Open Data MCP server configuration there and commit it to your Git repository. Every team member will automatically have the tools available in Copilot.

Equip your entire team to query CERN Open Data from within VS Code Copilot.

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Connect CERN Open Data MCP to VS Code Copilot

Create your Vinkius account to connect CERN Open Data to VS Code Copilot and route execution through our secure gateway. The platform manages server hosting, runtime updates, and security layers. Configuration requires no manual server provisioning.

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Setup CERN Open Data with VS Code Copilot

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Add this MCP server to your project's `.vscode/mcp.json` file and commit it. Now, every developer who clones the repo automatically gets the same set of tools in Copilot. No more "it works on my machine" issues with data access scripts. A new postdoc joins the team? They just open the project in VS Code and can immediately ask Copilot, "Find me the latest 13.6TeV data from ATLAS" using the pre-configured `search_datasets` tool. It dramatically cuts down on onboarding time.

Pull CERN documentation into your editor

Instead of hunting through a web portal, ask Copilot directly: "Find the guide on using CMS open data." It uses the `search_documentation` tool to find the right document and gives you a summary and link right in the chat. This also works for terminology. If your team needs to agree on a definition, anyone can ask Copilot "What does CERN define as 'transverse momentum'?" It will use `get_glossary` to provide the single, authoritative answer for everyone.

Build Reproducible Analyses with a VS Code MCP Server

Reproducibility is non-negotiable in physics. Use Copilot to find the exact configurations and supplementary materials for a published result. A prompt like "Find supplementaries for record 5900" uses `search_supplementaries` to get the necessary files. You can also use the `search_software` tool to find the correct analysis framework needed for that data. This MCP integration gives your team the tools to ensure your work can be verified and built upon, which is the whole point of open data.

Setup guide

Set up CERN Open Data MCP in VS Code Copilot

Prerequisites

VS Code 1.99 or later with GitHub Copilot extension
Active Vinkius subscription with a valid endpoint token

1

Open MCP configuration

Open the Command Palette (Cmd+Shift+P / Ctrl+Shift+P) and run "MCP: Add Server". Select HTTP (Streamable) as the server type. VS Code will create .vscode/mcp.json in your workspace.
2

Add the CERN Open Data MCP

Paste the JSON snippet shown on the right into your .vscode/mcp.json. Replace [YOUR_TOKEN_HERE] with your endpoint token from cloud.vinkius.com.
3

Switch to Agent mode

Open Copilot Chat (Cmd+Shift+I / Ctrl+Shift+I) and switch to Agent mode using the dropdown. MCP tools are only available in Agent mode — they do not appear in Edit or Ask modes.
4

Verify the connection

In the Copilot Chat input, type # to list available tools. You should see the CERN Open Data tools listed. Try asking: "List my recent CERN Open Data transactions" and Copilot will invoke them automatically.

.vscode/mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "cern-open-data-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp"
    }
  }
}

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Independent Platform Disclaimer: Vinkius is an independent platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, verified by, or otherwise authorized by CERN Open Data. All third-party trademarks, logos, and brand names are the property of their respective owners. Their use on this website is strictly for informational purposes to identify service compatibility and interoperability.

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Common questions about CERN Open Data MCP in VS Code Copilot

Create a `.vscode/mcp.json` file in your project's root directory. Add the CERN Open Data MCP server configuration there and commit it to your Git repository. Every team member will automatically have the tools available in Copilot.

Yes. Ask Copilot something like "Search for the CMSSW framework in the CERN Open Data software repository." It will use the `search_software` tool to find relevant software tools and frameworks.

It is. You can ask Copilot to "Find supplementary materials for analysis X in CERN Open Data." It will use the `search_supplementaries` tool to locate the configurations you need to reproduce a result.

It brings the data discovery process into your editor, right next to your code. It's faster, keeps you in context, and with a shared config, ensures your whole team is using the same tools and finding the same data.

Only the specific tool calls made by Copilot are sent. This includes public data like search queries or record IDs. Your team's proprietary code and anything else in your editor is not transmitted to the MCP server.

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