Build Zoho Recruit-Powered Applications in Gemini Code Assist with CData MCP Server

Gemini Code Assist is an AI-powered coding companion that integrates intelligent code generation into everyday development workflows. With support for MCP, Gemini Code Assist can connect to live enterprise data sources directly from Visual Studio Code, enabling natural language interaction with structured data without switching context or manually writing data access code.

Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard for connecting LLM clients to external services through structured tool interfaces. MCP servers expose capabilities such as schema discovery and live querying, allowing AI agents to retrieve and reason over real-time data safely and consistently.

This guide explains how to install the CData API Driver for MCP Server, configure the connection to Zoho Recruit, connect the MCP Server add-on to Gemini Code Assist, and query live Zoho Recruit data from within the editor.

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure the following requirements are met:

1. Visual Studio Code is installed on the machine
2. Gemini Code Assist extension is enabled in Visual Studio Code
3. CData API Driver for MCP Server has been installed
4. Access to Zoho Recruit

Note: Gemini Code Assist must already be set up and functional in Visual Studio Code before configuring MCP servers. MCP servers are accessed when Gemini Code Assist is running in Agent mode.

Step 1: Download and install the CData API Driver for MCP Server

1. To begin, download the CData API Driver for MCP Server 👁 Downloading the CData MCP Server add-on installer
   
2. Find and double-click the installer to begin the installation
3. Run the installer and follow the prompts to complete the installation 👁 Completing the CData MCP Server add-on installation
   

When the installation is complete, the MCP Server add-on is ready for configuration by connecting to Zoho Recruit.

Step 2: Configure the connection to Zoho Recruit

1. After installation, open the CData API Driver for MCP Server configuration wizard 👁 The CData MCP Server add-on configuration wizard
   

   NOTE: If the wizard does not open automatically, search for "CData API Driver for MCP Server" in the Windows search bar and open the application.

   👁 Opening the CData MCP Server add-on configuration wizard
   
2. In MCP Configuration > Configuration Name, either select an existing configuration or choose to create a new one 👁 Creating a new configuration
   
3. Name the configuration (e.g. "cdata_api") and click OK 👁 Naming the configuration
   

4. Enter the appropriate connection properties in the configuration wizard

   To authenticate to ZohoRecruit, and connect to your own data or to allow other users to connect to their data, you can use the OAuth standard.

   Using OAuth Authentication

   First, you will need to register an OAuth application with ZohoRecruit. To do so, go to the Zoho Developer Console, add a new Client (Server-based application) and set a valid OAuth redirect URL. Your OAuth application will be assigned a client id and a client secret. Additionally, you will need to set the relevant Domain (.com, .eu, .in, .com.cn, or .jp), which defaults to .com.

   After setting the following connection properties, you are ready to connect:

   • AuthScheme: Set this to OAuth.
   • InitiateOAuth: Set this to GETANDREFRESH. You can use InitiateOAuth to manage the process to obtain the OAuthAccessToken.
   • OAuthClientId: Set this to the client_id that is specified in your app settings.
   • OAuthClientSecret: Set this to the client_secret that is specified in your app settings.
   • CallbackURL: Set this to the Redirect URI that is specified in your app settings.
   • Domain: Set this in ProfileSettings to your ZohoRecruit account domain (e.g. .com, .eu, .in, .com.cn, .jp).

   Example connection string:

   Profile=C:\profiles\ZohoRecruit.apip;ProfileSettings='Domain=.com';AuthScheme=OAuth;InitiateOAuth=GETANDREFRESH;OAuthClientId=your_client_id;OAuthClientSecret=your_client_secret;CallbackUrl=your_callback_url;
   

   👁 Configuring the MCP Server add-on connection
   
5. Click Connect to authenticate with Zoho Recruit through OAuth
6. Then, click Save Configuration to save the MCP Server add-on 👁 Saving the MCP Server add-on configuration
   

This process creates a .mcp configuration file that Gemini Code Assist will reference when launching the MCP Server add-on. With the MCP Server add-on configured, it is ready to connect to Gemini Code Assist.

Step 3: Connect the MCP Server add-on to Gemini Code Assist

1. Ensure Visual Studio Code is installed and the Gemini Code Assist extension is enabled
2. From the configuration wizard, click Next after saving and testing the connection 👁 Selecting 'Next'
   
3. Select Gemini Code Assist from the AI MCP Tool dropdown 👁 Choosing Gemini Code Assist as the AI MCP tool
   
4. Click Copy JSON to copy the generated MCP configuration to the clipboard 👁 Copying the MCP configuration
   
5. Paste the copied JSON into the appropriate configuration file based on the desired scope:
   • User-level: Configuration applies across all projects for the current user
   • Workspace-level: Configuration applies only to the current workspace or project

   NOTE: The configuration includes the path to Java 17+ executable and the CData MCP Server add-on JAR file. The final argument must match the MCP configuration name saved in the wizard (e.g. "cdata_api").

6. Save the configuration file and restart Visual Studio Code if necessary

Step 4: Query live Zoho Recruit data in Gemini Code Assist

1. Open Visual Studio Code and select Gemini Code Assist in the activity bar 👁 Open Gemini Code Assist
   
2. Enter /mcp in the chat prompt to verify the connection status. The Zoho Recruit MCP Server add-on should appear with a green connection indicator 👁 Verify the connection status
   
3. Ask questions about Zoho Recruit data using natural language. For example:

   "Provide the list of all tables available in my Zoho Recruit data connection."

   👁 Querying live data from Gemini Code Assist
   
4. Generate code that works with live Zoho Recruit data. For example:

   "Write a function to retrieve records from the Attachments table where matches a given value."

   👁 Generating function for live data from Gemini Code Assist
   

Gemini Code Assist is now fully integrated with the CData MCP Server add-on and can use the MCP tools exposed to explore schemas, execute live queries against Zoho Recruit, and generate data-aware code.

Build with MCP Server. Deploy with CData Drivers.

Download CData API Driver for MCP Server for free and give your AI tools schema-aware access to live Zoho Recruit data during development. When you're ready to move to production, CData API Drivers deliver the same SQL-based access with enterprise-grade performance, security, and reliability.

Visit the CData Community to share insights, ask questions, and explore what's possible with MCP-powered AI workflows.