Bring Open Data
to VS Code Copilot
Create your Vinkius account to connect Data.gov to VS Code Copilot and start using all 13 AI tools in minutes. Fully managed, enterprise secure, and ready to use without writing a single line of code. No hosting, no server setup — just connect and start using.
GDPR Free for SubscribersCompatible with every major AI agent and IDE
Gemini
What is the Data.gov MCP Server?
Connect to Data.gov and explore the US government's open data catalog through natural conversation — no API key needed.
What you can do
- Dataset Search — Search 300,000+ federal datasets by keyword, organization, tags and topic
- Dataset Details — Get full metadata including descriptions, resource downloads, licenses and data dictionaries
- Browse Organizations — Explore all federal agencies publishing open data (NASA, USDA, EPA, NOAA, Census Bureau, etc.)
- Browse by Topic — Discover datasets organized by topic: agriculture, climate, education, health, finance, public safety
- Browse by Tags — Find datasets by popular tags and categories
- Resource Formats — Discover available download formats (CSV, JSON, XML, Shapefile, GeoJSON, PDF)
How it works
- Subscribe to this server
- No API key needed — all Data.gov data is public domain
- Start exploring federal open data from Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-compatible client
Who is this for?
- Researchers — find federal datasets for academic research and data analysis
- Journalists — discover government data for investigative reporting
- Developers — integrate federal open data into applications and visualizations
- Students — explore real government data for projects and assignments
Built-in capabilities (13)
gov dataset by its ID or name. Returns full description, organization, tags, resource list (downloadable files), metadata dates, license info and data dictionary. Get detailed info for a specific dataset
Returns group name, description, image URL and published datasets (optional). Common groups: "agriculture", "climate", "education", "health", "finance", "public-safety". Get details for a specific topic group
Returns dataset titles, descriptions, organizations and download links. Get all datasets in a specific topic group
gov. Returns organization name, description, contact info, image URL and published datasets (optional). Get details for a specific organization
Returns dataset titles, descriptions, resource counts and download links. Get all datasets published by an organization
gov API including total counts of datasets, organizations, groups and tags. Get Data.gov API status and statistics
Returns tag name, dataset count and associated datasets (up to 20). Get details for a specific tag
Returns dataset titles, descriptions, organizations and download links. Get all datasets with a specific tag
gov (e.g. agriculture, climate, education, health, finance). Returns group names, descriptions, image URLs and dataset counts. List all topic groups on Data.gov
gov. Returns organization names, descriptions, dataset counts, logos and contact info. List all organizations publishing data on Data.gov
). Useful for filtering datasets by preferred format. List all data formats available in Data.gov resources
gov datasets. Returns tag names, dataset counts and display names. Useful for discovering common topics and filtering searches. List all tags used to categorize datasets
gov catalog of US federal government open datasets. Supports free-text search and filtering by organization, tags, groups. Returns dataset titles, descriptions, organizations, resource counts, tags and download links. Sort options include "metadata_modified desc" (recent), "views_recent desc" (popular). Search US government open data datasets
Why VS Code Copilot?
GitHub Copilot Agent mode brings Data.gov data directly into your VS Code workflow. With a project-scoped config, the entire team shares access to 13 tools. Copilot queries live data, generates typed code, and writes tests from actual API responses, all without leaving the editor.
- —
VS Code is used by over 70% of developers. adding MCP tools to Copilot means your team can leverage external data without leaving their primary editor
- —
Project-scoped MCP configs (
.vscode/mcp.json) let you commit server configurations to your repository, ensuring the entire team shares the same tool access - —
Copilot's Agent mode integrates MCP tools seamlessly with file editing, terminal commands, and workspace search in a single agentic loop
- —
GitHub's enterprise compliance and audit features extend to MCP tool usage, providing visibility into how AI interacts with external services
Data.gov in VS Code Copilot
Why run Data.gov with Vinkius?
The Data.gov connection runs on our fully managed, secure cloud infrastructure. We handle the hosting, maintenance, and security so you don't have to deal with servers or code. All 13 tools are ready to work instantly without any complex setup.
You stay in complete control of your data. Your AI only accesses the information you approve, keeping your sensitive passwords and private details completely safe. Plus, with automatic optimizations, your AI works faster and more efficiently.
* Every connection is hosted and maintained by Vinkius. We handle the security, updates, and infrastructure so you don't have to write code or manage servers. See our infrastructure
Over 4,000 integrations ready for AI agents
Explore a vast library of pre-built integrations, optimized and ready to deploy.
Connect securely in under 30 seconds
Generate tokens to authenticate and link external services in a single step.
Complete visibility into every agent action
Audit live requests, latency, success rates, and active security compliance policies.
Optimize spending and track token ROI
Analyze real-time token consumption and cost metrics detailed by connection.
Explore our live AI Agents Analytics dashboard to see it all working
This dashboard is included when you connect Data.gov using Vinkius. You will never be left in the dark about what your AI agents are doing with your tools.
Data.gov and 4,000+ other AI tools. No hosting, no code, ready to use.
Professionals who connect Data.gov to VS Code Copilot through Vinkius don't need to write code, manage servers, or worry about security. Everything is pre-configured, secure, and runs automatically in the background.
Raw MCP | Vinkius | |
|---|---|---|
| Ready-to-use MCPs | Find and configure each manually | 4,000+ MCPs ready to use |
| Connection Setup | Manual coding & server setup | 1-click instant connection |
| Server Hosting | You host it yourself (needs 24/7 uptime) | 100% hosted & managed by Vinkius |
| Security & Privacy | Stored in plaintext config files | Bank-grade encrypted vault |
| Activity Visibility | Blind execution (no logs or tracking) | Live dashboard with real-time logs |
| Cost Control | Runaway AI token spend risk | Automatic budget limits |
| Revoking Access | Must delete files or code to stop | 1-click disconnect button |
How Vinkius secures
Data.gov for VS Code Copilot
Every request between VS Code Copilot and Data.gov is protected by our secure gateway. We automatically keep your sensitive data private, prevent unauthorized access, and let you disconnect instantly at any time.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an API key?
No! Data.gov data is public domain and freely accessible. No authentication required.
How many datasets are available?
Data.gov catalogs 300,000+ datasets from over 200 federal agencies including NASA, USDA, EPA, NOAA, Department of Education, Census Bureau and many more.
What organizations publish data?
Over 200 federal agencies including NASA, USDA, EPA, NOAA, Department of Education, Census Bureau, Department of Transportation, FBI, CDC, FDA and many more.
What formats are available?
Common formats: CSV, JSON, XML, Shapefile, GeoJSON, PDF, HTML, RDF, KML, ZIP. Use list_resource_formats to see all available formats.
Which VS Code version supports MCP?
MCP support requires VS Code 1.99 or later with the GitHub Copilot extension. Ensure both are updated to the latest version. Older versions of Copilot may not expose the Agent mode toggle.
How do I switch to Agent mode?
Open the Copilot Chat panel and look for two mode options: "Ask" and "Agent". Click "Agent" to enable autonomous tool calling. In Ask mode, Copilot provides conversational answers but cannot invoke MCP tools.
Can I restrict which MCP tools Copilot can access?
Yes. VS Code shows a tool consent dialog before any MCP tool is invoked for the first time. You can also configure tool access policies at the organization level through GitHub Copilot settings.
Does MCP work in VS Code Remote or Codespaces?
Yes. MCP servers configured via .vscode/mcp.json work in Remote SSH, WSL, and GitHub Codespaces environments. The MCP connection is established from the remote host, so ensure the server URL is accessible from that environment.
MCP tools not available
Ensure you are in Agent mode in Copilot Chat. MCP tools only appear in Agent mode.
Explore More MCP Servers
View all →
Dalil AI
6 toolsBuild AI assistants that understand Arabic natively and serve Middle Eastern markets with culturally aware conversational AI.
Bloomreach
10 toolsManage your marketing automation via Bloomreach — list catalogs, campaigns, and customer segments directly from any AI agent.
Cal.com
10 toolsManage your scheduling via Cal.com — track bookings, manage event types, and coordinate meetings directly from any AI agent.
Telegram Bot Alternative
12 toolsControl and manage your Telegram bots — send messages, photos, and audit chats via AI.