Bring Localization
to VS Code Copilot
Learn how to connect Lokalise to VS Code Copilot and start using 13 AI agent tools in minutes. Fully managed, enterprise secure, and ready to use without writing a single line of code.
GDPR Free for Subscribers
What is the Lokalise MCP Server?
Connect your Lokalise account to any AI agent and take full control of your translation and localization workflows through natural conversation.
What you can do
- Project Management — List all translation projects, fetch detailed project metadata, and create new projects directly from the API
- Key Management — Query translation keys with filters by platform, tags, or filenames, plus create and update keys programmatically
- Translation Operations — Fetch translations for any key, add new translations with review/fuzzy flags, and manage multi-language content
- File Import/Export — Upload localization files (JSON, YAML, XLIFF) and generate download bundles in any supported format
- Team & Orders — List team members and their roles, plus inspect professional translation orders
How it works
1. Subscribe to this server
2. Enter your Lokalise API Token
3. Start managing your localization workflows from Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-compatible client
No more jumping between the Lokalise web console and your codebase. Your AI acts as a dedicated localization coordinator.
Who is this for?
- Developers — instantly create translation keys, push new strings, and pull localized files without leaving the IDE
- Product Managers — check translation progress across languages, review key counts, and monitor team activity
- Localization Teams — automate bulk uploads, generate export bundles, and manage translation orders programmatically
Built-in capabilities (13)
Add translations to one or more keys
Create translation keys in a Lokalise project
Create a new Lokalise project
Generate a download bundle of translations
Get details of a specific Lokalise project
List translation keys in a Lokalise project
List languages in a Lokalise project
List translation orders in your Lokalise account
List all Lokalise projects
List all team members in your Lokalise account
List translations for a key in a Lokalise project
Update an existing translation key
Upload a localization file to a Lokalise project
Why VS Code Copilot?
GitHub Copilot Agent mode brings Lokalise 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
Lokalise in VS Code Copilot
Lokalise and 3,400+ other MCP servers. One platform. One governance layer.
Teams that connect Lokalise 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 | 3,400+ 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 Lokalise in VS Code Copilot
The Lokalise 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 13 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
Lokalise for VS Code Copilot
Every tool call from VS Code Copilot to the Lokalise MCP Server is protected by DLP redaction, cryptographic audit chains, V8 sandbox isolation, kill switch, and financial circuit breakers.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of Lokalise API token do I need for this integration?
You need a Personal Access Token from your Lokalise account. Go to your profile settings, find the API Tokens section, and generate a new token with read/write access to projects. Keep this token secure as it grants full API access to your account.
How do I add a new translation key to my Lokalise project via the AI agent?
Use the create_key action with the project ID, key name (e.g., homepage.welcome.title), and optionally specify platforms, tags, and a description. The key will be created with the base language placeholder ready for translation.
Can I export all my translations in a specific format like JSON or YAML?
Yes! Use the download_file action and specify the format parameter (e.g., json, yml, xliff, strings, xml). You can also filter by specific languages or filenames to generate targeted export bundles.
Is it possible to add translations programmatically for multiple languages at once?
Yes. The add_translation action supports adding translations for one or more keys at once. You can also mark translations as fuzzy or reviewed to indicate their quality status in the workflow.
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.