Setup in VS Code with Copilot

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Before configuring, choose a distribution (Docker or npm) and set up authentication (API key or OAuth 2.0). Then add the matching configuration below.

The configuration can be used at either a project-level or a user-settings-level (across all projects). For project-level configuration, create a .vscode/mcp.json file in your workspace. For a user-settings-level configuration, add an MCP server to your existing user configuration file. For more information, see the VS Code MCP documentation.

Docker

API key

{
  "inputs": [
    {
      "type": "promptString",
      "id": "axe-api-key",
      "description": "axe MCP Server API Key",
      "password": true
    }
  ],
  "servers": {
    "axe-mcp-server": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "--add-host=host.docker.internal:host-gateway",
        "-i",
        "--rm",
        "-e",
        "AXE_SERVER_URL",
        "-e",
        "AXE_API_KEY",
        "dequesystems/axe-mcp-server:latest"
      ],
      "env": {
        "AXE_API_KEY": "${input:axe-api-key}"
      }
    }
  }
}

The configuration uses "AXE_API_KEY": "${input:axe-api-key}" for secure input handling. This will prompt you for your API key when the server starts for the first time.

note

Using a regional, private cloud, or on-premises axe instance? Add AXE_SERVER_URL to the env block with your instance's base URL:

"env": {
  "AXE_API_KEY": "${input:axe-api-key}",
  "AXE_SERVER_URL": "https://your-axe-instance.example.com"
}

If omitted, the server defaults to https://axe.deque.com (Deque's shared US SaaS instance). See Configuration Reference for details.

OAuth 2.0

Before configuring, complete Step 1: Authenticate in the Authentication guide.

This uses @deque/axe-auth token to obtain a fresh access token each time the server starts. No inputs block is needed — the token is retrieved from your system keychain automatically.

{
  "servers": {
    "axe-mcp-server": {
      "command": "sh",
      "args": [
        "-c",
        "docker run --add-host=host.docker.internal:host-gateway -i --rm -e \"AXE_ACCESS_TOKEN=$(npx -y @deque/axe-auth token)\" dequesystems/axe-mcp-server:latest"
      ]
    }
  }
}
note

Using a regional, private cloud, or on-premises axe instance? Add AXE_SERVER_URL to the Docker command and an env block with your instance's base URL:

"args": [
  "-c",
  "docker run --add-host=host.docker.internal:host-gateway -i --rm -e AXE_SERVER_URL -e \"AXE_ACCESS_TOKEN=$(npx -y @deque/axe-auth token)\" dequesystems/axe-mcp-server:latest"
],
"env": {
  "AXE_SERVER_URL": "https://your-axe-instance.example.com"
}

If omitted, the server defaults to https://axe.deque.com (Deque's shared US SaaS instance). See Configuration Reference for details.

note

This configuration uses sh -c to allow shell substitution. $(npx -y @deque/axe-auth token) runs at server startup and injects a valid access token into the Docker container. The -y flag skips the first-run "Ok to proceed?" prompt that npx would otherwise ask in a non-interactive shell. Do not set AXE_API_KEY alongside AXE_ACCESS_TOKEN.

caution

Windows users: This configuration uses a POSIX shell (sh) and command substitution ($(...)), which is not available in cmd.exe or PowerShell by default. Run your editor from a Git Bash or WSL shell so that sh is on your PATH.

npm

The npm distribution runs on Node.js and requires 22.19.0 or later. An active Node.js LTS release satisfies this, but an older Node 22 patch release may not.

The npm distribution needs a Chromium browser — either install one via Playwright or point at an existing binary. See Choosing a Distribution.

API key

Create a .vscode/mcp.json file in your workspace (project-level) or add the server to your user configuration:

{
  "servers": {
    "axe-mcp-server": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "axe-mcp-server"],
      "env": {
        "AXE_API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
      }
    }
  }
}
caution

Your configuration contains a credential in its env block. Project-level files like .vscode/mcp.json live in your repository — add them to .gitignore, or keep credentials in your user configuration instead. See Handling secrets safely below.

OAuth 2.0

OAuth 2.0 is supported with the npm distribution as well — set AXE_ACCESS_TOKEN instead of AXE_API_KEY, injecting a fresh token from @deque/axe-auth token at startup. See Authentication for the full flow.

note

Set either AXE_API_KEY or AXE_ACCESS_TOKEN — not both. The server will fail at startup if both variables are set.

Handling secrets safely

If you inline a credential in the env block, treat that file like any other secret:

  • Never commit it to source control. Project-level files like .vscode/mcp.json live in your repository — add them to your .gitignore, or keep credentials in your user configuration instead.
  • Prefer your OS keychain or a secret manager where supported. For OAuth, @deque/axe-auth already stores tokens in your system keychain — see Authentication.
  • Restrict file permissions so only your user can read the file (for example, chmod 600 .vscode/mcp.json on macOS and Linux).

Start the MCP Server

  1. Open VS Code with your configured settings
  2. Locate the "axe-mcp-server" entry in your mcp.json file
  3. Click the Start button that appears above the server configuration
  4. If you configured API key authentication, enter your API key when prompted. If you configured OAuth, the server starts without a prompt and retrieves a token from your system keychain.

Submit Prompts to Copilot

Once the axe MCP Server is running, you can use it through VS Code's Copilot chat interface:

  1. Open Copilot chat in VS Code
  2. Ensure you're in agent mode to allow tool usage
  3. Submit prompts to analyze websites and remediate accessibility issues

For recommended custom instructions that guide Copilot through the analyze-then-remediate workflow, see Configuring Your AI Agent.

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