MCP Calculator Server - VSCode Setup Guide

This project contains a simple Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides an add_numbers tool.

Prerequisites

• Python 3.10+

• A compatible VSCode extension (e.g., Roo Code or Cline)

Related MCP server: TestMCP

Quick Setup

1. Initialize Virtual Environment

python3 -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate  # On Windows: .\venv\Scripts\activate
pip install -r requirements.txt

2. Configure VSCode Extension

This project includes a local mcp_config.json that is configured to use the local venv.

If your VSCode extension (like Roo Code or Cline) supports workspace-level MCP settings, it will automatically detect the server. Otherwise, you can point your global settings to the local venv path:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "calculator": {
      "command": "/ABSOLUTE/PATH/TO/mcp_poc/venv/bin/python3",
      "args": ["/ABSOLUTE/PATH/TO/mcp_poc/mcp_server.py"]
    }
  }
}

Repository-level Configuration

We have included a template configuration file at mcp_config.template.json. You can copy this and adjust the paths for your local machine.

How to Test

Run the included test script to ensure the server is working correctly:

python3 test_server.py

Setup on a New PC

If you are moving to a different machine:

1. Clone the repo: git clone https://github.com/barneybarney143/mcp_poc.git

2. Run Setup:

   python3 -m venv venv
   source venv/bin/activate
   pip install -r requirements.txt

3. Update Path: MCP servers usually require absolute paths. Open your VSCode MCP settings and update the command and args to match the location of the project on your new machine.

   TIP

   If you use theRoo Code extension, it can automatically detect the mcp_config.json in the root of this workspace using relative paths!