Setup for VSCode not working on Windows

[SvenBudak]

Description of the bug

When I try to add this functionality using code --add-mcp as described in the documentation, I get an Invalid JSON error.

Reproduction

Open terminal in VS Code and type:

code --add-mcp '{"name":"io.github.ChromeDevTools/chrome-devtools-mcp","command":"npx","args":["-y","chrome-devtools-mcp"],"env":{}}'

And i receive:

Invalid JSON '{name:io.github.ChromeDevTools/chrome-devtools-mcp,command:npx,args:[-y,chrome-devtools-mcp],env:{}}': SyntaxError: Expected property name or '}' in JSON at position 1 (line 1 column 2)

Expectation

No response

MCP configuration

No response

Chrome DevTools MCP version

I try to install... so i think there is no MCP version yet...

Chrome version

No response

Coding agent version

No response

Model version

No response

Chat log

No response

Node version

v22.14.0

Operating system

Windows

Extra checklist

• I want to provide a PR to fix this bug

[zyzyzyryxy]

Hello, thank you for the bug report! I see you are using Windows, but there is no mention of specific shell. I'd guess it's PowerShell?

If so, I think code --add-mcp --% '{"name":"io.github.ChromeDevTools/chrome-devtools-mcp","command":"npx","args":["-y","chrome-devtools-mcp"],"env":{}}' should work. Could you give it a try?

[SvenBudak]

Hello, thank you for the bug report! I see you are using Windows, but there is no mention of specific shell. I'd guess it's PowerShell?

If so, I think code --add-mcp --% '{"name":"io.github.ChromeDevTools/chrome-devtools-mcp","command":"npx","args":["-y","chrome-devtools-mcp"],"env":{}}' should work. Could you give it a try?

then i get:

Invalid JSON ''{name:io.github.ChromeDevTools/chrome-devtools-mcp,command:npx,args:[-y,chrome-devtools-mcp],env:{}}'': SyntaxError: Unexpected token ''', "'{name:io."... is not valid JSON

when i check my Powershell with $PSVersionTable i get:

Name	Value
PSVersion	7.5.4
PSEdition	Core
GitCommitId	7.5.4
OS	Microsoft Windows 10.0.26200
Platform	Win32NT
PSCompatibleVersions	{1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0…}
PSRemotingProtocolVersion	2.3
SerializationVersion	1.1.0.1
WSManStackVersion	3.0

[SvenBudak]

Works with

code --add-mcp '{"""name""":"""io.github.ChromeDevTools/chrome-devtools-mcp""","""command""":"""npx""","""args""":["""-y""","""chrome-devtools-mcp"""]}'

Maybe someone should update the docs :)