Docker MCP Gateway

Docker MCP Gateway

DevOps
docker/mcp-gateway1,513 stars
Docker
claudecursorvscodegeneric
FreeOpen Source

About This Server

Docker's official MCP Gateway (the docker mcp CLI plugin) runs and orchestrates many MCP servers securely as containers — centralizing secrets, isolating execution and one-click access to the Docker MCP Catalog, serving as a secure foundation for running multiple MCPs locally.

Installation

docker mcp gateway run
Official README installation guide

Prerequisites

  • Docker Desktop 4.59+ (with MCP Toolkit feature enabled)

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<img src="./img/enable_toolkit.png" width="400"/>

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  • Go 1.24+ (for development)

Install as Docker CLI Plugin

The MCP cli will already be installed on recent versions of Docker Desktop but you can build and install the latest version by following these steps:

bash
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/docker/mcp-gateway.git
cd mcp-gateway
mkdir -p "$HOME/.docker/cli-plugins/"

# Build and install the plugin
make docker-mcp

After installation, the plugin will be available as:

bash
docker mcp --help
View on GitHubBack to MCP Servers

Frequently Asked Questions

How is the Docker MCP Gateway different from a regular MCP server?

It is not a single feature server but a gateway: your client connects only to it, and behind the scenes it spins up multiple MCP servers as isolated containers, orchestrates them and centralizes secrets and permissions. Think of it as a secure, containerized hub in front of many MCPs.

What do I need to install the Docker MCP Gateway?

It is a plugin for the docker CLI (docker mcp ...). With a recent Docker Desktop you can enable it directly in the MCP Toolkit; on plain Docker Engine, download the docker-mcp binary from GitHub Releases into the CLI plugins directory, then start it with docker mcp gateway run.

Is the Docker MCP Gateway free and open source?

Yes, the gateway itself is open source and free (MIT). The individual MCP servers it orchestrates each have their own licenses and possibly paid APIs, which you should check separately; the gateway only handles secure containerized execution and unified management.