Docker MCP Server

1

Add it to Claude Code

Run this in a terminal.

Run in terminal
claude mcp add docker -- npx -y mcp-docker-server
README.md

Control Docker containers, images, and services from your AI coding assistant.

mcp-server-docker

Control Docker containers, images, and services from your AI coding assistant. List, start, stop, read logs, run commands inside containers, and check resource usage.

npx mcp-docker-server

Compatible with Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code Copilot, and any MCP-compatible client. No API keys needed. Connects to your local Docker socket automatically.

MCP server for Docker containers, logs, and resource monitoring

Demo built with remotion-readme-kit

Why

If you work with Docker daily, you know the routine: switch to a terminal, type docker ps, scroll through logs, copy container IDs, restart services. It adds up. This MCP server lets your AI assistant handle those tasks for you while you stay focused on code. Ask it to check which containers are running, pull up logs from a failing service, or restart something that got stuck. It talks to Docker's API through the local socket, so there's nothing to configure and no credentials to manage.

Tools

Tool What it does
list_containers List running (or all) containers with status, ports, and image info
container_logs Get recent logs from a container
start_container Start a stopped container
stop_container Stop a running container
restart_container Restart a container
remove_container Remove a container (with optional force)
exec_command Execute a command inside a running container
container_stats Get live CPU, memory, and network stats
list_images List all Docker images on the host
remove_image Remove a Docker image

Quick Start

Cursor

Add to .cursor/mcp.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "docker": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "mcp-docker-server"]
    }
  }
}

Claude Desktop

Add to claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "docker": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "mcp-docker-server"]
    }
  }
}

VS Code

Add to user settings or .vscode/mcp.json:

{
  "mcp": {
    "servers": {
      "docker": {
        "command": "npx",
        "args": ["-y", "mcp-docker-server"]
      }
    }
  }
}

Examples

  • "List all running Docker containers"
  • "Show me the logs from the nginx container"
  • "Restart the api-server container"
  • "What's the CPU and memory usage of my postgres container?"
  • "Execute ls -la /app inside the web container"
  • "List all Docker images and their sizes"
  • "Stop all containers that are using the old image"

Prerequisites

  • Docker must be running on your machine
  • The server connects to the Docker socket at /var/run/docker.sock (Linux/macOS) or the named pipe on Windows
  • No API keys or tokens required

Development

git clone https://github.com/ofershap/mcp-server-docker.git
cd mcp-server-docker
npm install
npm test
npm run build

See also

More MCP servers and developer tools on my portfolio.

Author


README built with README Builder

License

MIT © 2026 Ofer Shapira

Tools (10)

list_containersList running or all containers with status, ports, and image info
container_logsGet recent logs from a container
start_containerStart a stopped container
stop_containerStop a running container
restart_containerRestart a container
remove_containerRemove a container (with optional force)
exec_commandExecute a command inside a running container
container_statsGet live CPU, memory, and network stats
list_imagesList all Docker images on the host
remove_imageRemove a Docker image

Configuration

claude_desktop_config.json
{"mcpServers": {"docker": {"command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "mcp-docker-server"]}}}

Try it

List all running Docker containers and their current status.
Show me the logs from the nginx container to debug the recent error.
Restart the api-server container.
What is the current CPU and memory usage of my postgres container?
Execute 'ls -la /app' inside the web container.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the key features of Docker?

List and manage Docker containers and images. Retrieve and view container logs. Execute shell commands inside running containers. Monitor real-time CPU, memory, and network resource usage. Start, stop, restart, and remove containers.

What can I use Docker for?

Debugging failing services by quickly pulling logs via AI. Managing container lifecycles without switching to a terminal. Monitoring resource consumption of development databases. Executing maintenance commands inside containers during development.

How do I install Docker?

Install Docker by running: npx mcp-docker-server

What MCP clients work with Docker?

Docker works with any MCP-compatible client including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, and other editors with MCP support.

Turn this server into reusable context

Keep Docker docs, env vars, and workflow notes in Conare so your agent carries them across sessions.

Need the old visual installer? Open Conare IDE.
Open Conare