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Théophile Chin-nin edited this page Feb 4, 2026 · 1 revision

Overview

What is Dataverse MCP Toolbox?

The Dataverse MCP Toolbox is a sophisticated integration solution that bridges Microsoft Dataverse operations with AI assistants like GitHub Copilot. It enables AI-powered interactions with Dataverse environments through natural language, providing a powerful toolbox for developers and power users.

Key Capabilities

🤖 AI-Powered Dataverse Operations

  • Execute Dataverse operations through natural language with GitHub Copilot
  • Query, create, update, and delete records using conversational commands
  • Retrieve metadata, entity definitions, and schema information
  • Perform complex operations without writing code manually

🔌 Extensible Plugin System

  • Install plugins from NuGet.org to extend functionality
  • Create custom plugins using the Extensibility SDK
  • Share plugins with the community through NuGet packages
  • Dynamic tool discovery and registration

🔐 Secure Authentication

  • OAuth 2.0 authentication using Microsoft Identity Platform
  • Secure token storage in VS Code's encrypted secret storage
  • Support for multiple concurrent connections
  • Per-environment authentication with automatic token refresh

🏗️ Sidecar Architecture

  • Clean separation of concerns between UI, business logic, and protocol adaptation
  • Isolated instances per VS Code window
  • No conflicts between multiple VS Code sessions
  • Efficient inter-process communication

Use Cases

Development & Testing

  • Quickly inspect Dataverse environments during development
  • Test data queries and operations without opening browser
  • Debug issues by examining entity metadata and relationships
  • Prototype solutions with AI assistance

Data Operations

  • Bulk operations through conversational commands
  • Complex queries across multiple entities
  • Data validation and quality checks
  • Environment comparison and synchronization

Learning & Exploration

  • Learn Dataverse SDK capabilities through experimentation
  • Explore entity relationships and metadata
  • Understand environment configuration
  • Discover best practices with AI guidance

Custom Tooling

  • Build specialized plugins for your organization's needs
  • Automate repetitive tasks with custom tools
  • Integrate with existing CI/CD pipelines
  • Create domain-specific abstractions

High-Level Architecture

graph TB
    User[👤 User]
    VSCode[VS Code Window]
    Extension[Extension<br/>TypeScript UI]
    Core[Core Server<br/>.NET Business Logic]
    Bridge[MCP Bridge<br/>.NET Adapter]
    Copilot[GitHub Copilot]
    Dataverse[(Microsoft Dataverse)]
    NuGet[NuGet.org]
    
    User -->|Interacts with| VSCode
    VSCode -->|Contains| Extension
    Extension -->|Spawns & Manages| Core
    Extension -->|Registers| Bridge
    Extension -->|Named Pipe| Core
    Bridge -->|Named Pipe| Core
    Copilot -->|STDIO/MCP| Bridge
    Core -->|SDK Calls| Dataverse
    Extension -->|Downloads Runtime| NuGet
    Extension -->|Installs Plugins| NuGet
    
    style Extension fill:#e1f5ff
    style Core fill:#fff4e1
    style Bridge fill:#ffe1f5
    style Dataverse fill:#e1ffe1
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Technology Stack

Core Server

  • .NET 8.0: Modern, cross-platform runtime
  • Microsoft.PowerPlatform.Dataverse.Client: Official Dataverse SDK
  • Microsoft.Identity.Client: OAuth authentication (MSAL)
  • StreamJsonRpc: JSON-RPC 2.0 implementation
  • Named Pipes: Inter-process communication

MCP Bridge

  • .NET 8.0: Self-contained executable
  • StreamJsonRpc: Protocol forwarding
  • STDIO: Communication with GitHub Copilot
  • Named Pipes: Communication with Core Server

VS Code Extension

  • TypeScript: Extension implementation
  • VS Code Extension API: UI and commands
  • vscode-jsonrpc: JSON-RPC client
  • Node.js Streams: Named Pipe client

Extensibility SDK

  • .NET Standard 2.0: Wide compatibility
  • Reflection: Dynamic tool discovery
  • JSON Schema: Automatic schema generation
  • Dataverse SDK: Full access to IOrganizationService

Platform Support

The toolbox runs on all major platforms:

  • macOS: Intel (x64) and Apple Silicon (arm64)
  • Windows: 64-bit (x64)
  • Linux: 64-bit (x64)

All components are distributed as self-contained executables requiring no separate .NET installation.

Distribution Model

For Users

  • VS Code Extension: Install from VS Code Marketplace
  • Runtime Binaries: Automatically downloaded from NuGet on first run
  • Plugins: Install from NuGet.org via Extension UI

For Developers

  • Extensibility SDK: NuGet package for plugin development
  • Sample Plugins: Reference implementations available
  • Source Code: Open source on GitHub

Quick Feature Overview

Feature Description
Connection Management Create and manage multiple Dataverse connections
Plugin Management Install, update, and remove plugins from NuGet
Tool Discovery Automatic registration of plugin tools
AI Integration Native GitHub Copilot integration via MCP
Secure Storage Encrypted token storage in VS Code
Multi-Instance Isolated state per VS Code window
Auto-Updates Configurable update channels (stable/prerelease)
Cross-Platform Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux

What's Next?

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