Microsoft Learn MCP server

🌟 Microsoft Learn MCP Server

Stop AI Hallucinations. Give your AI assistant (Claude, Cursor, Copilot, Codex, ...) direct access to the latest official Microsoft documentation.

✨ Free. One-click install. No key needed.

🎯 Why install this?

Stop relying on outdated training data or risky web searches. Learn MCP server provides secure, direct access to Microsoft official docs.

• 🧠 Eliminate Hallucinations. Stop your AI from inventing non-existent Azure SDK methods or hallucinating library packages. Get code that actually compiles.

• 🔌 Plug & Play (No Auth). No API keys, no logins, no sign-ups required. Just one-click install and start coding immediately.

• 🛡️ 100% Trusted & Safe. Protect your supply chain. Unlike generic web searches that may scrape insecure blogs or malicious sites, this tool only accesses official 1st-party Microsoft documentation.

• 💸 Completely Free. High search capacity tailored for seamless, heavy coding sessions.

✨ Example Prompts

"Give me the Azure CLI commands to create an Azure Container App with a managed identity."

"Is gpt-5.4 available in Azure EU regions?"

"Are you sure this is the right way to implement IHttpClientFactory in a .NET 8 minimal API?"

"Show me runnable Python code to do harms eval using the Azure AI Foundry evaluation SDK."

🌐 The Microsoft Learn MCP Server Endpoint

The Microsoft Learn MCP Server is accessible to any IDE, agent, or tool that supports the Model Context Protocol (MCP). Any compatible client can connect to the following remote MCP endpoint:

https://learn.microsoft.com/api/mcp

Note: This URL is intended for use within a compliant MCP client via Streamable HTTP, such as the recommended clients listed in our Getting Started section. It does not support direct access from a web browser and may return a 405 Method Not Allowed error if accessed manually. For developers who need to build their own solution, please follow the mandatory guidelines in the Building a Custom Client section to ensure your implementation is resilient and supported.

Standard config works in most clients:

{
  "servers": {
    "microsoft-learn": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://learn.microsoft.com/api/mcp"
    }
  }
}

For experimental features, see the Experimental Features section below.

🧪 Experimental Features

The Microsoft Learn MCP Server offers experimental features that are under active development. These features may change or be refined based on user feedback and usage patterns.

OpenAI-Compatible Endpoint

For applications that require OpenAI Deep Research model compatibility, you can use the OpenAI-compatible endpoint:

https://learn.microsoft.com/api/mcp/openai-compatible

This endpoint supports OpenAI Deep Research models and follows the OpenAI MCP specification.

Token Budget Control

To manage token usage and control costs, you can append the maxTokenBudget query parameter to the MCP endpoint URL. This parameter limits the token count in search tool responses by truncating the content to meet your specified budget.

https://learn.microsoft.com/api/mcp?maxTokenBudget=2000

Note: These experimental features are subject to change. We welcome feedback through our GitHub Discussions.

🛠️ Currently Supported Tools

Tool Name	Description	Input Parameters
microsoft_docs_search	Performs semantic search against Microsoft official technical documentation	query (string): The search query for retrieval
microsoft_docs_fetch	Fetch and convert a Microsoft documentation page into markdown format	url (string): URL of the documentation page to read
microsoft_code_sample_search	Search for official Microsoft/Azure code snippets and examples	query (string): Search query for Microsoft/Azure code snippetslanguage (string, optional): Programming language filter.

💻 Microsoft Learn CLI

The @microsoft/learn-cli package gives you terminal access to the same tools — search docs, fetch pages, and find code samples — without an MCP client.

# Run instantly (no install)
npx @microsoft/learn-cli search "azure functions timeout"

# Or install globally
npm install -g @microsoft/learn-cli
# then use `mslearn`
mslearn search "azure functions timeout"

Installing the npm package alone does not install agent discovery. The CLI can install a CLI-first skill for the same ecosystems supported by this repository's plugins: GitHub Copilot, Claude Code, and Codex.

# User profile (default)
mslearn setup --cli

# Current repository
mslearn setup --cli --project

# Override auto-detection with explicit targets
mslearn setup --cli --copilot
mslearn setup --cli --claude
mslearn setup --cli --codex
mslearn setup --cli --copilot --project
mslearn setup --cli --claude --project
mslearn setup --cli --codex --project

# Multiple agents
mslearn setup --cli --copilot --claude --codex

Remove only managed discovery content with:

mslearn remove --cli
mslearn remove --cli --copilot
mslearn remove --cli --claude --codex --project

Agent	User scope	Project scope
GitHub Copilot	~/.copilot/skills/	.github/skills/
Claude Code	~/.claude/skills/	.claude/skills/
Codex	~/.agents/skills/	.agents/skills/

When no target is specified, setup detects installed agents from their well-known user or project directories. Removal detects only agents with Microsoft Learn CLI-managed discovery artifacts. Explicit targets (--copilot, --claude, or --codex) override detection and can be combined. This workflow does not configure MCP or install agents outside the plugin ecosystems such as Cursor. When both integrations are installed, agents should prefer the Microsoft Learn MCP tools and use the standalone CLI skill only as a fallback.

Pass --json to get structured JSON output, useful for programmatic processing:

mslearn search "azure openai" --json | jq '.results[].title'

See cli/README.md for the full command reference.

🤖 Agent Skills

Agent Skills are portable instruction packages that help AI agents use tools more effectively. We provide three skills that guide agents on when and how to use the Microsoft Learn MCP tools:

Skill	Purpose	Best For
microsoft-docs	Understanding concepts, tutorials, architecture, limits	"How does X work?", learning, configuration guides
microsoft-code-reference	API lookups, code samples, verification, error fixing	Implementing code, finding correct methods, troubleshooting
microsoft-skill-creator	Meta-skill that generates custom agent skills for any Microsoft technology	Creating a skill to teach agents about a new Azure library, .NET feature, or other Microsoft tech

Quick Setup

Choose the integration that matches how you want the agent to retrieve Microsoft Learn content:

Mode	Installation	Agent behavior
Standalone CLI-first	Install/run @microsoft/learn-cli, then run mslearn setup --cli [agent-target]	Detected or selected agents invoke npx @microsoft/learn-cli@latest; MCP is not configured
Repository plugin, MCP-first	Install the repository plugin for GitHub Copilot, Claude Code, or Codex	The plugin supplies the Learn MCP endpoint and MCP-oriented skills

The repository plugin also supports Claude Code. Run the following command and restart Claude Code:

/plugin install microsoft-docs@claude-plugins-official

For the MCP-first GitHub Copilot CLI plugin, run:

/plugin install microsoftdocs/mcp

Otherwise:

1. Install the MCP Server first — See Installation below
2. Copy the skill folders to your project's .github/skills/ or .claude/skills/ directory:
   • microsoft-docs — for concepts, tutorials, and factual lookups
   • microsoft-code-reference — for API lookups, code samples, and troubleshooting
   • microsoft-skill-creator — meta-skill for generating custom skills about Microsoft technologies

Supported Agents

Agent Skills work across multiple AI agents:

• VS Code (Insiders) — enable chat.useAgentSkills setting
• GitHub Copilot CLI & Copilot coding agent
• Claude Code, Cursor, OpenAI Codex, and more

Which Skill Do I Need?

If you want to...	Install
Cover all Microsoft docs scenarios	All three skills
Focus on coding (APIs, samples, errors)	microsoft-code-reference only
Focus on facts & concepts (limits, config, tutorials)	microsoft-docs only
Generate a custom skill for a specific Microsoft technology	microsoft-skill-creator only

🔌 Installation & Getting Started

The Microsoft Learn MCP Server supports quick installation across multiple development environments. Choose your preferred client below for streamlined setup:

Client	One-click Installation	MCP Guide
VS Code	or search "@mcp learn" in Extensions to show "Microsoft Learn" MCP	VS Code MCP Official Guide
GitHub Copilot CLI	/plugin install microsoftdocs/mcp
Claude Desktop	Follow "Add custom connector" instructions in official guide.	Claude Desktop Remote MCP Guide
Claude Code	/plugin install microsoft-docs@claude-plugins-official (includes MCP server + skills)	Claude Code Remote MCP Guide
Visual Studio	Upgrade to latest VS 2022 or 2026, "Microsoft Learn" MCP is already built-in	Visual Studio MCP Official Guide
Cursor IDE		Cursor MCP Official Guide
Codex	codex mcp add "microsoft-learn" --url "https://learn.microsoft.com/api/mcp"	Codex MCP documentation
Roo Code	Open Roo Code Marketplace, search for Microsoft Learn, and click Install	Roo Code MCP Official Guide
Cline	Manual configuration requiredUse "type": "streamableHttp"	Cline MCP Official Guide
Gemini CLI	Manual configuration required View ConfigNote: Add an mcpServer object to .gemini/settings.json file{ "Microsoft Learn MCP Server": { "httpUrl": "https://learn.microsoft.com/api/mcp" }}	How to set up your MCP server
Qwen Code	Manual configuration required View ConfigNote: Add an mcpServer object to .qwen/settings.json file{ "Microsoft Learn MCP Server": { "httpUrl": "https://learn.microsoft.com/api/mcp" }}	Configure the MCP server in settings.json
GitHub	Manual configuration required View ConfigNote: Navigate to Settings → Coding agent{ "mslearn": { "type": "http", "url": "https://learn.microsoft.com/api/mcp", "tools": [ "*" ] }}
ChatGPT	Manual configuration required View Instructions1. Open ChatGPT in the browser2. Go to Settings → Connectors → Advanced settings → Turn Developer mode on3. Go back to connectors and click create4. Give the connector a name, enter URL https://learn.microsoft.com/api/mcp, set authentication to No authentication and trust the application5. Click create	ChatGPT Official Guide
Windsurf	Manual configuration required View Config{ "mcpServers": { "microsoft-learn": { "serverUrl": "https://learn.microsoft.com/api/mcp" } }}	Windsurf MCP Guide
Kiro	View Config{ "microsoft-learn": { "url": "https://learn.microsoft.com/api/mcp" }}	Kiro MCP Guide

⚠️ Building a Custom Client

If your use case requires a direct, programmatic integration, it is essential to understand that MCP is a dynamic protocol, not a static API. The available tools and their schemas will evolve.

To build a resilient client that will not break as the service is updated, you should adhere to the following principles:

1. Discover Tools Dynamically: Your client should fetch current tool definitions from the server at runtime (e.g., using tools/list). Do not hard-code tool names or parameters.
2. Refresh on Failure: Your client should handle errors during tool/invoke calls. If a tool call fails with an error indicating it is missing or its schema has changed (e.g., an HTTP 404 or 400 error), your client should assume its cache is stale and automatically trigger a refresh by calling tools/list.
3. Handle Live Updates: Your client should listen for server notifications (e.g., listChanged) and refresh its tool cache accordingly.

❓ Troubleshooting

💻 System Prompt

Even tool-friendly models like Claude Sonnet 4 sometimes fail to call MCP tools by default; use system prompts to encourage usage.

Here's an example of a Cursor rule (a system prompt) that will cause the LLM to utilize microsoft-learn more frequently:

## Querying Microsoft Documentation

You have access to MCP tools called `microsoft_docs_search`, `microsoft_docs_fetch`, and `microsoft_code_sample_search` - these tools allow you to search through and fetch Microsoft's latest official documentation and code samples, and that information might be more detailed or newer than what's in your training data set.

When handling questions around how to work with native Microsoft technologies, such as C#, F#, ASP.NET Core, Microsoft.Extensions, NuGet, Entity Framework, the `dotnet` runtime - please use these tools for research purposes when dealing with specific / narrowly defined questions that may occur.

⚠️ Common Issues

Issue	Possible Solution
Connection errors	Verify your network connection and that the server URL is correctly entered
No results returned	Try rephrasing your query with more specific technical terms
Tool not appearing in VS Code	Restart VS Code or check that the MCP extension is properly installed
HTTP status 405	Method not allowed happens when a browser tries to connect to the endpoint. Try using the MCP Server through VS Code GitHub Copilot or MCP Inspector instead.
MCP server 'Microsoft Learn' marked as unavailable in Visual Studio (Reason: Eclipsed)	Visual Studio 2022 (17.13+) ships "Microsoft Learn" as a built-in MCP server at a higher-priority scope. "Eclipsed" means a higher-priority definition already exists and the duplicate lower-priority entry is suppressed. Eclipsing is matched on the server name, so remove any manually added entry with the same name as the built-in server (commonly microsoft-learn or Microsoft Learn) from your ~/.mcp.json or workspace .mcp.json. The built-in server will then become active automatically. No additional configuration is required for Visual Studio users.

🆘 Getting Support

• Ask questions, share ideas
• Create an issue

📚 Additional Resources

• Microsoft Learn MCP Server product documentation
• Microsoft MCP Servers
• Microsoft Learn
• Model Context Protocol Specification
• Microsoft Learn Terms of Use