Docker MCP server

Last verified: 2026-09

List containers and images on the local daemon.

Community Cloud & infra No API key Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, Claude Code

What it does

Talks to the local Docker socket: compose, containers, images, networks, volumes. No cloud key — the socket is the secret.

It sits in Cloud & infra: Most of these are admin APIs.

Good for

list_containers and fetch_container_logs on a compose project you can recreate.
docker_compose up/down a dev stack from the chat.
pull_image only from registries you already trust.
Never start with remove_image or a socket you share with prod.

Tools

docker_compose — Up/down a compose file.
list_containers / create_container / run_container / start_container / stop_container / remove_container / recreate_container / fetch_container_logs — Containers.
list_images / pull_image / push_image / build_image / remove_image — Images.
list_networks / create_network / list_volumes / create_volume — Networks and volumes.

Config (Claude Desktop / Cursor / Windsurf)

Paste the JSON below. Same mcpServers shape. Replace placeholder paths and secrets. Windows paths look like C:\\Users\\you\\project, not /path/to. Host-side steps →

Claude Desktop

OS	Config file
macOS	`~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`
Windows	`%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json` (usually `C:\Users\<you>\AppData\Roaming\Claude\`)
Linux	`~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`

Cursor

Scope	macOS / Linux	Windows
This project	`.cursor/mcp.json` in the repo root
This user	`~/.cursor/mcp.json`	`%USERPROFILE%\.cursor\mcp.json`

Windsurf

OS	Config file
macOS / Linux	`~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json`
Windows	`%USERPROFILE%\.codeium\windsurf\mcp_config.json`

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

Windsurf remote MCP: use serverUrl instead of url if the block below is HTTP.

One-liner: npx -y docker-mcp

Secrets it wants: none — talks to the Docker socket

Source repo →

How to get started

Docker Desktop or a rootless engine. The host user must be able to talk to the socket.
Ask it to list_containers first. Do not start with remove_image.
Point it at a compose project you can recreate.

Access risk

The Docker socket is root-equivalent on most machines. remove_container and push_image are live.

When to skip it

Skip it for Kubernetes or a PaaS (Vercel/Netlify) if you never run Docker locally.

Instead: Kubernetes, Vercel, Filesystem.

Cloud & infraKuberneteskubectl-style cluster access. Cloud & infraVercelProjects and deployments on Vercel. OfficialFilesystemRead and write files inside a folder you choose.

Vs alternatives

Server	Official?	Needs a secret?	Best for
Docker	No	No	List containers and images on the local daemon.
Kubernetes	No	Yes	kubectl-style cluster access.
Vercel	No	Yes	Projects and deployments on Vercel.
Filesystem	Yes	No	Read and write files inside a folder you choose.

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FAQ

Is the Docker socket root?

On most machines, yes. Whoever talks to the socket can mount the host. This server is that access.

Do I need a key?

No. The socket is the secret. The host user must be in the docker group or equivalent.

Docker or Kubernetes?

Local engine vs cluster. If you only run compose, skip kubeconfig.

Can it push images?

push_image is in the list. That can publish whatever is on the machine.