What GitHub Copilot in VS Code does
VS Code puts an agent in the Chat view beside your workspace, terminal, tests, and debugger (VS Code overview). An agent uses a model and tools to find relevant code, make changes, and run checks. You guide the work and review results before accepting changes (VS Code overview).
How MCP connects an agent to other tools
Model Context Protocol (MCP) connects agents to tools and data sources (VS Code MCP documentation). VS Code supports MCP servers, including servers reached through an HTTP URL (VS Code overview, VS Code MCP documentation). An MCP server can supply a capability that the agent's existing tools do not provide (VS Code MCP documentation).
What KnowMan adds
KnowMan's hosted MCP server exposes tools to search a knowledge base, ask questions about it, retrieve an item, save a link, review recent items, and read saved memories (KnowMan MCP project). KnowMan also saves articles and links, reads and tags them, answers questions with citations, and keeps memories such as claims, decisions, and playbooks (KnowMan guides to MCP, personal knowledge bases).
Connect the hosted KnowMan server
Create a KnowMan account, then add the hosted server URL https://api.knowman.io/mcp in a client that supports MCP OAuth and approve the KnowMan consent page (KnowMan MCP project). You can also authenticate with an API key sent as Authorization: Bearer <key> (KnowMan MCP project). VS Code documents HTTP server URLs and notes that remote servers may require an account or sign-in (VS Code MCP documentation).
Ask about your saved knowledge
Once connected, ask the agent to search or save using the available KnowMan tools (KnowMan MCP project). For example, you can ask it to search your KnowMan library or save a URL. KnowMan's kb_search searches the knowledge base, while kb_ask answers questions using knowledge-base content (KnowMan MCP project).
Check the first tool call
Adding a configuration alone does not prove that an agent can use an MCP server (VS Code MCP documentation). Check that a tool from the intended server runs, returns the requested result without a connection error, and that the agent's answer reflects that output (VS Code MCP documentation).
Where KnowMan fits
KnowMan is a personal knowledge base for saved reading, questions, and memories. Its hosted MCP server gives a compatible client tools for accessing that knowledge (KnowMan MCP project, guide to knowledge bases for AI agents).
Questions people ask
What does MCP add to an agent in VS Code?
MCP connects agents to tools and data sources. VS Code supports MCP servers for capabilities an agent's existing tools may not provide (VS Code MCP documentation).
What is the KnowMan MCP server URL?
The hosted KnowMan MCP server is https://api.knowman.io/mcp. It uses Streamable HTTP and accepts OAuth or an API key as a bearer token (KnowMan MCP project).
What can KnowMan's MCP tools do?
The tools search, ask questions about, retrieve, and save knowledge base items, and provide recent items and saved memories (KnowMan MCP project).
How can I check that the connection works?
Call a tool from the intended MCP server and check that it returns the requested result without a connection error. The agent's answer should reflect that tool output (VS Code MCP documentation).