Claude Debugs For You

What jasonjmcghee/claude-debugs-for-you MCP server does

The jasonjmcghee/claude-debugs-for-you MCP server connects an MCP-capable language model to an active VS Code debugging session. It allows the model to work with debugger breakpoints and evaluate expressions while investigating a program. The approach is intended for interactive diagnosis: the model can inspect runtime state as execution progresses rather than making a diagnosis from source code alone.

The project includes both an MCP server and a VS Code extension. Its debugging model is language-agnostic, but the target language and project must provide debugger console support through VS Code. A usable .vscode/launch.json is also required to start the relevant debug configuration.

How it works

Install and start the extension inside VS Code. The extension provides a status item named “Claude Debugs For You,” which indicates whether the service started successfully and exposes commands for managing it. When more than one VS Code window is open, the extension can hand the service from one window to another.

Clients can connect in two ways:

• stdio: The extension supplies the path to its generated Node-based MCP server script. Add that path to an MCP client configuration such as Claude Desktop.
• SSE: The extension supplies a local server address, documented as http://localhost:4711/sse by default, with the port adjustable in settings. This mode is used for clients such as Cursor.

After connecting a client, open a project with a suitable launch configuration and start debugging. The model must be configured to use tools; the example workflow asks it to place breakpoints and evaluate expressions while tracing a failing function.

Setup and configuration

Install the extension from the Visual Studio Marketplace or from a release VSIX file. In VS Code, a VSIX can be installed through the Extensions view’s “Install from VSIX...” command.

For stdio configuration, use the extension command that copies the MCP debug server path, then place the resulting path in the client’s MCP configuration with node as the command. Do not copy the placeholder path from the example; the path is specific to the local extension installation.

For SSE configuration, use the extension command that copies the server address, or configure the local SSE URL and selected port in the client. A client that was already running may need to be restarted, and Cursor may require a refresh.

Tools and capabilities

The jasonjmcghee/claude-debugs-for-you MCP server supports interactive breakpoint debugging and runtime expression evaluation. Conditional breakpoints are supported. The extension can be configured to start automatically, or the server can be started manually from its status menu.

Limitations and notes

The project does not claim to support every language independently of VS Code’s debugger. Language support depends on debugger console functionality and a valid launch.json configuration. The README demonstrates Claude Desktop, Continue, and Cursor; compatibility with other MCP clients is suggested but not individually documented. A proposed code-fix tool is listed as future work, so the documented server should be treated as a debugging and evaluation interface rather than an automatic source-editing tool.