microsoft/github-copilot-java-mcp-demo

microsoft/github-copilot-java-mcp-demo

Description: A hands-on Java and Spring Boot demo showing how to build, debug, test, and extend an MCP-enabled app in VS Code with GitHub Copilot, Spring AI, Playwright, and the Copilot coding agent.

Language: Java

License: MIT

Stars: 0

Forks: 1

Open issues: 0

Created: 2026-07-17T07:30:14Z

Pushed: 2026-07-20T06:22:09Z

Default branch: main

Fork: no

Archived: no

README:

Spring Boot Todo — Web UI to MCP

A small Spring Boot 4.1 / Java 25 Todo app that starts as a web app and exposes the same data to MCP clients such as GitHub Copilot:

• a Thymeleaf web UI (GET /),
• and MCP tools (POST /mcp) that GitHub Copilot can call.

Both delegate to one TodoService.

flowchart LR
UI["Web UI
Thymeleaf · /"] --> SVC
MCP["MCP server
/mcp"] --> SVC
SVC["TodoService
(shared logic)"]

Stack: Java 25 · Spring Boot 4.1.0 · Spring AI 2.0.0 · Thymeleaf · Maven

> [!IMPORTANT] > This repository is a local development and demonstration sample, not a > production deployment. Todos are stored in memory, the MCP mutation tools > are unauthenticated, and Actuator returns detailed health information. Do not > expose port 8080 to untrusted networks. Before deploying, add authentication, > authorization, persistent storage, and production-appropriate Actuator settings.

---

Prerequisites

• JDK 25 (java -version should report version 25)
• VS Code with the Extension Pack for Java and Spring Boot Extension Pack
• GitHub Copilot access for the Copilot and MCP workflow
• Node.js 18 or newer and Microsoft Edge for the optional Playwright workflow
• PowerShell 7, or Windows PowerShell 5.1 on Windows, for the optional MCP smoke test

Maven does not need to be installed separately; the repository includes the Maven Wrapper.

Run it

Windows (PowerShell):

.\mvnw.cmd spring-boot:run

macOS or Linux:

./mvnw spring-boot:run

• Web UI: http://localhost:8080
• Health: http://localhost:8080/actuator/health

Step 1 — The web app

The web app has four controller methods: show, add, toggle, and delete. See [TodoController.java](src/main/java/com/example/tododemo/web/TodoController.java) and [index.html](src/main/resources/templates/index.html).

Step 2 — Add MCP

Each method in TodoTools is annotated with @McpTool and delegates to TodoService:

@McpTool(name = "add_todo", description = "Create a new todo item with the given title.")
public Todo addTodo(@McpToolParam(description = "The title of the new todo", required = true) String title) {
return service.add(title);
}

Five tools are exposed: list_todos, get_todo, add_todo, complete_todo, delete_todo.

One critical setting in [application.properties](src/main/resources/application.properties):

spring.ai.mcp.server.protocol=STREAMABLE

> The WebMVC MCP starter defaults to the older SSE transport. Without > protocol=STREAMABLE, POST /mcp returns 404. On startup the log confirms: > Registered tools: 5.

Connect VS Code

[.vscode/mcp.json](.vscode/mcp.json) points VS Code at the server:

{ "servers": { "todo-mcp": { "type": "http", "url": "http://localhost:8080/mcp" } } }

Start the app first, then Start the server via the code-lens in .vscode/mcp.json. In the Chat view (Agent mode), enable the todo-mcp tools and ask, e.g.: *"Use the todo-mcp tools to add a todo called 'Email the stakeholders', then list all todos."*

The Start action connects VS Code to the already-running HTTP endpoint; it does not launch the Spring Boot application.

---

Test

Run the Java tests with the Maven Wrapper.

Windows (PowerShell):

.\mvnw.cmd test

macOS or Linux:

./mvnw test

To test the MCP handshake, tool set, and add_todo result, keep spring-boot:run running in one terminal and run the smoke test from a second:

# PowerShell 7 on Windows, macOS, or Linux
pwsh -File ./scripts/mcp-smoke-test.ps1

# Windows PowerShell 5.1
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File scripts\mcp-smoke-test.ps1

The script exits with an error unless the expected five tools and a valid add_todo result are returned.

The UI exposes stable data-testid hooks (new-todo-input, add-todo, todo-item, delete-todo) so a Playwright run can drive add → complete → delete end to end.

The tracked [.vscode/mcp.json](.vscode/mcp.json) also configures a verified release of the official Playwright MCP server through npx, using installed Microsoft Edge. It requires Node.js 18 or newer. Start the playwright server from its code-lens and approve the server/tools when VS Code prompts.

---

Optional next step — GitHub Copilot coding agent

Todos are kept in memory on purpose. A ready-to-assign issue, [docs/copilot-agent-issue.md](docs/copilot-agent-issue.md), asks the cloud agent to add Spring Data JPA + H2 persistence and a dueDate field. This requires a GitHub account with Copilot coding agent enabled and write access to a repository or fork. Create an issue from the prepared description, assign it to @copilot (or use "Delegate to coding agent" in the GitHub Pull Requests view), then review and test the draft pull request before deciding whether to merge it.

---

Demo recording script

[scripts/script.md](scripts/script.md) is a four-episode walkthrough that uses this project to demo Java development in VS Code with GitHub Copilot:

1. Build and debug a Spring Boot app (Extension Pack for Java, Spring Initializr, breakpoints, live memory view). 2. Expose the endpoints to Copilot as MCP tools. 3. Let Copilot test the UI end to end with Playwright. 4. Hand a new feature to the GitHub Copilot coding agent, then review and validate the draft PR it opens.

---

Contributing and support

• Read [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md) before submitting a pull request.
• Use [SUPPORT.md](SUPPORT.md) for help and issue-reporting guidance.
• Report vulnerabilities according to [SECURITY.md](SECURITY.md), not through a public issue.
• Participation is governed by the [Microsoft Open Source Code of Conduct](CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md).

License

MIT License. See [LICENSE](LICENSE) for details.