Connect VS Code and Copilot to Graphtia

What the native integration does

Graphtia Explorer detects supported Visual Studio Code / GitHub Copilot installations and maintains the Graphtia-owned MCP registration. It preserves unrelated servers and settings. Explorer maintains only the Graphtia server and matching personal skill in the portable Copilot configuration.

Requirements

• Graphtia Explorer installed for the current desktop user, with this integration available in the installed version. Follow the detected client and configuration scope shown in Explorer; availability can differ by platform.

• A workspace registered and indexed in Explorer.

• A supported Visual Studio Code / GitHub Copilot version, as shown in the status summary above.

• Permission to update the current user or selected project configuration.

Quick start

1. Open Graphtia Explorer and register or open the workspace you want the agent to understand.

2. Open Settings, then AI agents.

3. Find Visual Studio Code / GitHub Copilot and choose Connect. Review the configuration scope shown by Explorer (user).

4. When Explorer requests workspace access, approve the read-only request for the intended registered workspace.

5. Start a new Copilot chat. The host must reload its MCP configuration before the connection is available.

Verify the connection

1. Return to the Visual Studio Code / GitHub Copilot integration in Explorer and choose Test connection.

2. Confirm that Explorer reports a verified connection and the expected Graphtia tools.

3. Start with a narrow structural question in the agent. If the workspace is ambiguous, select the registered workspace when asked.

4. For critical conclusions, require current revision data and source evidence.

A useful first request

Use Graphtia to inspect this workspace. Find the definition of the named symbol, show its direct dependencies and cite the current source evidence. Stop if the workspace or revision is ambiguous.

What the agent receives

• Read-only structural queries over workspaces registered in Explorer.

• Explicit workspace approval when a request cannot be resolved safely.

• Currentness and revision information with bounded results.

• Guidance for focused searches, relationship inspection and source evidence.

Workspace behavior

Graphtia associates agent queries with an indexed workspace. When the project is ambiguous, the agent returns registered candidates and Explorer asks you to approve the intended workspace. Reuse the returned project and revision identifiers during the investigation instead of guessing from a folder name.

Privacy and security

Explorer keeps the workspace index locally and returns the structural information you request to the connected agent. That provider may process it under its own terms and data settings. Review those settings before connecting. Graphtia’s connection is read-only and does not approve code changes or execute them.

Troubleshooting

• If Visual Studio Code / GitHub Copilot was already open, start a new copilot chat after connecting.

• If Explorer shows Needs repair, choose Repair. Explorer reconciles only Graphtia-owned entries.

• If a request reports that identity or workspace approval is required, complete the visible approval in Explorer and retry the same focused request.

• If the tool list is missing, run Test connection before editing any host configuration manually.

Connection states you may see

• Client not found: Explorer could not locate a supported installation.

• Configured · not verified: the owned configuration exists, but the live MCP probe has not completed.

• Connection verified: the handshake, tool inventory and structural probe passed.

• Connection needs repair: the Graphtia-owned entry or guidance no longer matches the expected configuration.

• The configuration cannot be accessed: the host configuration needs user permission.

Repair or disconnect

Open Settings → AI agents → Visual Studio Code / GitHub Copilot. Use Repair to revalidate and reconcile the Graphtia-owned configuration. Use Disconnect to remove Graphtia-owned entries and guidance. Other host settings and MCP servers remain in place.

Universal MCP fallback

If the native adapter cannot be used with your installed host surface, follow the Universal MCP guide only when that surface can start a local stdio MCP server. Manual setup does not gain Explorer’s host-specific detection and repair UX.

Workspace permission and current tool presentation

A configured integration and a valid account session are separate from workspace read permission. You can approve the intended client/workspace for one hour or until you revoke it. Persistent approval survives normal reconnects while its identity and root checks remain valid.

The current catalog has 26 canonical operations; a compatible client may show the same operations in six groups. Code/index queries remain observational. Optional local recovery is a separate opt-in cache, not permission to edit source.

Read workspace access and reconnecting

Read the operations and evidence reference

Manage project access and review activity

• Choose one-hour or indefinite read access and revoke it later

• Review recorded Graphtia queries and follow agent activity