AiIntermediate

Docker MCP Toolkit Cheatsheet

Discover, install, and manage Model Context Protocol servers from the Docker MCP catalog.

What it is

Docker MCP Toolkit lets you run and manage MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers as containers, enabling AI agents and LLM-powered tools to connect to Docker-managed services.

Installation

Available in Docker Desktop 4.40+. Enable MCP Toolkit in Docker Desktop settings under the Features in Development section.

Quick start

docker mcp server list

List available MCP servers in the catalog.

docker mcp server install filesystem

Install the filesystem MCP server.

docker mcp server start filesystem

Start the filesystem MCP server.

docker mcp gateway start

Start the MCP gateway proxy.

Common commands

Task	Command	Description
List catalog	`docker mcp server list`	Browse available MCP servers.
Install server	`docker mcp server install <name>`	Pull and configure an MCP server.
Start server	`docker mcp server start <name>`	Launch a specific MCP server.
Stop server	`docker mcp server stop <name>`	Shut down a running MCP server.
View logs	`docker mcp server logs <name>`	Stream logs from an MCP server.
List running	`docker mcp server ps`	Show currently running MCP servers.
Gateway start	`docker mcp gateway start`	Start the aggregating MCP gateway.

Real-world examples

Install and run the GitHub MCP server

docker mcp server install github
docker mcp server start github

Connect Claude Desktop to Docker MCP

# In Claude Desktop config (~/.config/claude/config.json):
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "docker": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": ["mcp", "gateway", "start"]
    }
  }
}

Best practices

Use the MCP gateway to expose multiple servers through a single endpoint.
Pin MCP server versions for reproducible AI agent environments.
Review server permissions before installing — MCP servers can access your filesystem.

Related cheatsheets

Last reviewed: 2026-06-15