Use Dutyfinch MCP with VS Code (GitHub Copilot)

US tariff API + MCP: HTS duty rates, Section 301 lists. Keys $19/mo; 50 free calls a day.

Remote MCP server (Streamable HTTP), nothing to install. Free: 50 free calls a day · Paid: Keys $19/mo

Set it up

1. Create .vscode/mcp.json in your workspace (or run MCP: Add Server from the Command Palette).
2. Paste the configuration and save; a Start button appears above the server entry.
3. Start the server, then open Copilot Chat in Agent mode and check the tools list.
4. Ask a question the tools can answer and approve the tool call.

Add to .vscode/mcp.json:

{
  "servers": {
    "dutyfinch": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://dutyfinch.cybermaxtools.com/mcp?via=use-with-vs-code"
    }
  }
}

With a paid key:

{
  "inputs": [
    {
      "type": "promptString",
      "id": "cybermax-key",
      "description": "CyberMax API key",
      "password": true
    }
  ],
  "servers": {
    "dutyfinch": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://dutyfinch.cybermaxtools.com/mcp?via=use-with-vs-code",
      "headers": {
        "x-api-key": "${input:cybermax-key}"
      }
    }
  }
}

VS Code asks for the key the first time the server starts and stores it securely; it never sits in the file.

Where it goes:

• .vscode/mcp.json in your workspace (VS Code format, top-level "servers")
• or the portable .mcp.json at the workspace root (top-level "mcpServers")

Config format checked 2026-10-09 against VS Code (GitHub Copilot)'s MCP documentation.

Tools you get

Endpoint checked 2026-10-09: https://dutyfinch.cybermaxtools.com/mcp answered an MCP initialize (protocol 2025-06-18) and tools/list with 4 tools, all marked read-only. No key was used and no tool was called.

Test the endpoint from a terminal

This lists the tools without a key and without calling any of them:

curl -s https://dutyfinch.cybermaxtools.com/mcp \
  -H 'content-type: application/json' \
  -H 'accept: application/json, text/event-stream' \
  -d '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"tools/list"}'

If it does not work

• In .vscode/mcp.json the key is "servers" and "type": "http" is required.
• The docs note the Add Server flow now recommends the portable .mcp.json, which uses "mcpServers" instead; both formats are documented.
• The free tier has a daily limit (see the pricing line above); a paid key raises it.

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