Context Persistence

You can enable cross-window context sharing in VS Code by running a dedicated MCP server that persists conversations and makes context available across all your windows. This server stores conversations locally, links related discussions by code entities, and lets you query past work without losing momentum when you switch repositories or windows.

How to use

You use the MCP server by running it locally and connecting your Copilot chat client to it. Once active, every conversation is stored and automatically indexed by code entities like classes, files, and methods. You can access recent conversations from any VS Code window and query workspace history when you need to surface prior context.

How to install

Prerequisites: Node.js and npm must be installed on your system.

Install dependencies and build the MCP server.

npm install
npm run build

# Start the server from your project directory (example configuration)
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "context_persistence": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "/Users/j0k0h1v/Documents/AI/McpServerPoc/dist/index.js"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Configuration and startup notes

Configure the MCP client in your VS Code Copilot settings to point to the local MCP server. The example configuration uses a local node process started with the path to the built index.

Usage patterns and tips

Automatic context sharing surfaces the most recent 50 messages and repository-specific history. Explicit queries let you check for discussions about particular entities or search across all conversations. Use these patterns to maintain continuity as you work across multiple repositories.

Architecture overview

The MCP server runs locally and uses a SQLite database to persist messages, code entities, and workspace metadata. It supports cross-window access so that conversations and context are available in every VS Code window, across all repositories.

Troubleshooting

If the server does not start, verify the start configuration is correct and that the path to the built script exists. Check the VS Code output panel for MCP-related logs. If no context appears, ensure conversations are saved and try restarting VS Code after configuration changes.

Notes on data and security

All conversations are stored locally in the configured SQLite database. Adjust permissions and consider backup strategies if you work with sensitive data across multiple repos.

Next steps

Once you have the server running, experiment with the automatic context resources and the explicit query tools to maximize continuity between Windows and Repositories.

Available tools

save_conversation

Store conversation messages for future retrieval across all VS Code windows.

get_related_context

Find discussions mentioning the same code entities such as classes, files, or methods.

search_conversations

Perform a full-text search across all saved conversations to locate relevant discussions.

get_workspace_summary

Provide an overview of all tracked repositories and their activity.

context://recent

Automatic resource exposing the last 50 messages across all workspaces.

context://workspace/{path}

Automatic resource exposing the history for a specific repository.