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Cline is a VSCode extension that brings AI-powered development capabilities with MCP server support. It can be configured through both the marketplace and manual configuration.
Platform: VSCode Extension Transport Modes: Stdio (local) and HTTP (remote) Prerequisites: Cline installed in VSCode

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Installation

Install Cline from the VSCode marketplace:
  1. Open VSCode
  2. Go to Extensions (Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+X)
  3. Search for “Cline”
  4. Click Install

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Local (Stdio) Setup

Step 1: Open Cline configuration
  1. Open Cline in VSCode
  2. Click the hamburger menu icon (☰) → MCP Servers
  3. Choose Local Servers tab
  4. Click Edit Configuration
Step 2: Add configuration 
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ibmi-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["@ibm/ibmi-mcp-server@latest", "-y", "--tools", "/absolute/path/to/tools"],
      "env": {
        "DB2i_HOST": "your-ibmi-host.com",
        "DB2i_USER": "your-username",
        "DB2i_PASS": "your-password",
        "DB2i_PORT": "8076",
        "MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE": "stdio"
      }
    }
  }
}
The --tools path must be an absolute path.
Step 3: Save and restart Save the configuration and restart Cline to load the new server.

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Remote (HTTP) Setup

Step 1: Start remote server 
# On server machine
npm run start:http
Step 2: Obtain access token 
node get-access-token.js --verbose
Step 3: Open Cline configuration
  1. Open Cline
  2. Click the hamburger menu icon (☰) → MCP Servers
  3. Choose Remote Servers tab
  4. Click Edit Configuration
Step 4: Add remote server 
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ibmi-mcp": {
      "url": "http://localhost:3010/mcp",
      "type": "streamableHttp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN_HERE"
      }
    }
  }
}
Cline uses "type": "streamableHttp" for HTTP connections (not just "http").

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Testing the Connection

After configuration:
  1. Open Cline panel in VSCode
  2. Check that the MCP server appears in the server list
  3. Ask “What tools are available?”
  4. Test with “Show me the IBM i system status”

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Troubleshooting

Solutions:
  • Verify JSON syntax in configuration
  • Restart VSCode (not just Cline)
  • Check that npx -y @ibm/ibmi-mcp-server@latest works from terminal
  • Ensure all paths are absolute
  • Check VSCode Output panel for errors
Solutions:
  • Verify IBM i credentials are correct
  • Check Mapepire is running: sc check mapepire
  • Test connectivity: ping your-ibmi-host
  • Ensure port 8076 is accessible
Solutions:
  • Verify server is running: curl http://localhost:3010/mcp
  • Check token hasn’t expired
  • Get fresh token: node get-access-token.js --verbose
  • Ensure streamableHttp type is used (not just http)
Solutions:
  • Verify tools path exists and is absolute
  • Check YAML files are valid: npm run validate -- --config tools
  • Review Cline logs for tool loading errors
  • Ensure user has database authorities

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Advanced Configuration

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Multiple Environments

Configure different servers for dev and production: 
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ibmi-dev": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["@ibm/ibmi-mcp-server@latest", "-y", "--tools", "/path/to/dev-tools"],
      "env": {
        "DB2i_HOST": "dev-ibmi.company.com",
        "DB2i_USER": "DEVUSER",
        "DB2i_PASS": "devpass",
        "MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE": "stdio"
      }
    },
    "ibmi-prod": {
      "url": "https://prod-mcp.company.com/mcp",
      "type": "streamableHttp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer PROD_TOKEN"
      }
    }
  }
}

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Custom Toolsets

Load specific toolsets for focused workflows: 
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ibmi-performance": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "@ibm/ibmi-mcp-server@latest", "-y",
        "--tools", "/path/to/tools",
        "--toolsets", "performance,security"
      ],
      "env": {
        "DB2i_HOST": "your-ibmi-host.com",
        "DB2i_USER": "your-username",
        "DB2i_PASS": "your-password",
        "MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE": "stdio"
      }
    }
  }
}

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MCP Marketplace

Cline also supports discovering MCP servers through the Cline MCP Marketplace, though manual configuration provides more flexibility for custom setups.

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Next Steps

SQL Tools

Create custom SQL tools

Configuration

Explore all configuration options

Authentication

Set up secure authentication

Other Clients

Explore other MCP clients

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Additional Resources