Setup: VS Code

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Prerequisites

• VS Code 1.96+ installed
• The Claude extension for VS Code installed
• A ProBeya API key (generate from Settings > API Keys in the ProBeya web app)
• Node.js 18+ installed
• The ProBeya MCP server built (apps/mcp/dist/index.js)

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Step 1: Install the Claude Extension

Open VS Code and install the Claude extension from the marketplace:

1. Open the Extensions panel (Ctrl+Shift+X / Cmd+Shift+X)
2. Search for “Claude” by Anthropic
3. Click Install

Or install from the command line:

code --install-extension anthropic.claude-code

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Step 2: Configure the MCP Server

Add the ProBeya MCP server to your VS Code settings. Open your settings JSON file:

1. Open the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P)
2. Type “Preferences: Open User Settings (JSON)”
3. Press Enter

Add the MCP server configuration:

{
  "claude.mcpServers": {
    "probeya": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/probeya/apps/mcp/dist/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "PRPROBEYA_API_KEY": "probeya_sk_live_...",
        "DATABASE_URL": "postgresql://user:pass@host:5432/probeya"
      }
    }
  }
}

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Workspace-Level Configuration

For team projects, you can add the configuration to .vscode/settings.json in your workspace root. This way, all team members sharing the repository get the MCP server preconfigured (they still need to provide their own env variables):

{
  "claude.mcpServers": {
    "probeya": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["${workspaceFolder}/apps/mcp/dist/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "PRPROBEYA_API_KEY": "${env:PRPROBEYA_API_KEY}",
        "DATABASE_URL": "${env:DATABASE_URL}"
      }
    }
  }
}

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Step 3: Reload VS Code

After saving the settings, reload VS Code to pick up the MCP server configuration:

1. Open the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P)
2. Type “Developer: Reload Window”
3. Press Enter

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Step 4: Test the Connection

Open the Claude panel in VS Code and try a simple query:

“List my ProBeya workspaces”

Claude should invoke the list_workspaces tool and display your organization’s workspace hierarchy.

You can verify the MCP server started successfully by checking the Output panel:

1. Open the Output panel (Ctrl+Shift+U / Cmd+Shift+U)
2. Select “Claude” from the dropdown
3. Look for the ProBeya MCP server startup messages:

[MCP] Authenticating...
[MCP] Jane Smith ([email protected]) -- org org_abc123
[MCP] Scopes: full access
[MCP] ProBeya MCP server v2.0.0 ready (stdio)

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Common Workflows in VS Code

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Inline Board Context

While editing code, ask Claude about your ProBeya boards:

“What items are in the Quality Improvement project?”

Claude will call list_workspaces, then list_projects, then get_board to navigate to the right data.

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Creating Items from Code Comments

When reviewing code with TODO comments:

“Create a ProBeya item for each TODO comment in this file”

Claude can use create_item to create board items directly from your code context.

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KPI Monitoring During Development

Check if your changes impacted KPIs:

“Show me KPI alerts for the production board”

Claude will call get_kpi_alerts and display any red or amber threshold breaches.

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Troubleshooting

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Security Notes

• When using workspace-level settings (.vscode/settings.json), always use ${env:VARIABLE} references for secrets — never commit raw API keys
• The MCP server runs as a local child process spawned by VS Code, communicating over stdio — data does not traverse external networks (unless your DATABASE_URL points to a remote host)
• Consider using VS Code’s built-in secret storage for managing sensitive environment variables across projects