---
title: "VS Code · Scrape.ly Docs"
description: "Add Scrape.ly to Copilot agent mode in VS Code in one click."
url: https://scrape.ly/docs/vscode
markdown: https://scrape.ly/docs/vscode.md
---

# VS Code

> Add Scrape.ly to Copilot agent mode in VS Code in one click.

Add Scrape.ly to VS Code: in Copilot Chat's agent mode, it can search the Store, run Actors, wait for their runs, and read the results while you code. It connects to the hosted [MCP server](https://scrape.ly/docs/mcp.md), so there is nothing to install beyond VS Code.

## Add the server

[Install in VS Code](https://vscode.dev/redirect/mcp/install?name=scrapely&config=%7B%22type%22%3A%22http%22%2C%22url%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fmcp.scrape.ly%22%7D)

The link opens VS Code with the server filled in. Click **Install**, and VS Code opens a dashboard window where you sign in and approve access, so there is no token to copy.

To add it by hand, run **MCP: Add Server** from the Command Palette and choose **HTTP**, or put the server in `.vscode/mcp.json` in your workspace:

```json
{
  "servers": {
    "scrapely": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://mcp.scrape.ly"
    }
  }
}
```

### Use an API key instead

To skip the sign-in, or to cap spending, use a key from **Settings → API & Integrations** in the [dashboard](https://my.scrape.ly). This version asks for it once and stores it securely, so the key never lands in the file:

```json
{
  "inputs": [
    {
      "type": "promptString",
      "id": "scrapely-token",
      "description": "Scrape.ly API token",
      "password": true
    }
  ],
  "servers": {
    "scrapely": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://mcp.scrape.ly",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer ${input:scrapely-token}"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

The agent can do anything the key can, including starting paid runs, so give it a scoped key: `actors:run`, `runs:read`, and `datasets:read`, with a **Max charge per day**. See [API keys & permissions](https://scrape.ly/docs/api-keys.md).

## Use it in a chat

Open Copilot Chat, switch to **Agent** mode, and ask:

```text
Find an Actor that scrapes Google Maps, run it for 'coffee shops in Berlin' with at most 20 results, and save the name, rating, and address of each place to places.json.
```

The **Tools** button in the chat lists the Scrape.ly tools, where you can turn single ones off. VS Code asks before each tool call unless you allow it.

## What the agent can do

The agent gets the MCP server's default tools. The ones used most:

| Tool | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| `search-actors` | Find Actors in the Store by keywords. |
| `fetch-actor-details` | Read an Actor's input schema, README, and pricing before running it. |
| `call-actor` | Run an Actor with a JSON input, optionally with `maxItems` and `maxTotalChargeUsd`. |
| `get-actor-run` | Wait for a run and check its status. |
| `get-actor-output` | Read a run's results, paged and kept compact. |

The full list, including saved inputs and automations, is on the [MCP server](https://scrape.ly/docs/mcp.md#tools) page. To run one Actor you already know, name it in the prompt, for example `Run username/actor-name`, so the agent skips the search.

**Costs**: runs started by the agent are billed like any run. Put the limits in the prompt (such as "at most 20 results"). A **Max charge per day** applies only to [API keys](https://scrape.ly/docs/api-keys.md), not to an OAuth sign-in.

---

- Previous: [Cursor](https://scrape.ly/docs/cursor.md)
- Next: [Perplexity](https://scrape.ly/docs/perplexity.md)
- All docs: [Docs index](https://scrape.ly/docs.md), [llms.txt](https://scrape.ly/llms.txt)