microsoft / microsoft/copilot-for-eclipse
NPMRC Environment Variable Not Picked Up by Local MCP Server
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- Dominant language
- Java
- Stars
- 126
- Forks
- 60
- Avg merge
- 2d 6h
- Merged PRs (30d)
- 5
Description
When launching a local mcp server (https://github.com/microsoft/mcp/tree/main/servers/Azure.Mcp.Server) that uses npm, if an environment variable is being used for the authToken in the .npmrc file, to communicate with a private registry, the environment variable is not picked up and authentication fails. The workaround is to place the token directly into the npmrc. This would be in a Windows 11 environment running copilot plugin 0.12.0202510160637 on eclipse 4.37.0.20250905-1455.
.npmrc entry example: //my.private.registry/npm/:_authToken=${my_token_env_var}
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Start with the Azure.Mcp.Server launch path linked in the issue and reproduce the failure on Windows with the shown .npmrc environment-variable syntax. Trace how the local MCP server receives its environment and npm configuration; done means private-registry authentication succeeds without placing the token directly in .npmrc.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- java, node.js
- Domain
- authentication, tooling
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 4/5
- Estimated time
- 3-5 days
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 35/100