ActionKit by Paragon + GitHub Copilot (VS Code): Complete MCP Integration

ActionKit by Paragon is a MCP server that Connect to 130+ SaaS integrations (e.g. Slack, Salesforce, Gmail) with Paragon’s ActionKit API..

When integrated with GitHub Copilot (VS Code), you can:

• Connect to 130+ SaaS applications via ActionKit API
• Handle OAuth and API authentication for integrations
• Execute custom OpenAPI action definitions

This guide provides step-by-step instructions to set up ActionKit by Paragon in GitHub Copilot (VS Code), including configuration, examples, and troubleshooting.

What You'll Achieve

After completing this setup:

• ActionKit by Paragon will be fully integrated and operational
• You can use ActionKit by Paragon tools directly in GitHub Copilot (VS Code)
• All ActionKit by Paragon capabilities will be available for your workflows
• Access to 4 different tools

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have:

• Node.js 22.14.0
• npm
• Paragon account
• Paragon project identifier from dashboard
• RS256 JWT signing key for authentication
• GitHub Copilot (VS Code) installed and configured
• Compatible operating system (Windows, macOS, Linux)

Installation

Step 1: Install ActionKit by Paragon

Install using npm:

git clone https://github.com/useparagon/paragon-mcp.git && cd paragon-mcp && npm install

Verify installation:

npm run start

Configuration

Step 2: Configure GitHub Copilot (VS Code)

1. Locate your configuration file:

   • Windows: .vscode\\mcp.json in your project directory
   • macOS: .vscode/mcp.json in your project directory
   • Linux: .vscode/mcp.json in your project directory

2. Add server configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "actionkit-by-paragon": {
      "command": "git",
      "args": ["clone", "https://github.com/useparagon/paragon-mcp.git", "&&", "cd", "paragon-mcp", "&&", "npm", "install"],
      "env": {
        "PROJECT_ID": "your-project-id",
        "SIGNING_KEY": "your-private-key-content",
        "SIGNING_KEY_PATH": "./keys/private-key.pem",
        "LIMIT_TO_INTEGRATIONS": "google-calendar,slack,salesforce",
        "PORT": "8080",
        "MCP_SERVER_URL": "https://your-server.com"
      }
    }
  }
}

3. Restart GitHub Copilot (VS Code)

Completely quit and restart GitHub Copilot (VS Code) to load the new configuration.

Examples

Once configured, you can use ActionKit by Paragon in GitHub Copilot (VS Code):

Schedule Team Meeting

Create a Google Calendar event and notify team via Slack

Ask GitHub Copilot (VS Code): "Schedule a team standup for tomorrow at 9 AM and send a Slack notification to the dev-team channel"

Expected Result: Calendar event created and Slack message sent with meeting details

Create Sales Lead

Add new lead to Salesforce from customer inquiry

Ask GitHub Copilot (VS Code): "Create a new lead in Salesforce for John Doe from Acme Corp with email [email protected]"

Expected Result: Lead record created in Salesforce with contact information and follow-up tasks

Email Campaign Follow-up

Send follow-up emails via Gmail for marketing campaign

Ask GitHub Copilot (VS Code): "Send a follow-up email to all prospects who opened our product demo email last week"

Expected Result: Targeted emails sent to qualified prospects with personalized content

Multi-Platform Data Sync

Sync customer data between HubSpot and Salesforce

Ask GitHub Copilot (VS Code): "Update all HubSpot contacts that were modified today in our Salesforce CRM"

Expected Result: Contact records synchronized with latest information across both platforms

Testing Your Setup

1. Start a new conversation in GitHub Copilot (VS Code)
2. Ask GitHub Copilot (VS Code) to list available tools
3. Try using ActionKit by Paragon functionality

Test prompts:

• "What MCP tools are available?"
• "Use ActionKit by Paragon to help with my code"
• "Show me what ActionKit by Paragon can do"

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

JWT Authentication Failed

Symptoms: 401 Unauthorized errors, Invalid token messages

Cause: Incorrect SIGNING_KEY or expired credentials

Solution:

• Verify SIGNING_KEY matches private key from Paragon dashboard
• Ensure key is in correct RS256 format
• Check PROJECT_ID is correct for your account
• Regenerate keys if necessary

Integration Not Available

Symptoms: Service not found errors, Integration disabled messages

Cause: Integration not enabled in Paragon project or LIMIT_TO_INTEGRATIONS restriction

Solution:

• Enable required integrations in Paragon dashboard
• Remove or update LIMIT_TO_INTEGRATIONS environment variable
• Verify integration is available in your Paragon plan
• Check integration-specific requirements

User Authorization Required

Symptoms: OAuth flow errors, Permission denied messages

Cause: User has not authorized the integration or scope issues

Solution:

• Guide user through OAuth authorization flow
• Check required scopes for the integration
• Verify callback URLs are configured correctly
• Re-authorize if tokens are expired

Server Connection Timeout

Symptoms: Connection timeouts, SSE endpoint not responding

Cause: Server not running or network connectivity issues

Solution:

• Start server with npm run start
• Verify PORT is not in use by another service
• Check firewall settings allow connections
• Test endpoint with curl: curl http://localhost:3001/health

MCP Configuration Not Loaded

Symptoms: MCP tools not appearing, Copilot does not recognize MCP server

Cause: Configuration file not in correct location or invalid JSON

Solution:

• Verify .vscode/mcp.json exists in project root directory
• Check JSON syntax is valid (no trailing commas, proper quotes)
• Reload VS Code window after making configuration changes
• Check VS Code Developer Tools (Help > Toggle Developer Tools) for errors

MCP Server Not Starting

Symptoms: Tools listed but not responding, Server connection errors

Cause: Server command path incorrect or dependencies missing

Solution:

• Test the MCP server command independently in terminal
• Verify all server prerequisites are installed
• Check that command path is correct (use absolute paths if needed)
• Ensure required environment variables are set in mcp.json
• Review VS Code Output panel for MCP server error messages

GitHub Copilot Subscription Required

Symptoms: Copilot features grayed out, Unable to access Copilot Chat

Cause: No active GitHub Copilot subscription

Solution:

• Sign up for GitHub Copilot subscription (Individual, Business, or Enterprise)
• Verify subscription is active in GitHub account settings
• Re-authenticate GitHub Copilot in VS Code
• Check that VS Code is using correct GitHub account

VS Code Version Too Old

Symptoms: MCP configuration ignored, No mcp.json recognition

Cause: VS Code version below 1.99 does not have native MCP support

Solution:

• Update VS Code to version 1.99 or later
• Check current version: Help > About
• Download latest version from code.visualstudio.com
• After updating, reload window and verify MCP support

{server_name} Tools Not Working

Symptoms: Server connected but tools fail, Error messages when invoking tools

Cause: Server-specific configuration or authentication issues

Solution:

• Verify all required environment variables for {server_name} are set
• Check {server_name} documentation for specific prerequisites
• Test {server_name} with another MCP client to isolate issue
• Review error messages in VS Code Output panel for specific failures

ActionKit by Paragon not appearing in GitHub Copilot (VS Code)

Symptoms: Server not listed, Tools not available

Cause: Configuration or installation issue

Solution:

• Verify configuration syntax
• Check ActionKit by Paragon installation
• Restart GitHub Copilot (VS Code)
• Check logs for error messages

Next Steps

Now that ActionKit by Paragon is integrated with GitHub Copilot (VS Code):

• Explore all ActionKit by Paragon capabilities through GitHub Copilot (VS Code)
• Check out other MCP servers that work with GitHub Copilot (VS Code)
• Join the MCP community for tips and support
• Consider contributing to ActionKit by Paragon development

Need Help?

• Search for ActionKit by Paragon documentation
• Check the GitHub Copilot (VS Code) MCP guide
• Join the MCP community discussions