Telerik WinForms MCP Server (NuGet)
The Telerik WinForms MCP (Model Context Protocol) Server is also available as a NuGet package. This NuGet distribution exposes the same AI Coding Assistant functionality as the npm package. Beginning with .NET 10 it can be executed directly via the dnx command. For .NET 8 and .NET 9 (where dnx is not available) you can install it as a local dotnet tool and invoke its executable.
Prerequisites
To use the Telerik WinForms MCP server via NuGet, you need:
| Target Runtime | Required SDK | Invocation Method | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| .NET 8 / .NET 9 | .NET 8 or .NET 9 SDK | Local dotnet tool (telerik-winforms-mcp.exe) |
dnx not supported; install tool manually |
| .NET 10 | .NET 10 SDK (Preview 6 or newer) |
dnx dynamic execution |
Simplest approach; no prior install step |
Common requirements:
- An MCP-compatible client that supports MCP tools (latest version recommended).
- A WinForms project targeting net8.0-windows, net9.0-windows, or net10.0-windows if you want local project context to be part of AI responses.
- A valid Telerik license key.
Summary of Installation Approaches
| Aspect | .NET 8 / 9 | .NET 10 |
|---|---|---|
Availability of dnx
|
Not available | Available |
| Install Command | dotnet tool install --tool-path ./.tools Telerik.WinForms.MCP |
None (resolved on demand) |
| Executable Path | ./.tools/telerik-winforms-mcp.exe |
Handled by dnx
|
| .mcp.json Command | .\\.tools\\telerik-winforms-mcp.exe |
dnx |
| .mcp.json Args | None |
Telerik.WinForms.MCP, --yes
|
| Update Version | Re-run tool install with --version or tool update
|
Handled by latest package resolved by dnx
|
| Offline Use | Requires prior tool install | Requires prior NuGet cache warm-up |
Server Installation
.NET 8 / .NET 9
Install the MCP server as a local tool in your solution root (or another chosen path):
dotnet tool install --tool-path ./.tools Telerik.WinForms.MCP
If updating:
dotnet tool update --tool-path ./.tools Telerik.WinForms.MCP
This creates the executable at ./.tools/telerik-winforms-mcp.exe.
.NET 10
No manual install step is needed. The dnx command will download and execute the NuGet package on demand.
Server Configuration
.NET 8 / .NET 9 Configuration (.mcp.json)
Add a .mcp.json file to your solution root (or to %USERPROFILE% for global usage):
{
"servers": {
"telerik-winforms-assistant": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": ".\\.tools\\telerik-winforms-mcp.exe",
"env": {
"TELERIK_LICENSE_PATH": "THE_PATH_TO_YOUR_LICENSE_FILE"
}
}
}
}
If you prefer embedding the license string directly:
"env": {
"TELERIK_LICENSE": "YOUR_LICENSE_KEY"
}
.NET 10 Configuration (.mcp.json)
Use these settings when configuring the server in your MCP client:
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Package Name | Telerik.WinForms.MCP |
| Type | stdio |
| Command | dnx |
| Arguments |
Telerik.WinForms.MCP, --yes
|
| Server Name |
telerik-winforms-assistant (customizable) |
Workspace-Specific Setup
Add a .mcp.json file to your solution (root) folder. Choose the variant that matches your target .NET runtime:
.NET 8 / .NET 9 Example
{
"servers": {
"telerik-winforms-assistant": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": ".\\.tools\\telerik-winforms-mcp.exe",
"env": {
"TELERIK_LICENSE_PATH": "THE_PATH_TO_YOUR_LICENSE_FILE"
}
}
}
}
.NET 10 Example (using dnx)
{
"servers": {
"telerik-winforms-assistant": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "dnx",
"args": ["Telerik.WinForms.MCP", "--yes"],
"env": {
"TELERIK_LICENSE_PATH": "THE_PATH_TO_YOUR_LICENSE_FILE"
}
}
}
}
You may substitute TELERIK_LICENSE instead of TELERIK_LICENSE_PATH (see License Configuration section below for details and recommendations). The inputs array is optional and not required for current functionality.
After saving the file, restart Visual Studio and enable the telerik-winforms-assistant tool in the Copilot Chat window's tool selection dropdown.
Global Setup
To enable the server globally for all projects, add the .mcp.json file to your user directory (%USERPROFILE%, e.g., C:\Users\YourName\.mcp.json). The same distinction applies: use the executable path for .NET 8/9, or dnx for .NET 10.
License Configuration
Add your Telerik license key using one of these options in the env section.
Option 1: License File Path (Recommended)
"env": {
"TELERIK_LICENSE_PATH": "THE_PATH_TO_YOUR_LICENSE_FILE"
}
The THE_PATH_TO_YOUR_LICENSE_FILE should point to the telerik-license.txt file, usually in the AppData folder. Often it will look like:
"TELERIK_LICENSE_PATH": "%appdata%/Telerik/telerik-license.txt"
Option 2: Direct License Key
"env": {
"TELERIK_LICENSE": "YOUR_LICENSE_KEY_HERE"
}
Option 1 is recommended unless you're sharing settings across different systems. Remember to update your license key when necessary.