Use ppl with VS Code and GitHub Copilot

Connect ppl to Copilot in VS Code using a personal MCP configuration, then review tool access and verify a briefing.

Updated October 10, 2026 · ppl team

You can use ppl from Copilot in VS Code to prepare for a conversation or check a follow-up without copying your address book into your project. Set up the connection in your own user configuration when the relationship record is personal.

Use a personal MCP configuration

The current VS Code documentation supports a portable user configuration at ~/.copilot/mcp-config.json, unless COPILOT_HOME points elsewhere. Merge this server into the existing mcpServers object:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ppl": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://withppl.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}

You can also use the Command Palette’s MCP: Add Server flow and choose a personal destination. Start or manage ppl through MCP: List Servers, review the trust prompt, and complete the browser authorization. See VS Code’s official MCP guide for configuration locations and tool controls. A company-managed Copilot account may restrict which servers are allowed.

Choose a small first job

Open Copilot chat in an agent mode that can use MCP tools. Check that ppl’s tools are available, then ask:

Read my ppl briefing and show the next few follow-ups that need attention.
Do not create, complete, or delete tasks.

Match the returned information to your own account. You can then ask for one person’s history before a call. If a name is ambiguous, have Copilot ask you to choose the contact rather than making a guess.

Use deliberate updates

After a conversation, give Copilot a note with a concrete fact and a date. Ask it to show the proposed change before saving. If you want a reminder, state the intended day rather than relying on a vague phrase such as “sometime next week.” You can keep the contact record in ppl and the code work in your repository.

If the tools are unavailable

Run MCP: List Servers and inspect ppl’s status. Use the server’s Show Output action to check errors without posting credentials or personal results into a public issue. Confirm that the server is enabled, browser authorization finished, and your organization permits it. Configuration file formats differ: the older VS Code-specific .vscode/mcp.json uses a top-level servers object, while the portable file shown here uses mcpServers.

Removing a local entry does not replace revoking account access. Revoke the associated token in ppl’s Settings > API when needed. See a practical routine to make the connection useful after setup.