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VS Code Filesystem read_file

How to: VS Code Filesystem read_file

client:VS Code transport:stdio tool:read_file

Add Filesystem to VS Code

  1. 01

    Open .vscode/mcp.json and merge this in. Keep any servers already there.

{
  "servers": {
    "server-filesystem": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem"
      ]
    }
  }
}
  1. 02

    Save the file and restart VS Code.

  2. 03

    Ask for something read_file does. VS Code lists the server's tools on connect and calls read_file itself — you do not invoke it by name.

  3. 04

    If nothing happens, check the server is running and that Filesystem's identifier in your config matches the one above exactly.

Requires agent mode. MCP: Open User Configuration puts the same block in every workspace. VS Code docs

Same tool, other clients

Mutating and Read-only are read off each tool's name, not its schema — a hint, not a guarantee. The registry stores tool names only; connect the server for its live schemas.