Podman MCP Server
Multi-runtime MCP for Podman and Docker. Auto-detects runtime: Podman REST API via Unix socket preferred, Docker CLI fallback. Apache-2.0, triple distribution (npm, PyPI, binaries), three transport modes. Maintained by Marc Nuri (also operates containers/kubernetes-mcp-server (1,500 stars, top-ranked Kubernetes MCP in our directory)).
“Replacement for ckreiling/mcp-server-docker (last commit June 2025). Handles both Podman and Docker via a unified runtime API plus CLI fallback, ships binaries to npm and PyPI, and is built by Marc Nuri (also maintainer of containers/kubernetes-mcp-server, the highest-ranked Kubernetes MCP in our directory at 1,500 stars). Pick this when you want a container-runtime MCP server under Apache-2.0 licensing for redistribution. Auto-detects runtime: Podman REST API via Unix socket first, Docker CLI fallback. Three transport modes: stdio (default), HTTP at /mcp plus SSE at /sse, legacy SSE-only.”
INSTALL THIS SERVER
{
"mcpServers": {
"podman": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"podman-mcp-server@latest"
]
}
}
}
{
"mcpServers": {
"podman": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"podman-mcp-server@latest"
]
}
}
}
{
"mcpServers": {
"podman": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"podman-mcp-server@latest"
]
}
}
}
{
"mcpServers": {
"podman": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"podman-mcp-server@latest"
]
}
}
}
{
"mcpServers": {
"podman": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"podman-mcp-server@latest"
]
}
}
}
8 TOOLS AVAILABLE
OUR ASSESSMENT
- Apache-2.0 licence; friction-free for redistribution.
- Multi-runtime: Podman REST API (preferred via Unix socket) with Docker CLI fallback. Auto-detects.
- Triple distribution: npm `podman-mcp-server`, PyPI, binary releases.
- Active maintenance: 15 releases in 14 months, 3 commits on main in the last 30 days.
- Three transport modes documented: stdio (default), HTTP (Streamable HTTP at /mcp plus SSE at /sse), legacy SSE-only.
- Compact tool surface organised around containers, images, networks, volumes.
- VS Code one-click install URL provided.
- `mcp-name: io.github.manusa/podman-mcp-server` registered for canonical addressing.
- Maintainer (Marc Nuri) operates containers/kubernetes-mcp-server (1,500 stars, top-ranked Kubernetes MCP in our directory) and Goose CLI; established Red Hat-aligned open-source track record.
- Lower star count (70) reflects newer status relative to the stale-but-popular ckreiling/Docker alternative (708 stars).
- Tool surface is narrower than ckreiling: no `docker_compose` natural-language prompt yet (Epic #75 "Evaluation Framework" is the active workstream).
- No `exec` tool yet (#109 feature request); limits "shell into container" agent flows.
- Multi-engine support (#102 Epic) is signalled as roadmap intent and remains a backlog item.
- Single-maintainer governance, mitigated by maintainer broader open-source track record.
The server inherits permissions from the local Podman or Docker socket. Run with the lowest-privileged container-runtime user available. HTTP mode binds to --port; expose only via a reverse proxy with TLS termination and authentication middleware. Stdio mode is the default and the safest for local-host operation.
Developers and platform teams running Podman locally (or Docker as fallback), Apache-2.0-only enterprise environments where the legacy GPL-3.0 ckreiling alternative was a blocker, and VS Code users wanting a one-click MCP install for container runtimes.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
ADOPTION METRICS
// Reading this70 stars and 17 forks. Editorial weight is the Apache-2.0 licence (vs GPL-3.0 alternatives) and maintainer credibility (operates containers/kubernetes-mcp-server (1,500 stars, top-ranked Kubernetes MCP in our directory)).
// Reading thisNinth-ranked in infrastructure. Direct replacement for the stale ckreiling/mcp-server-docker; pair with kubectl-mcp-server or AKS for full container-to-cluster workflows.
SOURCES & VERIFICATION
We don't take any single directory's word for it. Before scoring, we cross-reference 5 public MCP sources, install the server ourselves against the clients we cover, and record when we last re-verified.
The same server, 5 different lenses. We reconcile these signals into our editorial score, which is why our number sometimes diverges from a directory-aggregate star count.
| Source | Their rating | Their star count | Their downloads | Last synced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AutomationSwitch This page | 3.8editorial | 70 | — | MAY 1, 2026 |
| PulseMCP | — unrated | unavailable | unavailable | MAY 1, 2026 |
| MCP.so | — unrated | unavailable | unavailable | MAY 1, 2026 |
| Glama | — unrated | unavailable | unavailable | MAY 1, 2026 |
| Smithery | — unrated | unavailable | unavailable | MAY 1, 2026 |
| Official MCP Registry | — unrated | unavailable | unavailable | MAY 1, 2026 |
// Counts are directory-reported; we don't adjust them. Discrepancies usually come from different snapshot times or star-caching.
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DISCUSS YOUR
MCP REQUIREMENTS.
Evaluating a server, scoping an internal deployment, or working out whether MCP is the right fit at all. Start the conversation and we will point you at the right piece of the ecosystem.