Skip to content

add MCP Gateway #22935

New issue

Have a question about this project? Sign up for a free GitHub account to open an issue and contact its maintainers and the community.

Sign up for GitHub

By clicking “Sign up for GitHub”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy statement. We’ll occasionally send you account related emails.

Already on GitHub? Sign in to your account

Merged
merged 4 commits into from
Jul 9, 2025
Merged

add MCP Gateway #22935

Show file tree
Hide file tree
Changes from 2 commits
Commits
Show all changes
4 commits
Select commit Hold shift + click to select a range
ca8c79f
add MCP Gateway
ArthurFlag Jun 27, 2025
f76d7fa
update
ArthurFlag Jul 7, 2025
4b90428
feedback
ArthurFlag Jul 9, 2025
be9c733
update
ArthurFlag Jul 9, 2025
File filter

Filter by extension

Filter by extension
Conversations
Failed to load comments.
Loading
Jump to
Jump to file
Failed to load files.
Loading
Diff view
Diff view
2 changes: 1 addition & 1 deletion assets/css/components.css
View file
Open in desktop
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -95,7 +95,7 @@
}
}
.button {
@apply mt-1 inline-block rounded-sm bg-blue-500 p-1 px-3 text-blue-50 text-white hover:bg-blue-600 dark:bg-blue-500 hover:dark:bg-blue-400;
@apply my-2 mr-2 inline-block rounded-sm bg-blue-500 p-1 px-3 text-blue-50 text-white hover:bg-blue-600 dark:bg-blue-500 hover:dark:bg-blue-400;
}

.summary-bar {
Expand Down
5 changes: 5 additions & 0 deletions content/manuals/_index.md
View file
Open in desktop
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -31,6 +31,11 @@ params:
description: Run containers programmatically in your preferred programming language.
icon: /icons/Testcontainers.svg
link: /testcontainers/
- title: MCP Gateway
description: Manage and secure your AI tools with a single gateway.
icon: /icons/toolkit.svg
link: /ai/mcp-gateway/

ai:
- title: Ask Gordon
description: Streamline your workflow and get the most out of the Docker ecosystem with your personal AI assistant.
Expand Down
28 changes: 16 additions & 12 deletions content/manuals/ai/mcp-catalog-and-toolkit/toolkit.md
View file
Open in desktop
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
- /ai/gordon/mcp/gordon-mcp-server/
---

The Docker MCP Toolkit enables seamless setup, management, and execution of containerized MCP servers and their connections to AI agents. It removes the friction from tool usage by offering secure defaults, one-click setup, and support for a growing ecosystem of LLM-based clients. It is the fastest path from MCP tool discovery to local execution.
The Docker MCP Toolkit is a gateway that enables seamless setup, management, and execution of containerized MCP servers and their connections to AI agents. It removes the friction from tool usage by offering secure defaults, one-click setup, and support for a growing ecosystem of LLM-based clients. It is the fastest path from MCP tool discovery to local execution.

Check warning on line 10 in content/manuals/ai/mcp-catalog-and-toolkit/toolkit.md

View workflow job for this annotation

GitHub Actions / vale 

[vale] reported by reviewdog 🐶
[Docker.RecommendedWords] Consider using 'select' instead of 'click'

Raw Output:
{"message": "[Docker.RecommendedWords] Consider using 'select' instead of 'click'", "location": {"path": "content/manuals/ai/mcp-catalog-and-toolkit/toolkit.md", "range": {"start": {"line": 10, "column": 230}}}, "severity": "INFO"}

## Key features

Expand All @@ -18,7 +18,7 @@

## How the MCP toolkit works

MCP introduces two core concepts: MCP clients and MCP servers.
MCP introduces two core concepts: MCP clients and MCP servers.

- MCP clients are typically embedded in LLM-based applications, such as
the Claude Desktop App. They request resources or actions.
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -55,7 +55,7 @@

### Passive security

- Image signing and attestation: All MCP server images under `mcp/` in the [catalog](catalog.md)
- Image signing and attestation: All MCP server images under `mcp/` in the [catalog](catalog.md)
are built by Docker and digitally
signed to verify their source and integrity. Each image includes a Software
Bill of Materials (SBOM) for full transparency.
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -95,7 +95,7 @@
When you select a server you can see the following
information:

- Tool name and description
- Tool name and description
- Partner/publisher
- The list of callable tools the server provides.

Expand Down Expand Up @@ -140,21 +140,21 @@

### Example: Use Claude Desktop as a client

Imagine you have Claude Desktop installed, and you want to use the GitHub MCP server,
Imagine you have Claude Desktop installed, and you want to use the GitHub MCP server,
and the Puppeteer MCP server, you do not have to install the servers in Claude Desktop.
You can simply install these 2 MCP servers in the MCP Toolkit,
and add Claude Desktop as a client:

1. From the **MCP Toolkit** menu, select the **Catalog** tab and find the **Puppeteer** server and add it.
2. Repeat for the **GitHub Official** server.
3. From the **Clients** tab, select **Connect** next to **Claude Desktop**. Restart
3. From the **Clients** tab, select **Connect** next to **Claude Desktop**. Restart
Claude Desktop if it's running, and it can now access all the servers in the MCP Toolkit.
4. Within Claude Desktop, run a test by submitting the following prompt using the Sonnet 3.5 model:

```text
Take a screenshot of docs.docker.com and then invert the colors
```
5. From the **Clients** tab, select **Connect** next to **Claude Desktop**. Restart
5. From the **Clients** tab, select **Connect** next to **Claude Desktop**. Restart
Claude Desktop if it's running, and it can now access all the servers in the MCP Toolkit.
6. Within Claude Desktop, run a test by submitting the following prompt using the Sonnet 3.5 model:

Expand All @@ -173,7 +173,7 @@
{{< tab name="Enable globally">}}

1. Insert the following in your VS Code's User`settings.json`:

```json
"mcp": {
"servers": {
Expand All @@ -195,11 +195,11 @@

1. In your terminal, navigate to your project's folder.
1. Run:

```bash
docker mcp client connect vscode
```

> [!NOTE]
> This command creates a `.vscode/mcp.json` file in the current directory. We
> recommend you add it to your `.gitignore` file.
Expand All @@ -208,7 +208,7 @@
{{</tabs >}}

1. In Visual Studio Code, open a new Chat and select the **Agent** mode:

![Copilot mode switching](./images/copilot-mode.png)

1. You can also check the available MCP tools:
Expand All @@ -224,11 +224,15 @@
OAuth integration. For now, the MCP Toolkit only supports GitHub OAuth.

1. On https://github.com/, ensure you are signed in.
1. In Docker Desktop, select **MCP Toolkit** and select the **OAuth** tab.
1. In Docker Desktop, select **MCP Toolkit** and select the **OAuth** tab.
1. In the GitHub entry, select **Authorize**. Your browser opens the GitHub authorization page.
1. In the GitHub authorization page, select **Authorize Docker**. Once the authorization
is successful, you are automatically redirected to Docker Desktop.
1. Install the **GitHub Official** MCP server, see [Install an MCP server](#install-an-mcp-server).

The MCP Toolkit now has access to your GitHub account. To revoke access, select **Revoke** in the **OAuth** tab.
See an example in [Use the **GitHub Official** MCP server](#example-use-the-github-official-mcp-server).

## Related pages

- [Open-source MCP Gateway](/manuals/ai/mcp-gateway/_index.md)
111 changes: 111 additions & 0 deletions content/manuals/ai/mcp-gateway/_index.md
View file
Open in desktop
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
---
title: MCP Gateway
description: "Docker's MCP Gateway provides secure, centralized, and scalable orchestration of AI tools through containerized MCP servers—empowering developers, operators, and security teams."
keywords: MCP Gateway
params:
sidebar:
group: Open source
---

The MCP Gateway is Docker's open-source enterprise-ready solution for orchestrating and
managing [Model Context Protocol (MCP)](https://spec.modelcontextprotocol.io/) servers
securely across development and production environments.
It is designed to help organizations connect MCP servers from the [Docker MCP Catalog](https://hub.docker.com/mcp) to MCP Clients without compromising security, visibility, or control.

By unifying multiple MCP servers into a single, secure endpoint, the MCP Gateway offers
the following benefits:

- Secure by default: MCP servers run in isolated Docker containers with restricted
privileges, network access, and resource usage.
- Unified management: One gateway endpoint centralizes configuration, credentials,
and access control for all MCP servers.
- Enterprise observability: Built-in monitoring, logging, and filtering tools ensure
full visibility and governance of AI tool activity.

## Who is the MCP Gateway designed for?

The MCP Gateway solves problems encountered by various groups:

- Developers: Deploy MCP servers locally and in production using Docker Compose,
with built-in support for protocol handling, credential management, and security policies.
- Security teams: Achieve enterprise-grade isolation and visibility into AI tool
behavior and access patterns.
- Operators: Scale effortlessly from local development environments to production
infrastructure with consistent, low-touch operations.

## Key features

- Server management: List, inspect, and call MCP tools, resources and prompts from multiple servers
- Container-based servers: Run MCP servers as Docker containers with proper isolation
- Secrets management: Secure handling of API keys and credentials via Docker Desktop
- Dynamic discovery and reloading: Automatic tool, prompt, and resource discovery from running servers
- Monitoring: Built-in logging and call tracing capabilities

## Install the MCP Gateway

### Prerequisites

- Docker Desktop with the [MCP Toolkit feature enabled](../mcp-catalog-and-toolkit/toolkit.md#enable-docker-mcp-toolkit).
- Go 1.24+ (for development)

### Install using a pre-built binary

> [!IMPORTANT]
> These instructions are mostly suitable for testing purposes.
> We otherwise recommend building from the sources. See the [README](https://github.com/docker/mcp-gateway?tab=readme-ov-file#installation).

Check warning on line 55 in content/manuals/ai/mcp-gateway/_index.md

View workflow job for this annotation

GitHub Actions / vale 

[vale] reported by reviewdog 🐶
[Docker.We] Avoid using first-person plural like 'We'.

Raw Output:
{"message": "[Docker.We] Avoid using first-person plural like 'We'.", "location": {"path": "content/manuals/ai/mcp-gateway/_index.md", "range": {"start": {"line": 55, "column": 3}}}, "severity": "WARNING"}

You can download the latest binary from the [GitHub releases page](https://github.com/docker/mcp-gateway/releases/latest).

Rename the relevant binary and copy it to the destination matching your OS:

| OS | Binary name | Destination folder |
|---------|---------------------|-------------------------------------|
| Linux | `docker-mcp` | `$HOME/.docker/cli-plugins` |
| macOS | `docker-mcp` | `$HOME/.docker/cli-plugins` |
| Windows | `docker-mcp.exe` | `%USERPROFILE%\.docker\cli-plugins` |

Or copy it into one of these folders for installing it system-wide:


{{< tabs group="" >}}
{{< tab name="On Unix environments">}}


* `/usr/local/lib/docker/cli-plugins` OR `/usr/local/libexec/docker/cli-plugins`

Check warning on line 74 in content/manuals/ai/mcp-gateway/_index.md

View workflow job for this annotation

GitHub Actions / vale 

[vale] reported by reviewdog 🐶
[Docker.Acronyms] 'OR' has no definition.

Raw Output:
{"message": "[Docker.Acronyms] 'OR' has no definition.", "location": {"path": "content/manuals/ai/mcp-gateway/_index.md", "range": {"start": {"line": 74, "column": 39}}}, "severity": "WARNING"}
* `/usr/lib/docker/cli-plugins` OR `/usr/libexec/docker/cli-plugins`

Check warning on line 75 in content/manuals/ai/mcp-gateway/_index.md

View workflow job for this annotation

GitHub Actions / vale 

[vale] reported by reviewdog 🐶
[Docker.Acronyms] 'OR' has no definition.

Raw Output:
{"message": "[Docker.Acronyms] 'OR' has no definition.", "location": {"path": "content/manuals/ai/mcp-gateway/_index.md", "range": {"start": {"line": 75, "column": 33}}}, "severity": "WARNING"}

> [!NOTE]
> You may have to make the binaries executable with `chmod +x`:

> ```bash
> $ chmod +x ~/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-mcp
> ```

{{< /tab >}}
{{< tab name="On Windows">}}

* `C:\ProgramData\Docker\cli-plugins`
* `C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins`

{{< /tab >}}
{{</tabs >}}

You can now use the `mcp` command:

```bash
docker mcp --help
```

## Use the MCP Gateway

Run:

```bash
docker mcp gateway run
```

To view all the commands and configuration options, go to the [mcp-gateway repository](https://github.com/docker/mcp-gateway?tab=readme-ov-file#usage).

## Related pages

- [Docker MCP toolkit and catalog](/manuals/ai/mcp-catalog-and-toolkit/_index.md)