|
| 1 | +--- |
| 2 | +title: Get started with Docker MCP Toolkit |
| 3 | +linkTitle: Get started |
| 4 | +description: Learn how to quickly install and use the MCP Toolkit to set up servers and clients. |
| 5 | +keywords: Docker MCP Toolkit, MCP server, MCP client, AI agents |
| 6 | +weight: 10 |
| 7 | +--- |
| 8 | + |
| 9 | +{{< summary-bar feature_name="Docker MCP Toolkit" >}} |
| 10 | + |
| 11 | +Docker Model Context Protocol (MCP) Toolkit makes it easy to set up, manage, and run containerized MCP servers, and connect them to AI agents. It provides secure defaults, one-click setup, and support for a growing ecosystem of LLM-based clients. This page shows you how to get started quickly with the Docker MCP Toolkit. |
| 12 | + |
| 13 | +## Requirements |
| 14 | + |
| 15 | +Before you begin, make sure you meet the following requirements to get started with Docker MCP Toolkit. |
| 16 | + |
| 17 | +### Download and install Docker Desktop |
| 18 | + |
| 19 | +- Install [Docker Desktop version 4.42.0](/manuals/desktop/release-notes.md#4420) and later. |
| 20 | +- To try the MCP Toolkit Learning center walkthrough, you must install [Docker Desktop version 4.46.0](/manuals/desktop/release-notes.md#4460) and later. |
| 21 | + |
| 22 | +### Enable Docker MCP Toolkit |
| 23 | + |
| 24 | +1. Open the Docker Desktop settings and select **Beta features**. |
| 25 | +2. Select **Enable Docker MCP Toolkit**. |
| 26 | +3. Select **Apply**. |
| 27 | + |
| 28 | +There are multiple ways to get started with Docker MCP Toolkit. You can: |
| 29 | +- Try the [Learning center](#learning-center) walkthrough in Docker Desktop, available in [Docker Desktop version 4.46.0](/manuals/desktop/release-notes.md#4460) and later. |
| 30 | +- Alternatively, follow the step-by-step instructions on this page to use Docker Desktop or the CLI to [Install an MCP server](#install-an-mcp-server), [add a client, and test your setup](#install-an-mcp-client-and-test-your-setup) with example prompts. |
| 31 | + |
| 32 | +## Learning center |
| 33 | + |
| 34 | +The **Learning center** in Docker Desktop provides walkthroughs and resources to help you get started with Docker products and features. |
| 35 | + |
| 36 | +On the **MCP Toolkit** page, Docker Desktop shows the **Get started** walkthrough that guides you through installing an MCP server, connecting a client, and testing your setup. |
| 37 | + |
| 38 | +## Install an MCP server |
| 39 | + |
| 40 | +{{< tabs group="release" >}} |
| 41 | +{{< tab name="From Docker Desktop">}} |
| 42 | + |
| 43 | +1. In Docker Desktop, select **MCP Toolkit** and select the **Catalog** tab. |
| 44 | +2. Search for the **GitHub Official** server from the catalog and then select the plus icon to add it. |
| 45 | +3. In the **GitHub Official** server page, select the **Configuration** tab and select **OAuth**. |
| 46 | + |
| 47 | + >[!NOTE] |
| 48 | + > |
| 49 | + > The type of configuration required depends on the server you select. For the GitHub Official server, you must authenticate using OAuth. |
| 50 | +
|
| 51 | + Your browser opens the GitHub authorization page. Follow the on-screen instructions to [authenticate via OAuth](/manuals/ai/mcp-catalog-and-toolkit/toolkit.md#authenticate-via-oauth). |
| 52 | + |
| 53 | +4. Return to Docker Desktop when the authentication process is complete. |
| 54 | +5. Search for the **Playwright** server from the catalog and add it. |
| 55 | + |
| 56 | +{{< /tab >}} |
| 57 | +{{< tab name="From the Docker CLI">}} |
| 58 | + |
| 59 | +1. Add the GitHub Official MCP server. Run: |
| 60 | + |
| 61 | + ```console |
| 62 | + $ docker mcp server enable github-official |
| 63 | + ``` |
| 64 | + |
| 65 | +2. Authenticate the server by running the following command: |
| 66 | + |
| 67 | + ```console |
| 68 | + $ docker mcp oauth authorize github |
| 69 | + ``` |
| 70 | + |
| 71 | + >[!NOTE] |
| 72 | + > |
| 73 | + > The type of configuration required depends on the server you select. For the GitHub Official server, you must authenticate using OAuth. |
| 74 | +
|
| 75 | + Your browser opens the GitHub authorization page. Follow the on-screen instructions to [authenticate via OAuth](/manuals/ai/mcp-catalog-and-toolkit/toolkit.md#authenticate-via-oauth). |
| 76 | + |
| 77 | +3. Add the **Playwright** server. Run: |
| 78 | + |
| 79 | + ```console |
| 80 | + $ docker mcp server enable playwright |
| 81 | + ``` |
| 82 | +{{< /tab >}} |
| 83 | +{{< /tabs >}} |
| 84 | + |
| 85 | +You’ve now successfully added an MCP server. Next, install an MCP client and test your setup with an example prompt. |
| 86 | + |
| 87 | + |
| 88 | +## Install an MCP client and test your setup |
| 89 | + |
| 90 | +After you've installed MCP servers, you can add clients to the MCP Toolkit. These clients can interact with the installed MCP servers, turning the MCP Toolkit into a gateway. In the following section, let’s add the Claude Desktop client. |
| 91 | + |
| 92 | +{{< tabs group="release" >}} |
| 93 | +{{< tab name="From Docker Desktop">}} |
| 94 | + |
| 95 | +1. In Docker Desktop, select **MCP Toolkit** and select the **Clients** tab. |
| 96 | +2. Find **Claude Desktop** and select **Connect**. |
| 97 | + |
| 98 | + If Claude Desktop isn't installed, select **Download** to install it, then select **Connect**. |
| 99 | +3. Restart Claude Desktop if it's running, and it can now access all the servers in the MCP Toolkit. |
| 100 | +4. Open Claude Desktop and run a test by submitting the following prompt using the Sonnet Opus 4.1 model: |
| 101 | + |
| 102 | + ```text |
| 103 | + Take a screenshot of the header element on docs.docker.com |
| 104 | + ``` |
| 105 | + Claude prompts you for permissions and shares a screenshot of the header element from the Docker documentation page. |
| 106 | + |
| 107 | +  |
| 108 | + |
| 109 | + |
| 110 | +{{< /tab >}} |
| 111 | +{{< tab name="From the Docker CLI">}} |
| 112 | + |
| 113 | +1. In a terminal window, run the following commands to connect the Claude Desktop client: |
| 114 | + |
| 115 | + ```console |
| 116 | + $ docker mcp client connect claude-desktop --global |
| 117 | + ``` |
| 118 | +2. Restart Claude Desktop if it's running, and it can now access all the servers in the MCP Toolkit. |
| 119 | +3. Open Claude Desktop and run a test by submitting the following prompt using the Sonnet 4 model: |
| 120 | + |
| 121 | + ```text |
| 122 | + Take a screenshot of the header element on docs.docker.com |
| 123 | + ``` |
| 124 | + Claude prompts you for permissions and shares a screenshot of the header element from the Docker documentation page. |
| 125 | + |
| 126 | +  |
| 127 | + |
| 128 | +{{< /tab >}} |
| 129 | +{{< /tabs >}} |
| 130 | + |
| 131 | +## Related pages |
| 132 | + |
| 133 | +- [MCP Toolkit](/manuals/ai/mcp-catalog-and-toolkit/toolkit.md) |
| 134 | +- [MCP Catalog](/manuals/ai/mcp-catalog-and-toolkit/catalog.md) |
| 135 | +- [Open-source MCP Gateway](/manuals/ai/mcp-gateway/_index.md) |
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