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Docker’s MCP Gateway project is a Docker CLI plugin and supporting gateway system designed to run, manage, and securely expose MCP servers using container isolation. It underpins the MCP Toolkit experience in Docker Desktop, but it can also be used independently as a general-purpose MCP operational layer. The core idea is to treat MCP servers like containerized services, giving each server controlled privileges and a lifecycle you can inspect, enable/disable, and reset as needed. Instead of having each AI client manage its own MCP server configuration, the gateway provides a unified interface so multiple clients can connect consistently to the same configured tool surface. The project emphasizes security and operational hygiene by supporting secrets management (to avoid leaking credentials via plain environment variables) and providing built-in OAuth flows for MCP servers that require authenticated service access.
Features
- Docker CLI plugin that runs MCP servers as isolated containers
- Unified gateway interface so multiple AI clients share one consistent configuration
- Catalog management for discovering and configuring MCP servers
- Secrets management integration to reduce credential leakage risks
- Built-in OAuth flows for MCP servers that require service authentication
- Dynamic discovery of tools, prompts, and resources from running servers
Project Samples
