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This guide walks you through integrating the PagerDuty MCP Server with Visual Studio Code.

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Prerequisites

Ensure you have the MCP extension installed in VS Code. You can find it in the Extensions marketplace.

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Setup

1

Open VS Code Settings

Navigate to File > Preferences > Settings, or use the keyboard shortcut:
  • Mac: Cmd+,
  • Windows/Linux: Ctrl+,
2

Enable MCP

Search for “mcp” in the settings search bar and ensure “Mcp: Enabled” is checked under Features > Chat.
3

Open MCP Server Configuration

Click “Edit in settings.json” under “Mcp > Discovery: Servers” to open the configuration file.
4

Add Server Configuration

Add the following configuration to your settings.json:
{
    "mcp": {
        "inputs": [
            {
                "type": "promptString",
                "id": "pagerduty-api-key",
                "description": "PagerDuty API Key",
                "password": true
            }
        ],
        "servers": {
            "pagerduty-mcp": { 
                "type": "stdio",
                "command": "uvx",
                "args": [
                    "pagerduty-mcp",
                    "--enable-write-tools"
                    // This flag enables write operations on the MCP Server enabling you to creating incidents, schedule overrides and much more
                ],
                "env": {
                    "PAGERDUTY_USER_API_KEY": "${input:pagerduty-api-key}",
                    "PAGERDUTY_API_HOST": "https://api.pagerduty.com"
                    // If your PagerDuty account is located in EU update your API host to https://api.eu.pagerduty.com
                }
            }
        }
    }
}
The --enable-write-tools flag enables write operations, allowing you to create incidents, schedule overrides, and more.
5

Configure API Key

When you first use the MCP server, VS Code will securely prompt you to enter your PagerDuty API key. The input is configured with "password": true to ensure the key is masked during entry.

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Using Agent Mode

Once configured, you can interact with PagerDuty through VS Code’s Chat view:
1

Open VS Code Chat

Open the Chat view by navigating to View > Chat.
2

Enable Agent Mode

Make sure Agent mode is selected in the Chat view. You can enable or disable specific tools by clicking the 🛠️ icon.
3

Start a Conversation

Enter commands to interact with your PagerDuty account:
  • “Show me the latest incident”
  • “List my event orchestrations”
  • “Create a high-priority incident”
4

Manage MCP Servers

You can start, stop, and manage your MCP servers using the command palette (Cmd+Shift+P/Ctrl+Shift+P) and searching for MCP: List Servers. Ensure the server is running before sending commands.

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Configuration Details

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Configuration File Location

The VS Code MCP configuration is stored in your settings.json file, typically located at:
  • Mac/Linux: ~/.config/Code/User/settings.json
  • Windows: %APPDATA%\Code\User\settings.json

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Environment Variables

  • PAGERDUTY_USER_API_KEY: Your PagerDuty User API Token. VS Code will securely prompt for this value.
  • PAGERDUTY_API_HOST: The PagerDuty API endpoint. Use https://api.pagerduty.com for US accounts or https://api.eu.pagerduty.com for EU accounts.

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Testing the Integration

To verify the MCP server is working correctly:
  1. Open the VS Code Chat view (View > Chat)
  2. Ensure Agent mode is selected
  3. Try a simple query: “Show me my latest PagerDuty incidents”
  4. Verify that the server responds with your incident data
If you don’t see a response, check the MCP server status in the command palette (MCP: List Servers).

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Troubleshooting

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MCP Not Enabled

If you don’t see MCP options:
  1. Ensure the MCP extension is installed
  2. Search for “mcp” in VS Code settings
  3. Verify “Mcp: Enabled” is checked under Features > Chat
  4. Restart VS Code after enabling

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Server Not Starting

If the MCP server doesn’t start:
  1. Open the command palette (Cmd+Shift+P/Ctrl+Shift+P)
  2. Search for MCP: List Servers to check server status
  3. Verify that uvx is installed and available in your PATH
  4. Check the Output panel for error messages (View > Output > MCP)
  5. Try restarting the server using MCP: Restart Server

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API Key Issues

If you’re having trouble with API key authentication:
  1. Ensure the inputs configuration is correct in your settings.json
  2. Verify your PagerDuty API key has the necessary permissions
  3. Re-enter your API key by restarting the server
  4. Check that the ${input:pagerduty-api-key} variable matches the input id

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Connection Issues for EU Accounts

If you’re in the EU region and experiencing connection issues:
  1. Update PAGERDUTY_API_HOST to https://api.eu.pagerduty.com
  2. Save the configuration file
  3. Restart the MCP server using the command palette

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Write Operations Not Working

If you can read data but not create or modify resources:
  1. Ensure the --enable-write-tools flag is included in the args array
  2. Verify your API key has write permissions in PagerDuty
  3. Restart the MCP server after making configuration changes

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Agent Mode Not Available

If Agent mode is not available in the Chat view:
  1. Ensure you have the latest version of VS Code
  2. Verify MCP is enabled in settings
  3. Check that the MCP extension is up to date
  4. Try reloading the window (Developer: Reload Window)

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