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🐳 docker-mcp

Python 3.12 License: MIT Code style: black

A powerful Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for Docker operations, enabling seamless container and compose stack management through Claude AI.

✨ Features

  • 🚀 Container creation and instantiation

  • 📦 Docker Compose stack deployment

  • 🔍 Container logs retrieval

  • 📊 Container listing and status monitoring

🎬 Demos

Deploying a Docker Compose Stack

https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/b5f6e40a-542b-4a39-ba12-7fdf803ee278

Analyzing Container Logs

https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/da386eea-2fab-4835-82ae-896de955d934

Related MCP server: MCP Development Server

🚀 Quickstart

To try this in Claude Desktop app, add this to your claude config files:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "docker-mcp": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "docker-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Installing via Smithery

To install Docker MCP for Claude Desktop automatically via Smithery:

npx @smithery/cli install docker-mcp --client claude

Prerequisites

  • UV (package manager)

  • Python 3.12+

  • Docker Desktop or Docker Engine

  • Claude Desktop

Installation

Claude Desktop Configuration

Add the server configuration to your Claude Desktop config file:

MacOS: ~/Library/Application\ Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Windows: %APPDATA%/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "docker-mcp": {
      "command": "uv",
      "args": [
        "--directory",
        "<path-to-docker-mcp>",
        "run",
        "docker-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "docker-mcp": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "docker-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

🛠️ Development

Local Setup

  1. Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/QuantGeekDev/docker-mcp.git
cd docker-mcp
  1. Create and activate a virtual environment:

python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate  # On Windows: venv\Scripts\activate
  1. Install dependencies:

uv sync

🔍 Debugging

Launch the MCP Inspector for debugging:

npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector uv --directory <path-to-docker-mcp> run docker-mcp

The Inspector will provide a URL to access the debugging interface.

📝 Available Tools

The server provides the following tools:

create-container

Creates a standalone Docker container

{
    "image": "image-name",
    "name": "container-name",
    "ports": {"80": "80"},
    "environment": {"ENV_VAR": "value"}
}

deploy-compose

Deploys a Docker Compose stack

{
    "project_name": "example-stack",
    "compose_yaml": "version: '3.8'\nservices:\n  service1:\n    image: image1:latest\n    ports:\n      - '8080:80'"
}

get-logs

Retrieves logs from a specific container

{
    "container_name": "my-container"
}

list-containers

Lists all Docker containers

{}

🚧 Current Limitations

  • No built-in environment variable support for containers

  • No volume management

  • No network management

  • No container health checks

  • No container restart policies

  • No container resource limits

🤝 Contributing

  1. Fork the repository from docker-mcp

  2. Create your feature branch

  3. Commit your changes

  4. Push to the branch

  5. Open a Pull Request

📜 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

✨ Authors


Made with ❤️

Available Tools

4 tools
create-containerC

Create a new standalone Docker container

ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
imageYes
nameNo
portsNo
environmentNo

TDQS

C2.8/5.0
Behavior2/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

With no annotations provided, the description carries the full burden of behavioral disclosure. It states 'Create' implying a mutation operation but doesn't cover permissions, side effects, error handling, or response format. For a tool that likely requires Docker daemon access and creates persistent resources, this is a significant gap in transparency.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is a single, efficient sentence that gets straight to the point with zero wasted words. It's appropriately sized for a basic tool definition and front-loaded with the core action.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness2/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given the complexity (4 parameters with nested objects, no annotations, no output schema), the description is incomplete. It doesn't address parameter meanings, behavioral traits, or output expectations, leaving the agent with insufficient context to use the tool effectively beyond the basic purpose.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters2/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 0%, so the description must compensate but adds no parameter information. It doesn't explain what 'image', 'name', 'ports', or 'environment' mean in the Docker context, their formats, or examples. With 4 parameters and nested objects, this leaves critical usage details undocumented.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states the action ('Create') and resource ('new standalone Docker container'), making the purpose immediately understandable. However, it doesn't differentiate from sibling tools like 'deploy-compose' which might also create containers, missing the 'standalone' distinction that could be more explicit.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines2/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

No guidance is provided on when to use this tool versus alternatives like 'deploy-compose' for multi-container setups or 'list-containers' for viewing existing ones. The description lacks context about prerequisites or typical scenarios for standalone container creation.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

deploy-composeC

Deploy a Docker Compose stack

ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
compose_yamlYes
project_nameYes

TDQS

C2.8/5.0
Behavior2/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

With no annotations provided, the description carries full burden but offers minimal behavioral insight. It states 'Deploy' implies a write/mutation operation, but doesn't disclose critical traits like whether it's idempotent, requires specific permissions, destroys existing resources, handles errors, or has rate limits. The description adds no context beyond the basic action.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is extremely concise with a single, front-loaded sentence that directly states the tool's purpose. There is zero wasted text, and it efficiently communicates the core function without unnecessary elaboration.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness2/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given the complexity of deployment operations (mutating system state), no annotations, no output schema, and 0% schema coverage for 2 parameters, the description is incomplete. It lacks essential details like what 'deploy' entails behaviorally, parameter meanings, expected outcomes, or error handling, leaving significant gaps for an AI agent.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters2/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 0%, so the description must compensate but provides no parameter information. It doesn't explain what 'compose_yaml' should contain (e.g., YAML string format), what 'project_name' is used for (e.g., naming containers/networks), or any constraints (e.g., length, characters). With 2 undocumented parameters, this is inadequate.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states the verb ('Deploy') and resource ('a Docker Compose stack'), making the purpose immediately understandable. It distinguishes from siblings like 'create-container' (single container vs. stack) and 'get-logs'/'list-containers' (read operations vs. deployment). However, it doesn't specify what 'deploy' entails (e.g., creating containers, networks, volumes) beyond the high-level concept.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines2/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

No guidance is provided on when to use this tool versus alternatives. The description doesn't mention prerequisites (e.g., Docker Compose installed), when to choose this over 'create-container' for single-container deployments, or any constraints (e.g., environment compatibility). Usage is implied from the name but not explicitly stated.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

get-logsC

Retrieve the latest logs for a specified Docker container

ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
container_nameYes

TDQS

C2.9/5.0
Behavior2/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

With no annotations, the description carries full burden but only states the action without behavioral details. It doesn't disclose what 'latest logs' means (e.g., time range, log count, format), whether it's read-only or has side effects, or any constraints like rate limits or authentication needs.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is a single, efficient sentence with no wasted words, front-loading the core action and resource. It's appropriately sized for a simple tool with one parameter.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness2/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given no annotations, no output schema, and low schema coverage, the description is incomplete. It lacks details on return values (e.g., log format, structure), error handling, and behavioral context needed for a logging tool in a Docker environment with siblings.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 0%, but the description adds meaning by specifying that 'container_name' is for a Docker container. However, it doesn't clarify parameter details like format, examples, or how it relates to other tools (e.g., if it must match names from 'list-containers'), leaving gaps.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states the verb 'retrieve' and resource 'latest logs for a specified Docker container', making the purpose evident. It distinguishes from siblings like 'list-containers' by focusing on logs rather than container metadata, though it doesn't explicitly contrast with them.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines2/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

No guidance is provided on when to use this tool versus alternatives. The description doesn't mention prerequisites (e.g., container must be running), exclusions, or comparisons with sibling tools like 'list-containers' for container discovery.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

list-containersB

List all Docker containers

ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault

No parameters

TDQS

B3.1/5.0
Behavior2/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

With no annotations provided, the description carries the full burden of behavioral disclosure. It states the action ('List all') but lacks details on permissions, rate limits, output format, or any constraints (e.g., whether it includes stopped containers). This is a significant gap for a tool with zero annotation coverage.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is a single, efficient sentence with no wasted words. It is front-loaded and directly states the tool's purpose, making it highly concise and well-structured for quick understanding.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness2/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given the lack of annotations and output schema, the description is incomplete. It fails to provide necessary behavioral context (e.g., what 'all' entails, response format) or usage guidelines, making it inadequate for a tool that might have hidden complexities despite having no parameters.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

The input schema has 0 parameters with 100% coverage, so no parameter documentation is needed. The description doesn't add parameter details, but this is acceptable given the schema's completeness, aligning with the baseline of 4 for zero parameters.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description 'List all Docker containers' clearly states the verb ('List') and resource ('Docker containers'), making the purpose immediately understandable. However, it doesn't differentiate from potential sibling tools like 'get-logs' which might also list containers but with logs, so it misses full sibling distinction.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines2/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description provides no guidance on when to use this tool versus alternatives like 'create-container' or 'deploy-compose'. There is no mention of context, prerequisites, or exclusions, leaving the agent to infer usage based on tool names alone.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

Tool Schema Changelog

Recent tool additions, removals, and schema changes observed during successful MCP inspections. Dates show when Glama detected each change.

  1. 4 tool updatesv1.0.0
    • Addedcreate-container
    • Addeddeploy-compose
    • Addedget-logs
    • Addedlist-containers

TDQS

B3.3/5.0
Disambiguation5/5

Each tool has a clearly distinct purpose with no overlap: create-container for creating containers, deploy-compose for deploying stacks, get-logs for retrieving logs, and list-containers for listing containers. The descriptions make it easy to tell them apart.

Naming Consistency5/5

All tool names follow a consistent verb_noun pattern (e.g., create-container, deploy-compose, get-logs, list-containers). There are no deviations in naming style or conventions.

Tool Count4/5

With 4 tools, the count is reasonable for a Docker MCP server, covering key operations like creating, listing, and managing containers and stacks. It's slightly lean but well-scoped for basic Docker management tasks.

Completeness3/5

The toolset covers core operations (create, list, logs, deploy) but has notable gaps, such as missing update, delete, or stop/start container tools, which could limit agent workflows for full container lifecycle management.

Maintenance

ActivityInactive
ResponsivenessSyncing

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