IDA Pro MCP for VS Code: Setup & Config

What you can do with IDA Pro in VS Code

Choose it for IDA-native binary analysis with explicit database sessions and persistent headless workers.

• Inspect binary functions through decompilation, disassembly, and cross-references.
• Coordinate analysis across explicit headless database sessions.

Before you start: IDA Pro in VS Code

• Python 3.11 or newer
• IDA Pro 8.3 or newer; version 9 recommended
• Installed idalib for headless operation
• uv for the documented launch command
• An MCP-compatible client

The selected command uses the recommended headless direction. Install the package or Claude Code plugin as documented and activate idalib as required. IDA Free is unsupported. Database tools require explicit session identifiers.

IDA Pro VS Code configuration

1. Choose VS Code configuration scope

   For IDA Pro MCP, open Workspace: .vscode/mcp.json. Merge into servers; preserve existing inputs.

2. Add IDA Pro MCP to VS Code

   Use the ida-pro-mcp entry below in servers. Keep IDA Pro MCP's documented stdio connection fields and your other VS Code entries.

3. Check IDA Pro MCP in VS Code

   IDA Pro MCP: Start in VS Code’s MCP controls; inspect output and trust prompts.

{
  "servers": {
    "ida-pro-mcp": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "uv",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "idalib-mcp",
        "--stdio"
      ],
      "env": {}
    }
  }
}

IDA Pro tools available to VS Code

IDA Pro's stored tool list documents 35 tools; compare it with VS Code's connected tool list, because the stored list is not a live check.

idb_open

Look for idb_open among VS Code's agent-mode tools after starting IDA Pro through the MCP controls.

idb_list

Look for idb_list among VS Code's agent-mode tools after starting IDA Pro through the MCP controls.

Inspect open sessions and discovered IDA GUI instances.

idb_save

Look for idb_save among VS Code's agent-mode tools after starting IDA Pro through the MCP controls.

Save a session’s analysis database to disk.

server_health

Look for server_health among VS Code's agent-mode tools after starting IDA Pro through the MCP controls.

Inspect health for an explicitly selected database.

lookup_funcs

Look for lookup_funcs among VS Code's agent-mode tools after starting IDA Pro through the MCP controls.

Resolve functions by name or address.

int_convert

Look for int_convert among VS Code's agent-mode tools after starting IDA Pro through the MCP controls.

Convert numeric values among decimal, hexadecimal, bytes, ASCII, and binary formats.

list_funcs

Look for list_funcs among VS Code's agent-mode tools after starting IDA Pro through the MCP controls.

List functions with filtering and pagination.

list_globals

Look for list_globals among VS Code's agent-mode tools after starting IDA Pro through the MCP controls.

Browse global variables with pagination and filters.

imports

Look for imports among VS Code's agent-mode tools after starting IDA Pro through the MCP controls.

List imported symbols and their modules.

decompile

Look for decompile among VS Code's agent-mode tools after starting IDA Pro through the MCP controls.

Produce decompiler output for a function address.

disasm

Look for disasm among VS Code's agent-mode tools after starting IDA Pro through the MCP controls.

xrefs_to

Look for xrefs_to among VS Code's agent-mode tools after starting IDA Pro through the MCP controls.

xrefs_to_field

Look for xrefs_to_field among VS Code's agent-mode tools after starting IDA Pro through the MCP controls.

callees

Look for callees among VS Code's agent-mode tools after starting IDA Pro through the MCP controls.

add_bookmark

Look for add_bookmark among VS Code's agent-mode tools after starting IDA Pro through the MCP controls.

set_comments

Look for set_comments among VS Code's agent-mode tools after starting IDA Pro through the MCP controls.

patch_asm

Look for patch_asm among VS Code's agent-mode tools after starting IDA Pro through the MCP controls.

declare_type

Look for declare_type among VS Code's agent-mode tools after starting IDA Pro through the MCP controls.

define_func

Look for define_func among VS Code's agent-mode tools after starting IDA Pro through the MCP controls.

Define functions at selected addresses, optionally with explicit endpoints.

define_code

Look for define_code among VS Code's agent-mode tools after starting IDA Pro through the MCP controls.

Interpret selected bytes as instructions.

undefine

Look for undefine among VS Code's agent-mode tools after starting IDA Pro through the MCP controls.

Return selected defined items to raw bytes.

get_bytes

Look for get_bytes among VS Code's agent-mode tools after starting IDA Pro through the MCP controls.

Read raw memory bytes from selected addresses.

get_int

Look for get_int among VS Code's agent-mode tools after starting IDA Pro through the MCP controls.

Read integers using a requested type and byte order.

get_string

Look for get_string among VS Code's agent-mode tools after starting IDA Pro through the MCP controls.

Read strings terminated by a null byte.

get_global_value

Look for get_global_value among VS Code's agent-mode tools after starting IDA Pro through the MCP controls.

Read compile-time global values by name or address.

stack_frame

Look for stack_frame among VS Code's agent-mode tools after starting IDA Pro through the MCP controls.

Inspect stack variables belonging to selected functions.

declare_stack

Look for declare_stack among VS Code's agent-mode tools after starting IDA Pro through the MCP controls.

Create stack variables at chosen offsets.

delete_stack

Look for delete_stack among VS Code's agent-mode tools after starting IDA Pro through the MCP controls.

read_struct

Look for read_struct among VS Code's agent-mode tools after starting IDA Pro through the MCP controls.

search_structs

Look for search_structs among VS Code's agent-mode tools after starting IDA Pro through the MCP controls.

dbg_start

Look for dbg_start among VS Code's agent-mode tools after starting IDA Pro through the MCP controls.

dbg_exit

Look for dbg_exit among VS Code's agent-mode tools after starting IDA Pro through the MCP controls.

dbg_continue

Look for dbg_continue among VS Code's agent-mode tools after starting IDA Pro through the MCP controls.

dbg_run_to

Look for dbg_run_to among VS Code's agent-mode tools after starting IDA Pro through the MCP controls.

dbg_step_into

Look for dbg_step_into among VS Code's agent-mode tools after starting IDA Pro through the MCP controls.

IDA Pro: full stored tool descriptions

Troubleshooting IDA Pro in VS Code

• Make uv available in the workspace, container, or remote environment hosting IDA Pro MCP. Start through VS Code's MCP controls; inspect output and trust prompts.
• IDA Pro MCP uses stdio here: VS Code must keep the configured process running; protocol output belongs on stdout and diagnostics on stderr.
• Known limitation: Requires IDA Pro; IDA Free is unsupported.
• Known limitation: The GUI plugin path is no longer recommended.
• Known limitation: The README warns that hallucinations and obfuscation can reduce model accuracy.
• General VS Code troubleshooting lives in the /clients/vscode guide.

Frequently asked questions