configuring-codescene-mcp

Configuring CodeScene MCP

Overview

Use this skill when the task is to configure the CodeScene MCP Server after it has been installed. The MCP server exposes get_config and set_config tools that let the AI assistant read and write configuration on the user's behalf. This is the easiest and recommended configuration method.

When to Use

• The user wants to set or change their CodeScene access token.
• The user needs to connect to a self-hosted CodeScene instance.
• The user wants to enable ACE auto-refactoring.
• The user wants to pre-select a default CodeScene project.
• The user needs to configure a custom CA certificate for SSL/TLS.
• The user wants to limit which tools are exposed to reduce token usage (enabled_tools).
• The user asks what their current configuration is.
• The user is troubleshooting a configuration issue (wrong token, missing URL, SSL errors).

Do not use this skill for installing or registering the MCP server in an AI assistant. Use installing-and-activating-codescene-mcp for that.

Quick Reference

• get_config: List all configuration options and their current values (sensitive values are masked).
• get_config with a key: Read a single option by name.
• set_config: Set a configuration value persistently.
• set_config with an empty value: Delete a stored configuration value.

Configuration Options

Key	Purpose
access_token	CodeScene Personal Access Token or standalone MCP license token.
onprem_url	Base URL for a self-hosted CodeScene instance (API-mode only).
ace_access_token	Token for CodeScene ACE auto-refactoring (add-on license).
default_project_id	Pre-select a CodeScene project by numeric ID (API-mode only).
ca_bundle	Path to a custom PEM-format CA certificate bundle.
enabled_tools	Comma-separated allowlist of tool names to expose (empty = all).

Precedence

Environment variables set by the MCP client always override values in the config file. If the user has set a value via an environment variable in their editor config, set_config will warn that the env var takes precedence and the stored value will not be used until the env var is removed.

Implementation

1. Run get_config to see the current state of all options.
2. Identify which option needs to change based on the user's request.
3. Use set_config with the key and value to apply the change.
4. Run get_config with that key to confirm the change took effect.
5. If the user changed access_token, inform them that a server restart may be needed for tool registration changes to take effect.
6. If get_config shows a value source of "client environment variable", explain that the env var in their editor's MCP configuration takes precedence and must be changed there instead.

When environment variables are appropriate

Environment variables are still the right choice when:

• The configuration is shared across a team or checked into a project (e.g., in .vscode/mcp.json).
• The server runs in Docker and needs CS_MOUNT_PATH (which is not a config-tool option).
• CI or automation pipelines inject secrets at runtime.

For individual, interactive use, prefer the set_config tool.

Common Mistakes

• Setting a value with set_config when the same key is already provided as an environment variable by the MCP client. The env var wins and the stored value is silently ignored.
• Forgetting that access_token changes may require a server restart.
• Confusing the config key name with the environment variable name. Use the short key (e.g., access_token) with set_config, not the env var name (CS_ACCESS_TOKEN).
• Setting onprem_url or default_project_id when using a standalone license. These options are only available with a CodeScene Personal Access Token.
• Providing a CA bundle path that is not accessible to the MCP server process or Docker container.
• Setting enabled_tools with misspelled tool names. The server warns about unknown names, but the misspelled tools are silently ignored. Use get_config with key enabled_tools to see the list of available tool names.
• Forgetting that enabled_tools changes require a server restart. The tool list is built once at startup.
• Trying to disable get_config or set_config via enabled_tools. These tools are always enabled to prevent configuration lockout.