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Connect Serval to VS Code

Give VS Code governed access to Serval’s 402 tools through Runlayer, with identity, policy, scanning, and audit on every call.

Book a demo VS Code setup guide

Set up

Add Serval to VS Code in four steps

Admins approve the server once. Everyone in VS Code then gets it through the same governed connection.

  1. 1

    Add Serval to Runlayer

    Serval isn’t in the Runlayer catalog yet, so an admin adds it by its MCP server URL.

    Adding a connector manually
  2. 2

    Connect VS Code to Runlayer

    Runlayer’s CLI installs the Runlayer Plugin natively in VS Code; users can also add it over MCP. With direct tool listing turned on for your deployment, Serval’s 402 tools show up in VS Code’s own tool list (VS Code 1.103 or newer).

    VS Code setup guide
  3. 3

    Sign in to Serval

    Sign in the way Serval requires. Runlayer holds the credentials so they stay out of the client’s configuration.

  4. 4

    Use Serval from VS Code

    Serval’s approved tools appear in VS Code. Every call is checked against policy and recorded.

Tools

402 Serval tools in VS Code

Runlayer policy decides which of these VS Code users can call.

  • Add entity type field

    Deprecated: use POST /v2/entity-type-fields.

  • Add label to app instance

    DEPRECATED: use AddTagToSubject.

  • Add tag to subject

    Attach a tag to a subject (resource, role, app instance, workflow, or guidance).

  • Add ticket assignment group

    Add a group to the team's configured assignment groups.

  • Add ticket relevant asset

    Add a relevant asset to a ticket.

  • Aggregate entities

    Aggregate live-entity counts for one entity schema (database), grouped by entity type or by creation-time bucket (day or month).

  • Archive entity

    Archive an entity, hiding it from active browse while keeping its key reserved so the key cannot be reused.

  • Archive ticket

    Move a ticket into cold storage, removing it from most views.

See all 402 Serval tools

Control

What Runlayer can see and stop in VS Code

Some controls apply to every client at the gateway. Others depend on what VS Code exposes to Runlayer.

  • Gateway policy (available)

    Every Serval call from VS Code passes through Runlayer, where your policies can allow, alert, mask, or block it.

  • Audit trail (available)

    Each call is recorded with the user, VS Code as the client, the tool, and the policy and scanner decisions.

  • Client hooks (available)

    Capture supported prompts, reasoning, local and MCP tool calls, responses, and scanner decisions in real time.

  • Stop a call before it runs (available)

    Runlayer can deny a tool call before VS Code runs it.

  • Block output after it runs (available)

    Runlayer can block a tool’s output before VS Code’s model sees it.

  • Redact output in place (available)

    Runlayer can mask sensitive parts of a tool’s output in VS Code and pass the rest through.

Frequently asked questions

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