ProBro MCP Server

Standalone MCP server for ProBro/OpenEdge database access.

It exposes ProBro-style database operations as MCP tools so other extensions, agents, or clients can use them.

Docs map

• README.md: primary setup and day-to-day usage.
• HTTP-WRAPPER.md: HTTP endpoint reference.
• COPILOT-CHAT-INTEGRATION.md: advanced Copilot Chat + HTTP wrapper examples and troubleshooting.
• .github/copilot-bootstrap/global-rules.md: reusable AI agent rules for any DB.
• .github/copilot-bootstrap/profiles/.md: DB-specific AI guidance.
• .github/copilot-instructions.md: generated active instruction file consumed by Copilot in this workspace (do not edit directly).

Features

• Reuses the ProBro OpenEdge command protocol (base64 JSON over TCP)
• Supports both local and remote runtime modes
• Exposes schema, query, and CRUD operations
• Includes smoke and integration tests

MCP tools

• probro_set_connection
• probro_get_connection_status
• probro_get_version
• probro_list_tables
• probro_get_table_details
• probro_query_table
• probro_mutate_table

Requirements

• Node.js 18+
• OpenEdge runtime available when using local mode

Install

npm install

Start server

As MCP Server (stdio)

npm start

As HTTP REST API

For easier testing or integration with Copilot Chat:

npm run start:http

Server runs on http://localhost:3000 (configurable via PROBRO_HTTP_PORT).

See HTTP-WRAPPER.md for HTTP endpoint documentation.

Run Example Client

node example-client.mjs

Demonstrates all HTTP API endpoints with a real database connection.

MCP client configuration example

{
    "mcpServers": {
        "probro": {
            "command": "node",
            "args": ["c:/path/to/ProBro/mcp-server/src/index.js"]
        }
    }
}

Out-of-box VS Code setup

This repository includes workspace MCP configuration in .vscode/mcp.json.

When VS Code starts MCP for this workspace, it runs node src/index.js and auto-connects from ProBro state first.

For this repository, saved ProBro state is the primary auto-connect source. Workspace settings are supported as a fallback, and PROBRO_* env vars are still supported as optional overrides.

The server supports both the temporary probro.* keys used in this repository and the real ProBro extension-style pro-bro.* keys.

Supported setting keys (fallbacks):

• probro.mcp.autoConnect, probro.autoConnect
• probro.mcp.mode, probro.connection.mode, probro.mode
• probro.mcp.database, probro.connection.database, probro.database
• probro.mcp.agentHost, probro.connection.agentHost, probro.agentHost
• probro.mcp.agentPort, probro.connection.agentPort, probro.agentPort
• probro.mcp.dlc, probro.connection.dlc, probro.dlc

This makes CRUD flows seamless when ProBro extension state is already configured in VS Code.

Saved ProBro connection definitions from VS Code state (pro-bro.dbconfig) are exposed through probro_get_saved_connections for inspection, but they are not used as an automatic connection fallback.

Connection modes

Local mode

Starts OpenEdge runtime from this repository under resources/oe.

Required tool args for probro_set_connection:

• mode: local
• dlc: OpenEdge DLC path
• database: database name or path

Optional:

• projectRoot (defaults to repo root)
• agentPort (defaults to 23456)
• dbHost, dbPort, user, password, params
• startupTimeoutMs, socketTimeoutMs
• tempFilesPath, logEntryTypes

Important:

• If OpenEdge cannot resolve a short DB name in local mode, set database to an absolute .db path.

Remote mode

Connects to an already-running OpenEdge agent.

Required tool args for probro_set_connection:

• mode: remote
• agentHost
• agentPort
• database

Optional:

• dbHost, dbPort, user, password, params
• startupTimeoutMs, socketTimeoutMs

Minimal tool call examples

Local:

{
    "name": "probro_set_connection",
    "arguments": {
        "mode": "local",
        "dlc": "C:\\Progress\\OpenEdge",
        "database": "C:\\data\\sports2020.db",
        "agentPort": 23456
    }
}

Remote:

{
    "name": "probro_set_connection",
    "arguments": {
        "mode": "remote",
        "agentHost": "127.0.0.1",
        "agentPort": 23456,
        "database": "sports2020"
    }
}

Testing

Smoke test

Checks that the MCP server starts and all tools are registered.

npm run test:smoke

Integration test

Performs a real connection and validates table listing.

npm run test:integration

Environment variables used by integration test:

• PROBRO_MCP_MODE: remote (default) or local
• PROBRO_DB_DATABASE: required

Remote mode:

• PROBRO_AGENT_HOST: required
• PROBRO_AGENT_PORT: optional (default 23456)

Local mode:

• PROBRO_DLC: required
• PROBRO_AGENT_PORT: optional (default 23456)
• PROBRO_PROJECT_ROOT: optional

Optional DB parameters:

• PROBRO_DB_USER
• PROBRO_DB_PASSWORD
• PROBRO_DB_HOST
• PROBRO_DB_PORT
• PROBRO_DB_PARAMS

PowerShell example (local mode):

$env:PROBRO_MCP_MODE="local"
$env:PROBRO_DLC="C:\Progress\OpenEdge"
$env:PROBRO_DB_DATABASE="C:\data\sports2020.db"
$env:PROBRO_AGENT_PORT="23456"
npm run test:integration

Using with Copilot Chat

You can expose the ProBro database to GitHub Copilot Chat via the HTTP wrapper:

1. Start the HTTP wrapper: npm run start:http
2. Build agent bootstrap instructions: npm run copilot:bootstrap
3. Optional: choose a DB profile (PowerShell: $env:COPILOT_DB_PROFILE="sports2020"; npm run copilot:bootstrap, bash: COPILOT_DB_PROFILE=sports2020 npm run copilot:bootstrap)
4. Keep global rules in .github/copilot-bootstrap/global-rules.md
5. Keep DB-specific rules in .github/copilot-bootstrap/profiles/<profile>.md
6. Start asking Copilot Chat questions about your database

See COPILOT-CHAT-INTEGRATION.md for advanced HTTP wrapper examples and troubleshooting.

Current limitations

• Local runtime bootstrap is currently Windows-focused.
• On Linux/macOS, use remote mode unless you add platform-specific startup logic.