Bring Postgres
to VS Code Copilot
Learn how to connect ElectricSQL (Sync Engine) to VS Code Copilot and start using 2 AI agent tools in minutes. Fully managed, enterprise secure, and ready to use without writing a single line of code.
GDPR Free for SubscribersCompatible with every major AI agent and IDE
Gemini
What is the ElectricSQL (Sync Engine) MCP Server?
Connect your ElectricSQL sync engine to any AI agent to stream data directly from Postgres into your conversation context. This server leverages the Electric HTTP Sync API to fetch 'shapes' of data efficiently.
What you can do
- Real-time Sync — Fetch data from Postgres tables with support for initial snapshots and incremental updates using log offsets.
- Shape Management — Define specific subsets of data (shapes) using SQL-like WHERE clauses and precise column selection.
- Live Streaming — Enable long-polling or Server-Sent Events (SSE) to keep your agent updated as data changes in the database.
- Complex Filtering — Use POST-based subset snapshots to handle complex WHERE clauses without hitting URL length limits.
- Pagination & Limits — Efficiently browse large datasets with built-in limit, offset_rows, and order_by support.
How it works
- Subscribe to this server
- Provide your Electric Service URL (e.g., your local or cloud Electric endpoint)
- Start querying your Postgres data directly from Claude, Cursor, or any MCP client
Who is this for?
- Developers — build AI-powered tools that need live access to application data without complex backend plumbing.
- Data Engineers — inspect and sync specific database 'shapes' for analysis or debugging via natural language.
- Product Teams — monitor real-time system state or user activity directly within the AI chat interface.
Built-in capabilities (2)
Use offset=-1 for initial sync. Sync a shape of data out of Postgres via GET
Sync a shape of data out of Postgres via POST (Subset Snapshots)
Why VS Code Copilot?
GitHub Copilot Agent mode brings ElectricSQL (Sync Engine) data directly into your VS Code workflow. With a project-scoped config, the entire team shares access to 2 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
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GitHub's enterprise compliance and audit features extend to MCP tool usage, providing visibility into how AI interacts with external services
ElectricSQL (Sync Engine) in VS Code Copilot
ElectricSQL (Sync Engine) and 4,000+ other MCP servers. One platform. One governance layer.
Teams that connect ElectricSQL (Sync Engine) to VS Code Copilot through Vinkius don't need to source, host, or maintain individual MCP servers. Every tool call runs inside a hardened runtime with credential isolation, DLP, and a signed audit chain.
Raw MCP | Vinkius | |
|---|---|---|
| Server catalog | Find and host yourself | 4,000+ managed |
| Infrastructure | Self-hosted | Sandboxed V8 isolates |
| Credential handling | Plaintext in config | Vault + runtime injection |
| Data loss prevention | None | Configurable DLP policies |
| Kill switch | None | Global instant shutdown |
| Financial circuit breakers | None | Per-server limits + alerts |
| Audit trail | None | Ed25519 signed logs |
| SIEM log streaming | None | Splunk, Datadog, Webhook |
| Honeytokens | None | Canary alerts on leak |
| Custom domains | Not applicable | DNS challenge verified |
| GDPR compliance | Manual effort | Automated purge + export |
Why teams choose Vinkius for ElectricSQL (Sync Engine) in VS Code Copilot
The ElectricSQL (Sync Engine) MCP Server runs on Vinkius-managed infrastructure inside AWS — a purpose-built runtime with per-request V8 isolates, Ed25519 signed audit chains, and sub-40ms cold starts. All 2 tools execute in hardened sandboxes optimized for native MCP execution.
Your AI agents in VS Code Copilot only access the data you authorize, with DLP that blocks sensitive information from ever reaching the model, kill switch for instant shutdown, and up to 60% token savings. Enterprise-grade infrastructure, zero maintenance.
* Every MCP server runs on Vinkius-managed infrastructure inside AWS - a purpose-built runtime with per-request V8 isolates, Ed25519 signed audit chains, and sub-40ms cold starts optimized for native MCP execution. See our infrastructure
How Vinkius secures
ElectricSQL (Sync Engine) for VS Code Copilot
Every tool call from VS Code Copilot to the ElectricSQL (Sync Engine) MCP Server is protected by DLP redaction, cryptographic audit chains, V8 sandbox isolation, kill switch, and financial circuit breakers.
Frequently asked questions
How do I perform an initial sync of a database table?
Use the get_shape tool and set the offset parameter to -1. This triggers ElectricSQL to send the full initial snapshot of the specified table.
What should I do if my SQL WHERE clause is too long for a standard URL?
You should use the post_shape tool. It sends the filtering criteria in the request body, which prevents '414 Request-URI Too Long' errors when using complex logic.
Can the AI agent receive updates automatically when data changes in Postgres?
Yes! By setting the live parameter to true in get_shape, the agent can establish a long-polling connection to stream incremental changes as they happen.
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.
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