|
| 1 | +--- |
| 2 | +title: Frequently asked questions |
| 3 | +sidebar_label: FAQ |
| 4 | +description: Common questions about ToolHive. |
| 5 | +--- |
| 6 | + |
| 7 | +## General questions |
| 8 | + |
| 9 | +### What is ToolHive? |
| 10 | + |
| 11 | +ToolHive is an open source platform that simplifies the deployment and |
| 12 | +management of Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers. It runs MCP servers in |
| 13 | +secure, isolated containers and provides tools to manage them easily. You can |
| 14 | +run ToolHive as a graphical desktop app, command-line tool, or Kubernetes |
| 15 | +operator. |
| 16 | + |
| 17 | +### What is the Model Context Protocol (MCP)? |
| 18 | + |
| 19 | +MCP is a protocol that allows AI applications to connect to external data |
| 20 | +sources and tools. It provides a standardized way for AI models to access |
| 21 | +real-world context like APIs, source code repositories, databases, and other |
| 22 | +systems. Think of it as a bridge between AI models and the external systems |
| 23 | +where your data and applications live. |
| 24 | + |
| 25 | +### Do I need to know how to code to use ToolHive? |
| 26 | + |
| 27 | +No. ToolHive includes a graphical interface that doesn't require coding |
| 28 | +knowledge. However, some MCP servers may require configuration or secrets, such |
| 29 | +as API keys, that you'll need to set up. The ToolHive CLI is more technical but |
| 30 | +comes with comprehensive documentation. |
| 31 | + |
| 32 | +### Is ToolHive free to use? |
| 33 | + |
| 34 | +Yes, ToolHive is open source (Apache 2.0 licensed) and free to use. You can find |
| 35 | +the source code on GitHub and use it without any licensing fees. |
| 36 | + |
| 37 | +## Using MCP servers |
| 38 | + |
| 39 | +### How do I find available MCP servers? |
| 40 | + |
| 41 | +ToolHive includes a curated registry of verified MCP servers. You can browse |
| 42 | +them from the **Registry** tab in the UI or by running `thv registry list` in |
| 43 | +the CLI. |
| 44 | + |
| 45 | +### What MCP servers are available? |
| 46 | + |
| 47 | +The registry includes servers for common use cases, such as retrieving content |
| 48 | +from the web using the |
| 49 | +[GoFetch MCP server](https://github.com/StacklokLabs/gofetch), and for popular |
| 50 | +services and platforms like: |
| 51 | + |
| 52 | +- **Atlassian** – Access Jira and Confluence |
| 53 | +- **AWS Documentation** – Query AWS service documentation |
| 54 | +- **GitHub** – Access repositories, issues, and pull requests |
| 55 | +- **Kubernetes** – Interact with Kubernetes clusters via the |
| 56 | + [MKP MCP server](https://github.com/StacklokLabs/mkp) |
| 57 | +- **MongoDB**, **PostgreSQL**, **Redis** – Connect to databases |
| 58 | +- **Notion** – Connect to Notion workspaces |
| 59 | +- And many more |
| 60 | + |
| 61 | +### Can I run MCP servers that aren't in the registry? |
| 62 | + |
| 63 | +Yes. You can run any MCP server from a container image or source package, even |
| 64 | +if it's not in the registry. Just provide the image name or package details when |
| 65 | +starting the server using the CLI or UI. See the custom MCP server section in |
| 66 | +the [UI guide](./guides-ui/run-mcp-servers.md#install-a-custom-mcp-server) and |
| 67 | +[CLI guide](./guides-cli/run-mcp-servers.mdx#run-a-custom-mcp-server) for more |
| 68 | +details. |
| 69 | + |
| 70 | +The Kubernetes operator also supports custom MCP servers that are packaged as |
| 71 | +container images. |
| 72 | + |
| 73 | +:::tip |
| 74 | + |
| 75 | +You can use the ToolHive CLI to run a custom MCP server from a source package |
| 76 | +once, then export the Docker image for import into your container registry or |
| 77 | +Kubernetes cluster to use it with the operator. |
| 78 | + |
| 79 | +::: |
| 80 | + |
| 81 | +## Security and permissions |
| 82 | + |
| 83 | +### Is it safe to run MCP servers? |
| 84 | + |
| 85 | +ToolHive runs MCP servers in isolated containers with minimal default |
| 86 | +permissions. Each server runs in its own container with restricted access to |
| 87 | +your system and network. |
| 88 | + |
| 89 | +:::tip |
| 90 | + |
| 91 | +For extra security, review the permission profiles and network isolation options |
| 92 | +before running new or untrusted MCP servers. |
| 93 | + |
| 94 | +::: |
| 95 | + |
| 96 | +### How does ToolHive handle secrets like API keys? |
| 97 | + |
| 98 | +ToolHive provides secure secrets management: |
| 99 | + |
| 100 | +- Secrets are encrypted and stored securely on your system |
| 101 | +- They're passed to MCP servers as environment variables |
| 102 | +- Secrets never appear in plaintext in configuration files |
| 103 | +- Integration with 1Password is also supported |
| 104 | + |
| 105 | +### Can I control what an MCP server can access? |
| 106 | + |
| 107 | +Yes. ToolHive uses permission profiles to control: |
| 108 | + |
| 109 | +- **File system access** – Which directories the server can read or write |
| 110 | +- **Network access** – Which hosts and ports the server can connect to |
| 111 | + |
| 112 | +You can use built-in profiles or create custom ones for specific security |
| 113 | +requirements. |
| 114 | + |
| 115 | +### What's network isolation and when should I use it? |
| 116 | + |
| 117 | +Network isolation creates a secure network architecture that filters all |
| 118 | +outbound connections from MCP servers. Use the `--isolate-network` flag when |
| 119 | +running servers that need strict network controls, especially in enterprise |
| 120 | +environments. |
| 121 | + |
| 122 | +## Enterprise and advanced usage |
| 123 | + |
| 124 | +### Can I use ToolHive in my company? |
| 125 | + |
| 126 | +Yes. ToolHive is designed for both individual developers and enterprise teams. |
| 127 | +The Kubernetes Operator provides centralized management, security controls, and |
| 128 | +integration with existing infrastructure for enterprise deployments. |
| 129 | + |
| 130 | +### How do I deploy ToolHive in Kubernetes? |
| 131 | + |
| 132 | +Use the ToolHive Kubernetes Operator to deploy and manage MCP servers as |
| 133 | +Kubernetes resources. See the [Kubernetes guides](./guides-k8s/index.mdx) for |
| 134 | +detailed instructions. The Kubernetes operator is currently experimental. |
| 135 | + |
| 136 | +### Can I run my own custom MCP servers? |
| 137 | + |
| 138 | +Yes. You can run custom MCP servers from Docker images or source packages. |
| 139 | +ToolHive supports: |
| 140 | + |
| 141 | +- Docker images from public or private registries |
| 142 | +- Source packages from package managers like npm, PyPI, or Go modules |
| 143 | + |
| 144 | +### How do I get my MCP server added to the ToolHive registry? |
| 145 | + |
| 146 | +The ToolHive registry has specific |
| 147 | +[inclusion criteria](./concepts/registry-criteria.md), such as being open |
| 148 | +source, following good security practices, and maintaining code quality. Review |
| 149 | +the criteria and |
| 150 | +[submit your server for consideration](https://github.com/stacklok/toolhive/issues/new?template=add-an-mcp-server.md). |
| 151 | + |
| 152 | +### Can I use ToolHive behind a corporate firewall? |
| 153 | + |
| 154 | +Yes. ToolHive supports corporate environments with: |
| 155 | + |
| 156 | +- Custom CA certificate configuration for TLS inspection |
| 157 | +- Network isolation and permission profiles |
| 158 | +- Integration with secret management systems like 1Password |
| 159 | + |
| 160 | +## Getting help |
| 161 | + |
| 162 | +### Where can I get help if I'm stuck? |
| 163 | + |
| 164 | +- **Documentation** – Check the comprehensive guides and reference documentation |
| 165 | +- **GitHub Issues** – Report bugs or request features on the |
| 166 | + [ToolHive GitHub repository](https://github.com/stacklok/toolhive/issues) |
| 167 | +- **Discord Community** – Join the |
| 168 | + [Stacklok Discord](https://discord.gg/stacklok) for community support |
| 169 | +- **Troubleshooting sections** – Each guide includes troubleshooting tips for |
| 170 | + common issues |
| 171 | + |
| 172 | +### How do I report a bug or request a feature? |
| 173 | + |
| 174 | +Open an issue in the appropriate GitHub repository: |
| 175 | + |
| 176 | +- [**ToolHive UI**](https://github.com/stacklok/toolhive-studio/issues) – For |
| 177 | + issues specific to the graphical desktop app |
| 178 | +- [**ToolHive CLI & Kubernetes**](https://github.com/stacklok/toolhive/issues) – |
| 179 | + For issues related to the CLI tool or Kubernetes operator |
| 180 | + |
| 181 | +### Is there a community I can join? |
| 182 | + |
| 183 | +Yes! Join the [Stacklok Discord community](https://discord.gg/stacklok) to |
| 184 | +connect with other ToolHive users, ask questions, and share your experiences. |
| 185 | +There's a dedicated `#toolhive-developers` channel for technical discussions. |
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