VS Code + Serp MCP

Copilot is very smart, but its knowledge has a cutoff date. If you ask it, "What is the compatibility of node:http2 in Bun 1.2?", it might seriously fabricate an answer.

Now there is a way: connect Copilot to a real-time search engine. You ask questions as usual, and when Copilot finds itself uncertain, it will proactively search Google and then answer you based on the latest results.

This is the value of Serp MCP—it's not a replacement for Copilot, but it supplements the missing capability of being "connected to the internet."

Step 1: Obtain API Key

Open the Ace Data Cloud application list, go to the available applications, and copy the API Key.

Get Ace Data Cloud API Key

Step 2: Install the Plugin

  1. Open the VS Code extension marketplace (Cmd+Shift+X)
  2. Search for Serp MCP, or directly search for the extension ID: acedatacloud.mcp-serp
  3. Click Install, and after installation, reload the window as prompted

Step 3: Enter API Key

  1. Press Cmd+Shift+P, execute: Serp MCP: Set Ace Data Cloud API Key
  2. Paste the API Key and press enter to save (it will be saved in VS Code SecretStorage / system keychain)

If you want to change the Key, you can execute Serp MCP: Clear Ace Data Cloud API Key and set it again.

Step 4: Verify Connection

  1. Open GitHub Copilot Chat and switch to Agent mode
  2. Directly make a request and mention serp, for example: Use serp to help me complete this task
  3. On the first call, it will automatically use the plugin and your saved API Key

Advanced: Manual mcp.json (Optional)

If you prefer manual configuration, you can also write .vscode/mcp.json in your project:

{
  "servers": {
    "serp": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://serp.mcp.acedata.cloud/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer ${input:acedata-api-key}"
      }
    }
  },
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "acedata-api-key",
      "type": "promptString",
      "description": "Ace Data Cloud API Key",
      "password": true
    }
  ]
}

When to Use It

Tracking Framework Breaking Changes

Search for Next.js 15 fetch caching behavior changes and compare with 14

After Copilot retrieves the search results, it will automatically summarize the differences, much faster than you checking 5 GitHub Issues yourself.

Technical Selection Research

Search for "Kafka vs RabbitMQ vs NATS" performance comparisons and selection recommendations for 2024

After searching, Copilot will directly help you create a comparison table.

Identifying Rare Errors

Search for solutions to Node.js http2 stream ECONNRESET after idle timeout

Real-time search can find recent Stack Overflow answers and GitHub Issues from the last few months, which is much more reliable than model hallucinations.

Complete Tool List

Tool Description
serp_google_search Google search (web/images/news/videos, etc.)

Supports specifying country, language, and time range.

Other Editor Configurations

  • Cursor — Add the same configuration under mcpServers in .cursor/mcp.json
  • Claude Code — Terminal command line configuration, see Claude Code + Google Search MCP Tutorial
  • Windsurf — .windsurf/mcp.json, format same as Cursor