Portainer MCP Docker MCP Server

Dockerized version of the [Portainer MCP Server](https://github.com/portainer/portainer-mcp) for easy deployment.

Local serverstdio

What is the Portainer MCP Docker MCP server?

Connect Portainer MCP Docker to Claude, Cursor or any other MCP client and it stops being a tab you switch to. Dockerized version of the Portainer MCP Server for easy deployment. The portainer mcp docker mcp server is what makes that connection.

What the server does

  • Minimal Alpine Linux image with the official portainer-mcp binary
  • Two variants: — stdio (local) and HTTP (remote/web)
  • Multi-architecture support (linux/amd64, linux/arm64)
  • Automatic updates via GitHub Actions when new upstream releases are published
  • Base image updates via Dependabot with auto-merge (security patches, Alpine updates)
  • Versioned tags matching the upstream release (e.g., v0.7.0-1)

Installation

ghcr.io/serraniel/portainer-mcp-docker on a container image is all you need. Most clients run it directly, so configuration is a few lines and a restart.

Available tools

The toolset is worth reading before you wire it up, because it tells you what the integration is really for:

  • Multi — architecture support (linux/amd64, linux/arm64)
  • portainer_data — /data
  • URL — ** http://your-server:8080/sse
  • Authorization — ** Bearer token (the MCP_API_TOKEN you configured)
  • v0.7.0-1 — First build of upstream v0.7.0 (stdio)
  • v0.7.0-1-http — Same version, HTTP variant
  • v0.7.0-2 — Rebuild (e.g., base image security update)
  • latest — Most recent stdio build
  • Variable — Required
  • PORTAINER_SERVER — Yes
  • PORTAINER_TOKEN — Yes
  • API_ACCESS_TOKEN — Recommended

Credentials and setup notes

Configuration is passed through the environment: PORTAINER_TOKEN, API_ACCESS_TOKEN, MCP_API_TOKEN. Treat anything key-shaped as a real credential — scope it to the minimum the server needs, and rotate it if it ever lands in a shared config.

  • A running Portainer instance - A Portainer API access token (generated from the Portainer UI under My Account > Access Tokens) - Docker and Docker Compose ---

Worth knowing first

  • It runs with your machine's permissions. That is convenient and also the reason to think about what you point it at before you approve a tool call.
  • With 14 tools registered it takes up a noticeable share of the context window; turn it off in projects that never touch Portainer MCP Docker.
  • Missing credentials fail quietly in some clients — if no tools show up, check the environment block first.
  • Keep per-call confirmation enabled while you learn its behaviour; it is the cheapest safeguard you have.

Where it fits

Among the developer tooling options, the useful question is rarely "what can it do" but "what does it cost you to run" — permissions, credentials, and how much of your context its toolset consumes. Portainer MCP Docker's toolset — Multi, portainer_data, URL and 11 more — is a fair guide to whether it matches your workflow. It is maintained by serraniel; worth a glance at recent repository activity before you build anything load-bearing on it.

SyncDev reviews every entry in this directory against the project's own documentation before publishing, and revisits them as servers change.

Available tools

ToolWhat it does
Multiarchitecture support (linux/amd64, linux/arm64)
portainer_data/data
URL** http://your-server:8080/sse
Authorization** Bearer token (the MCP_API_TOKEN you configured)
v0.7.0-1First build of upstream v0.7.0 (stdio)
v0.7.0-1-httpSame version, HTTP variant
v0.7.0-2Rebuild (e.g., base image security update)
latestMost recent stdio build
VariableRequired
PORTAINER_SERVERYes
PORTAINER_TOKENYes
API_ACCESS_TOKENRecommended
PORTAINER_READ_ONLYNo
PORTAINER_DISABLE_VERSION_CHECKNo

How to install the Portainer MCP Docker MCP server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "portainer-mcp-docker": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": ["run", "-i", "--rm", "ghcr.io/serraniel/portainer-mcp-docker"],
      "env": {
        "PORTAINER_TOKEN": "your-value",
        "API_ACCESS_TOKEN": "your-value",
        "MCP_API_TOKEN": "your-value"
      }
    }
  }
}

Add to claude_desktop_config.json, then restart Claude Desktop.

Configuration

  • A running Portainer instance - A Portainer API access token (generated from the Portainer UI under My Account > Access Tokens) - Docker and Docker Compose ---
VariableDescriptionRequired
PORTAINER_TOKENCredential the server authenticates with.Yes
API_ACCESS_TOKENCredential the server authenticates with.Yes
MCP_API_TOKENCredential the server authenticates with.Yes

Example prompts to try

  • Use Portainer MCP Docker to Multi.
  • Use Portainer MCP Docker to portainer data.
  • Use Portainer MCP Docker to URL.

Frequently asked questions

It connects Portainer MCP Docker to MCP-compatible AI assistants such as Claude and Cursor, exposing 14 tools (Multi, portainer_data, URL, and more) that the assistant can call on your behalf. Instead of copying data back and forth by hand, the assistant works with Portainer MCP Docker directly.