Dynamics 365 Business Central: using the standalone MCP Server provided as part of the AL Development Tools.
Version 17.X of the AL Development Tools .NET package adds a launchmcpserver command. It starts an MCP server, HTTP on port 5000 by default, that lets AI coding agents run AL tasks on a project: build, publish, debug, set breakpoints, snapshot debugging, download symbols and symbol search. The tools are experimental. The package itself compiles and packages extensions outside VS Code for CI/CD.
post Stefano Demiliani
"This command starts up an HTTP-based MCP server, which can be used by coding agents to invoke AL-specific development tools."
Key points
- AL Development Tools is a cross-platform NuGet-based package for compiling and packaging Business Central extensions outside Visual Studio Code
- The launchmcpserver command launches an HTTP-based MCP server that AI agents can use to invoke AL development tools
- Available tools include building, debugging, downloading symbols, publishing, setting breakpoints, snapshot debugging, and symbol searching
- The server supports configurable options like port, transport mode, telemetry, ruleset, and output folder
- These tools are experimental and designed to streamline AL development workflows with AI assistance
Quotes
- “This command starts up an HTTP-based MCP server, which can be used by coding agents to invoke AL-specific development tools.” (Describes how the MCP server enables AI agents to interact with AL development workflows)
- “These tools are experimental and subject to change in future updates.” (Sets expectations about the stability and future evolution of these features)
Context
- Features: MCP server, launchmcpserver command, al_build, al_debug, al_downloadsymbols, al_publish, al_setbreakpoint, al_snapshotdebugging, al_symbolsearch
- Versions: 17.X
Source: Stefano Demiliani, community blog. Summary, key points and quotes are derived (CONTENT-NOTICE.md); read the original for the full text.