We’ve released an update for our SQL Developer Extension for VS Code, version 25.4.1 [changeLog].
When you pickup a new extension update, you may run into issues with our MCP Server. Let’s talk about what’s going on and how you can avoid this.
You have two primary options for making our SQLcl MCP server available for AI Agents in VS Code.
- Download and configure SQLcl
- Install the SQL Developer extension from the VS Code Marketplace
While you can configure both, you should only have one of these active at any given time. No need to confuse the Agent as to WHICH MCP server you want to use for your database work.
The simplest path, using our SQL Developer Extension for VS Code
If you’re using Github Copilot – the ‘Chat’ dialog in VS Code, then this is ALL you need to do. There’s no additional configuration required.
If you’re using another Agent in VS Code, for example, Cline, then you need to do some configuration work.
We make it ‘easy,’ simply open the Command Palette and search for ‘Cline.’
Actioning this, we will insert or update this entry in Cline’s MCP JSON configuration file.
"SQLcl - SQL Developer": {
"timeout": 60,
"type": "stdio",
"command": "/Users/thatjeffsmith/.vscode/extensions/oracle.sql-developer-25.4.1-darwin-x64/dbtools/jdk/Contents/Home/bin/java",
"args": [
"-Djava.awt.headless=true",
"-Djava.net.useSystemProxies=true",
"-Duser.language=en",
"-p",
"/Users/thatjeffsmith/.vscode/extensions/oracle.sql-developer-25.4.1-darwin-x64/dbtools/launch/:/Users/thatjeffsmith/.vscode/extensions/oracle.sql-developer-25.4.1-darwin-x64/dbtools/sqlcl/launch/",
"--add-modules",
"ALL-DEFAULT",
"-m",
"com.oracle.dbtools.launch",
"sql",
"-mcp",
"-tnsadmin",
"/Users/thatjeffsmith",
"@/Users/thatjeffsmith/Documents/login.sql"
]
}A few notes here:
- this is telling the AI Agent, the MCP Server can be found inside the SQL Developer VS Code extension
- this location is version dependent
- this means, as the version of SQL Developer’s extension changes, you need to update this file – simply invoke the cmd palette operation again, and we’ll update this entry for you
If you see Cline or another Agent ‘stop working,’ it’s likely because you’ve updated the MCP Server, and it can’t be found anymore.
If you were to install a standalone copy of SQLcl, and you configured that, then it’ll continue to work so long as that copy doesn’t ‘move’ or ‘go away.’
We’ll be updating our docs to make sure this is clear for end users, so you’ll spend less time wondering why your MCP Server stopped working!
But Jeff I’m not running Cline…
Maybe you’re using Claude’s extension for VS Code? It (like all other Agents) use json config files for managing their MCP Servers. Simply call the ‘Cline’ command, and copy/paste the JSON entry for SQLcl, and paste it into Claude’s.
A quick note on our MCP Tools, a ‘new’ one?
For running queries/code on your database we now have:
- run-sql
- run-sql-asynch
We had previously overloaded the run-sql schema for Agents, so they could invoke it in two different ways, synchronous or asynchronous, but certain Agents didn’t take that very well. So it’s been split our spearately as a new tool.
Yes, you can ask your Agent to run some database code in the background! If you don’t and it takes longer than 60 seconds to respond, your Agent will ‘timeout’ the MCP tool request.
2 Comments
Could you please share the required non cline or non co-pilot command for generating required JSON? I tried replacing the relevant values in the path but it did not work. What works for me is below
“SQLcl”: {
“autoApprove”: [
“list-“,
“disconnect”,
“list-connections”,
“connect”
],
“disabled”: false,
“timeout”: 60,
“type”: “stdio”,
“command”: “/Users/myuser/Documents/SQLcl/sqlcl/bin/sql”,
“args”: [
“-R”,
“1”,
“-mcp”
]
}
Not sure I understand your question. What you have above is what you need if you’re using a standalone copy of SQLcl. It looks OK to me.