Docker MCP Server

A comprehensive Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides advanced Docker operations through a unified interface. This server combines 16 powerful Docker MCP tools with 25+ convenient CLI aliases to create a complete Docker workflow solution for developers, DevOps engineers, and system administrators.

🌟 What Makes Docker MCP Server Special

Docker MCP Server is not just another Docker wrapper - it's a complete Docker workflow enhancement system designed to make Docker operations more intuitive, secure, and efficient:

🎯 Unified Interface

• MCP Protocol Integration: Seamlessly works with MCP-compatible tools and IDEs
• CLI Convenience: 25+ carefully crafted aliases for common Docker workflows
• Consistent API: All operations follow the same patterns and conventions
• Cross-Platform: Full support for Linux, macOS, and Windows environments

🔒 Security-First Design

• Docker-Managed Security: All password operations handled by Docker daemon for maximum security
• Zero Password Exposure: Passwords never appear in command history, process lists, or arguments
• Token Authentication Support: Full support for Personal Access Tokens and service accounts
• Registry Flexibility: Secure login to Docker Hub, AWS ECR, Azure ACR, Google GCR, and custom registries
• CI/CD Security: Secure stdin password input for automated deployment pipelines
• Permission Management: Proper handling of Docker daemon permissions and credential storage

🚀 Developer Experience

• Comprehensive Help System: Every command includes detailed documentation with --help
• Smart Defaults: Sensible default configurations for common use cases
• Error Prevention: Built-in safety checks and confirmation prompts for destructive operations
• Rich Output: Formatted, colored output with clear status indicators

📊 Advanced Operations

• Complete Container Lifecycle: From build to publish with comprehensive registry support
• Multi-Container Management: Docker Compose integration with service orchestration
• Registry Publishing: Advanced image publishing with multi-platform support and automated workflows
• Network & Volume Management: Advanced networking and storage operations
• System Maintenance: Intelligent cleanup tools with multiple safety levels
• Development Workflows: Specialized commands for development environments

📦 Installation

Quick Setup for MCP Clients

Add this configuration to your MCP client settings:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "docker-mcp-server": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@0xshariq/docker-mcp-server@latest"]
    }
  }
}

Where to add this:

• Claude Desktop: claude_desktop_config.json
• VS Code Cline: .vscode/mcp.json
• Other MCP Clients: Check your client's configuration documentation

Simple Installation (Recommended)

Install Docker MCP Server globally to use it anywhere on your system:

# Install with npm
npm install -g @0xshariq/docker-mcp-server

# Or install with pnpm (faster)
pnpm add -g @0xshariq/docker-mcp-server

# Verify installation works
docker-mcp-server --version
dlist                        # List all available commands

That's it! All 25 CLI aliases are now available system-wide.

For Developers

If you want to contribute or customize the server:

# Clone and setup
git clone https://github.com/0xshariq/docker-mcp-server.git
cd docker-mcp-server
npm install
npm run build

# Test locally
npm link                     # Makes commands available globally
dlist                       # Verify it works

What You Need First

Before installing, make sure you have:

• Node.js 18+ - Download here
• Docker - Install Docker
• npm (comes with Node.js)

Check if you have them:

node --version              # Should show v18 or higher
docker --version           # Should show Docker version

🚀 Quick Start

Try It Out

Once installed, try these commands to see Docker MCP Server in action:

# See all available commands
dlist

# Basic Docker operations
dps                         # List running containers
dimages                     # List Docker images
drun -it ubuntu bash        # Run interactive Ubuntu container

# Advanced operations
dcompose up -d              # Start Docker Compose services
dlogin                      # Login to Docker registries
dpublish myapp:v1.0         # Publish image to registry

📚 Documentation

Learn More:

• 📖 Basic Commands - 8 essential Docker operations made simple
• ⚡ Advanced Commands - 14 powerful tools for complex workflows
• 🔧 MCP Server Setup - Connect with Claude Desktop and other MCP clients

🎯 What You Get

Basic Commands (8 aliases)

Simple, everyday Docker operations that just work:

• Container Management: List, run, stop, and inspect containers
• Image Operations: Pull, build, and manage Docker images
• Logs & Debugging: View logs and execute commands inside containers

Advanced Commands (14 aliases)

Powerful tools for complex Docker workflows:

• Multi-Container Apps: Full Docker Compose integration
• Registry Operations: Secure login and image publishing to Docker Hub, GitHub, AWS, etc.
• Network & Storage: Advanced networking and volume management
• System Maintenance: Intelligent cleanup and environment management
• Development Tools: Specialized workflows for development environments

🔧 MCP Server Setup

For Claude Desktop

1. Find your Claude config file:

   • Linux: ~/.config/claude-desktop/claude_desktop_config.json
   • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
   • Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

2. Add this to your config:

   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "docker": {
         "command": "node",
         "args": ["/path/to/docker-mcp-server/dist/index.js"]
       }
     }
   }

3. Restart Claude Desktop and you'll see Docker tools available!

Universal Startup Script

Use our startup script for automatic setup with any MCP client:

./start-mcp.sh              # Automatic environment setup
./start-mcp.sh --help       # See all options

Compatible with: Claude Desktop, Cursor IDE, Continue (VS Code), Open WebUI, and more!

🏗️ Project Structure

docker-mcp-server/
├── src/                    # TypeScript source code
├── bin/                    # CLI alias scripts
│   ├── basic/             # 8 basic Docker operations
│   └── advanced/          # 14 advanced Docker operations
├── help/                  # Documentation for all commands
├── start-mcp.sh          # Universal MCP server startup script
├── docker-cli.js         # Main CLI wrapper
└── dist/                 # Compiled JavaScript output

📚 Complete Documentation:

• Basic Commands Reference - 8 essential Docker operations
• Advanced Commands Reference - 14 powerful workflow tools
• All Available Commands - Complete syntax and examples

⚡ All Available Commands

Basic Operations (8 commands)

Essential Docker operations for daily use:

• dimages, dps, dpsa, dpull, drun, dlogs, dexec, dbuild

Advanced Operations (14 commands)

Powerful tools for complex workflows:

• dcompose, dup, ddown, dnetwork, dvolume, dinspect, dprune
• dlogin, dlogout, dpublish, dbridge, ddev, dclean, dstop, dreset

Utility Commands (3 commands)

• docker-mcp-server, dms, dlist

📖 See detailed documentation: Use dlist command or check the README files linked above.

🔧 Development

For Contributors

# Setup development environment
git clone https://github.com/0xshariq/docker-mcp-server.git
cd docker-mcp-server
npm install

# Development commands
npm run dev                 # Build and watch for changes
npm run build              # Build TypeScript
npm run start              # Start MCP server
npm run clean              # Clean build files

🧪 Testing

Quick Test

# After installation, test these commands
dlist                      # Should show all 25 commands
dps                        # Should list containers
dimages                    # Should list images

Test MCP Integration

./start-mcp.sh             # Should start without errors

🆘 Common Issues

"Command not found"

# Make sure npm global bin is in your PATH
echo $PATH | grep $(npm config get prefix)

# If not found, add this to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc:
export PATH="$(npm config get prefix)/bin:$PATH"

"Docker daemon not running"

# Check Docker status
docker info

# Start Docker (Linux)
sudo systemctl start docker

# Start Docker Desktop (macOS/Windows)
# Launch the Docker Desktop app

"Permission denied"

# Add yourself to docker group (Linux)
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
# Then logout and login again

📋 More Help:

• Check dlist --help for all commands
• See Troubleshooting Guide for detailed solutions

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📄 License

ISC License

👨‍💻 Author

Sharique Chaudhary (@0xshariq)

🤝 Contributing

Contributions welcome! Please:

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Test your changes
4. Submit a pull request

🔗 Links

• GitHub Repository
• NPM Package
• Issues & Support

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✨ Docker MCP Server - Making Docker workflows simple and powerful for everyone!