feat(mcp): add MCP server configuration guidance and installer enhancements by katriendg · Pull Request #225 · microsoft/hve-core

katriendg · 2026-01-21T13:51:51Z

Description

Adds comprehensive MCP (Model Context Protocol) server configuration guidance to help users configure external service integrations for HVE-Core agents. The hve-core-installer agent now includes a dedicated MCP configuration checkpoint and restructured phases with sequential numbering for clearer workflow progression.

feat(agents): add MCP configuration checkpoint (Checkpoint 5) to hve-core-installer agent with interactive server selection, configuration templates for github/ado/context7/microsoft-docs servers, and combined mcp.json generation
refactor(agents): restructure hve-core-installer phases from 4.5-based numbering to sequential phases 1-7 with updated checkpoint numbers and documented flow paths table
docs: create new MCP Server Configuration guide with complete mcp.json template, agent dependency table, server-specific setup instructions, and method-specific notes
docs(agents): add MCP Tool Dependencies subsection to custom-agents.md with curated server table and guidelines for MCP tool references
refactor(agents): consolidate gitignore guidance into Phase 6 with method-specific entries table for .hve-core/ and .copilot-tracking/
style(agents): update success messages to display brief progress indicators before proceeding to post-installation setup
refactor(docs): rename .github/README.md to .github/CUSTOM-AGENTS.md to prevent GitHub from displaying the agents reference instead of the main project README (GitHub prioritizes .github/README.md over root README.md)

Note

The .github/README.md display issue was discovered during this PR and is not part of the original issue #224.

Related Issue(s)

Resolves #224

Type of Change

Select all that apply:

Code & Documentation:

Bug fix (non-breaking change fixing an issue)
New feature (non-breaking change adding functionality)
Breaking change (fix or feature causing existing functionality to change)
Documentation update

Infrastructure & Configuration:

AI Artifacts:

Reviewed contribution with prompt-builder agent and addressed all feedback
Copilot instructions (.github/instructions/*.instructions.md)
Copilot prompt (.github/prompts/*.prompt.md)
Copilot agent (.github/agents/*.agent.md)

Other:

Script/automation (.ps1, .sh, .py)
Other (please describe):

Sample Prompts (for AI Artifact Contributions)

User Request:
"Install HVE-Core in my project" or selecting hve-core-installer from the agent picker

Execution Flow:

Agent detects environment and presents installation path choice (Extension vs Clone-based)
For any path: installation proceeds through validation
New: After installation, Phase 6 presents MCP configuration prompt
User selects which MCP servers to configure (github, ado, context7, microsoft-docs)
Agent generates combined .vscode/mcp.json with selected server configurations
Final completion report displays next steps

Output Artifacts:

.vscode/mcp.json (if user opts in to MCP configuration)

Success Indicators:

MCP configuration prompt appears after gitignore checkpoint
Selected servers are correctly combined into single mcp.json
Documentation link to MCP configuration guide is displayed

Testing

Verified phase numbering consistency throughout agent file
Confirmed MCP server configuration templates match VS Code MCP documentation format
Validated markdown links resolve correctly across all updated documentation files

Checklist

Required Checks

Documentation is updated (if applicable)
Files follow existing naming conventions
Changes are backwards compatible (if applicable)

AI Artifact Contributions

Used /prompt-analyze to review contribution
Addressed all feedback from prompt-builder review
Verified contribution follows common standards and type-specific requirements

Required Automated Checks

The following validation commands must pass before merging:

Markdown linting: npm run lint:md
Spell checking: npm run spell-check
Frontmatter validation: npm run lint:frontmatter
Link validation: npm run lint:md-links
PowerShell analysis: npm run lint:ps

Security Considerations

This PR does not contain any sensitive or NDA information
Any new dependencies have been reviewed for security issues
Security-related scripts follow the principle of least privilege

Additional Notes

The MCP configuration guidance documents four curated servers (github, ado, context7, microsoft-docs) used by HVE-Core agents. Users configure only what they need based on their repository hosting platform.

📡 - Generated by Copilot

Create centralized MCP configuration documentation and update all installation method docs with brief MCP sections linking to the guide. - Add docs/getting-started/mcp-configuration.md with complete mcp.json template, agent dependency table, and method-specific notes - Add Checkpoint 4: MCP Configuration Guidance to hve-core-installer agent - Update extension, codespaces, peer-clone, submodule, git-ignored, mounted, and multi-root method docs with MCP Server Configuration sections - Add MCP Tool Dependencies subsection to docs/contributing/custom-agents.md Resolves #224

…al phase numbering - renumber phases 1-7 and checkpoints 1-6 for consistent flow - consolidate gitignore guidance into Phase 6 with method-specific entries - add Required Phases overview table with documented flow paths - fix writing style violations (remove ALL CAPS emphasis patterns) 🔧 - Generated by Copilot

- update installation success messages for clarity - improve user input handling for MCP server configuration - documentation tables linting 📚 - Generated by Copilot

…ver setup

…thods - add MCP server configuration section to installation guide - remove redundant MCP configuration sections from various method documents - clarify optional nature of MCP configuration for agents 🔧 - Generated by Copilot

…STOM-AGENTS.md - replace references to .github/README.md with .github/CUSTOM-AGENTS.md - add additional MCP server resources to mcp-configuration.md - ensure consistency in agent references across documentation 📚 - Generated by Copilot

github-actions · 2026-01-21T13:52:09Z

Dependency Review

✅ No vulnerabilities or license issues or OpenSSF Scorecard issues found.

Scanned Files

None

Copilot

Pull request overview

This PR adds comprehensive MCP (Model Context Protocol) server configuration guidance to help users integrate external services with HVE-Core agents. The changes include new documentation, agent workflow enhancements, and a repository structure improvement to prevent GitHub's README display issue.

Changes:

Added MCP Server Configuration documentation with setup instructions for github, ado, context7, and microsoft-docs servers
Enhanced hve-core-installer agent with MCP configuration checkpoint (Phase 6, Checkpoint 5) and restructured phase numbering from 4.5-based to sequential 1-7
Renamed .github/README.md to .github/CUSTOM-AGENTS.md to prevent GitHub from prioritizing it over the root README
Updated all documentation links to reference the renamed CUSTOM-AGENTS.md file

Reviewed changes

Copilot reviewed 11 out of 12 changed files in this pull request and generated 2 comments.

Show a summary per file

File	Description
docs/getting-started/mcp-configuration.md	New comprehensive guide for MCP server configuration with templates, agent dependencies, and troubleshooting
.github/agents/hve-core-installer.agent.md	Added MCP configuration checkpoint, restructured phases 1-7, added combined JSON generation logic
.github/CUSTOM-AGENTS.md	Renamed from README.md, includes new MCP Tool Dependencies section in custom-agents guidance
docs/contributing/custom-agents.md	Added MCP Tool Dependencies subsection with server table and guidelines
docs/getting-started/install.md	Added MCP Server Configuration section with references to new guide
docs/getting-started/methods/extension.md	Restructured post-installation section, removed NOTE blockquote, clarified optional nature
docs/rpi/using-together.md	Updated link from .github/README.md to .github/CUSTOM-AGENTS.md
docs/rpi/README.md	Updated link from .github/README.md to .github/CUSTOM-AGENTS.md
docs/getting-started/first-workflow.md	Updated links from .github/README.md to .github/CUSTOM-AGENTS.md
docs/getting-started/README.md	Updated link from .github/README.md to .github/CUSTOM-AGENTS.md
README.md	Updated links from .github/README.md to .github/CUSTOM-AGENTS.md
.cspell/general-technical.txt	Added 'oldsha' to spell check dictionary

.github/agents/hve-core-installer.agent.md

docs/getting-started/mcp-configuration.md

…nstaller.agent.md 🔧 - Generated by Copilot

WilliamBerryiii

Very NICE!

bindsi

thanks for the discussion in the afternoon Katrien!

Copilot

Pull request overview

Copilot reviewed 11 out of 12 changed files in this pull request and generated no new comments.

🤖 I have created a release *beep* *boop* --- ## [2.0.0](hve-core-v1.1.0...hve-core-v2.0.0) (2026-01-28) ### ⚠ BREAKING CHANGES * **agents:** add Task Reviewer and expand RPI to 4-phase workflow ([#277](#277)) ### ✨ Features * **agents:** add hve-core-installer agent to extension package ([#297](#297)) ([c0e48c6](c0e48c6)) * **agents:** add Task Reviewer and expand RPI to 4-phase workflow ([#277](#277)) ([ae76cab](ae76cab)) * **build:** add code coverage reporting to Pester workflow ([#230](#230)) ([a34822a](a34822a)) * **docs:** add GOVERNANCE.md for OSSF Silver Badge compliance ([#235](#235)) ([b0e752c](b0e752c)) * **docs:** add ROADMAP.md for OSSF Silver badge compliance ([#238](#238)) ([4a41c16](4a41c16)) * **mcp:** add MCP server configuration guidance and installer enhancements ([#225](#225)) ([0bce418](0bce418)) * **scripts:** add YAML linting with actionlint ([#234](#234)) ([d9301f9](d9301f9)) * **security:** add OpenSSF Scorecard workflow and badge ([#271](#271)) ([7c6d788](7c6d788)) * **skills:** add video-to-gif conversion skill with FFmpeg two-pass optimization ([#247](#247)) ([8d65c42](8d65c42)) * **tests:** add Pester tests for LintingHelpers and Validate-MarkdownFrontmatter ([#197](#197), [#198](#198)) ([#205](#205)) ([51ae563](51ae563)) ### 🐛 Bug Fixes * **build:** detect table formatting changes via git diff ([#261](#261)) ([985eee0](985eee0)) * **build:** disable MD024 lint rule in CHANGELOG for release-please ([#220](#220)) ([971df94](971df94)) * **build:** quote shell variables and group redirects in workflow files ([#299](#299)) ([3372509](3372509)) * **build:** resolve scorecard badge and workflow security issues ([#301](#301)) ([aeaed13](aeaed13)) * **extension:** remove frontmatter from README and exclude from markdown linting ([#223](#223)) ([4272529](4272529)) * **instructions:** quote applyTo glob pattern for YAML compatibility ([#216](#216)) ([085199c](085199c)) * **scripts:** add FooterExcludePaths parameter to frontmatter validation ([#334](#334)) ([64db98d](64db98d)) * **scripts:** add GHSA word and logs/ exclusion to cspell config ([#214](#214)) ([5c99b3f](5c99b3f)) * **scripts:** correct type assertions in Invoke-YamlLint.Tests.ps1 ([#332](#332)) ([af7050d](af7050d)) * **scripts:** eliminate false positives in dependency pinning npm pattern ([#273](#273)) ([ccbdfa3](ccbdfa3)) * **security:** add artifact attestation for signed releases ([#257](#257)) ([c52d6e2](c52d6e2)) * standardize markdown footers and complete frontmatter ([#217](#217)) ([b4e7556](b4e7556)) ### 📚 Documentation * add OpenSSF Best Practices Passing badge to README ([#239](#239)) ([91bc529](91bc529)) * **architecture:** add architecture documentation and value proposition ([#252](#252)) ([0e4b02f](0e4b02f)) * **contributing:** add testing requirements for OSSF compliance ([#254](#254)) ([4db1a18](4db1a18)) * **docs:** add enterprise status badges to README header ([#270](#270)) ([ccb68a4](ccb68a4)) * **security:** add security assurance case and threat model for OSSF Silver ([#259](#259)) ([a390e26](a390e26)) ### ♻️ Refactoring * **application:** wrap execution with try blocks, ensure proper … ([#296](#296)) ([35c4417](35c4417)) * **scripts:** extract frontmatter validation to testable module ([#293](#293)) ([4e8707e](4e8707e)) * **scripts:** extract pure functions for Pester testability ([#221](#221)) ([d40e742](d40e742)) ### 🔧 Maintenance * **deps-dev:** bump cspell from 9.4.0 to 9.6.0 in the npm-dependencies group ([#208](#208)) ([855914b](855914b)) * **deps-dev:** bump cspell from 9.6.0 to 9.6.1 in the npm-dependencies group ([#294](#294)) ([1e45ad6](1e45ad6)) * **deps:** bump actions/setup-node from 6.1.0 to 6.2.0 in the github-actions group ([#209](#209)) ([c4c69e2](c4c69e2)) * **deps:** bump the github-actions group with 4 updates ([#295](#295)) ([d8337b8](d8337b8)) * remove step-security/harden-runner from workflows ([#246](#246)) ([c5708d8](c5708d8)) --- This PR was generated with [Release Please](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please). See [documentation](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please#release-please). Co-authored-by: hve-core-release-please[bot] <254602402+hve-core-release-please[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>

katriendg added 6 commits January 21, 2026 11:24

feat(mcp): enhance MCP server configuration guidance and user prompts

37df086

- update installation success messages for clarity - improve user input handling for MCP server configuration - documentation tables linting 📚 - Generated by Copilot

docs(extension): clarify optional workspace configuration and MCP ser…

6d7507a

…ver setup

katriendg requested a review from a team as a code owner January 21, 2026 13:51

Copilot AI review requested due to automatic review settings January 21, 2026 13:51

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of katriendg January 21, 2026 13:52 View session

Copilot AI reviewed Jan 21, 2026

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.github/agents/hve-core-installer.agent.md Outdated Show resolved Hide resolved

docs/getting-started/mcp-configuration.md Show resolved Hide resolved

fix(prompts): update Azure DevOps MCP package reference in hve-core-i…

92cf777

…nstaller.agent.md 🔧 - Generated by Copilot

WilliamBerryiii approved these changes Jan 21, 2026

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bindsi approved these changes Jan 21, 2026

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Merge branch 'main' into feat/mcp-guidance

8bb52a0

Copilot AI review requested due to automatic review settings January 21, 2026 17:43

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of WilliamBerryiii January 21, 2026 17:44 View session

WilliamBerryiii merged commit 0bce418 into main Jan 21, 2026
19 checks passed

WilliamBerryiii deleted the feat/mcp-guidance branch January 21, 2026 17:45

hve-core-release-please bot mentioned this pull request Jan 21, 2026

chore(main): release hve-core 2.0.0 #212

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feat(mcp): add MCP server configuration guidance and installer enhancements#225

feat(mcp): add MCP server configuration guidance and installer enhancements#225
WilliamBerryiii merged 8 commits intomainfrom
feat/mcp-guidance

katriendg commented Jan 21, 2026

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katriendg commented Jan 21, 2026

Description

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