Extend GitHub Copilot with Tools and MCP Servers
Garrett Berliner and Emily Rothrock walk through how GitHub Copilot can be extended with tools and Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers, using Playwright MCP as a concrete example for browser automation.
Overview
What “tools” and MCP servers are
- The presenters frame Copilot as the “brain” and tools as the “hands” that can take actions.
- They introduce Model Context Protocol (MCP) and the idea of installing MCP servers to add capabilities.
Built-in tools: file system and internet
- They demonstrate Copilot using built-in tools to:
- Work with local files
- Search the internet
- The episode shows using prompt keywords to help Copilot select the right tool.
- They highlight watching Copilot call tools automatically during the workflow.
Portfolio tool demonstration
- They set up a portfolio-focused demo and show Copilot:
- Searching local files and the web
- Adding images to the portfolio
- Creating a PowerPoint presentation using tools
Installing and using the Playwright MCP server
- They install the Playwright MCP server and demonstrate:
- Starting browser automation in a new session
- Switching Playwright from Chrome to Microsoft Edge
Resources
- Episode artifacts (prompts, code, and materials): https://aka.ms/student-learning-series
- Learn more about GitHub Copilot: https://aka.ms/StudentAI-GitHubCopilotApp
- Playwright MCP repository: https://github.com/microsoft/playwright-mcp
- Series page: https://aka.ms/student-learning-series-website
Presenters
- Garrett Berliner (Technical Program Manager, Microsoft): https://www.linkedin.com/in/garrettberliner/
- Emily Rothrock (Software Engineer, Microsoft): https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-rothrock/