Containerization Assist — Claude Code MCP server for Docker
Walks an app from repo analysis to a running container: builds the image, scans it, and writes Kubernetes manifests from the chat.
claude mcp add --env DOCKER_SOCKET=<DOCKER_SOCKET> --env LOG_LEVEL=<LOG_LEVEL> --transport stdio containerization-assist -- npx -y containerization-assist-mcpWhat Containerization Assist does
This is a TypeScript MCP server built on the MCP SDK. It takes one application through the whole path: reads the repository, writes a Dockerfile, builds the image, scans it, tags it, then produces Kubernetes manifests and applies them. Progress arrives as MCP notifications, so a slow build does not look stuck.
Rego policies control what the server does. Before generation you set defaults for resources, base images and build strategy; during generation the knowledge base gets filtered and templates are injected; afterwards come semantic checks, a security score and cross-tool consistency. The repo ships example policies — environment-based strategy for dev/staging/prod, cost control by team tier, a security-first setup.
Node.js 20 or higher is required, plus a running Docker daemon with an accessible socket: /var/run/docker.sock on Linux and macOS, //./pipe/docker_engine on Windows. No daemon, no build. Trivy covers scanning, and deployment needs a kubeconfig at ~/.kube/config with RBAC rights for deployments, services and namespaces. You can also skip MCP entirely and call analyzeRepo, buildImageContext or scanImage from the SDK.
What it helps with
- write a Dockerfile for an unfamiliar stack without tracing dependencies by hand
- find vulnerabilities in a built image and get remediation guidance
- generate Kubernetes manifests and apply them to a cluster
- keep one set of build rules across dev, staging and prod with policies
- run repo analysis and builds from extension code without the MCP protocol
Example prompts for the agent
- Analyze the repo at
./myappand tell me what stack it uses - Build the image
myapp:v1and scan it for vulnerabilities - Generate Kubernetes manifests and deploy the app to the
stagingnamespace
How to install Containerization Assist
Platform CLI
claude mcp add --env DOCKER_SOCKET=<DOCKER_SOCKET> --env LOG_LEVEL=<LOG_LEVEL> --transport stdio containerization-assist -- npx -y containerization-assist-mcpReplace <…> with your own values
Platform CLI
codex mcp add containerization-assist --env DOCKER_SOCKET=<DOCKER_SOCKET> --env LOG_LEVEL=<LOG_LEVEL> -- npx -y containerization-assist-mcpReplace <…> with your own values
Config file
{
"mcpServers": {
"containerization-assist": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"containerization-assist-mcp"
],
"env": {
"DOCKER_SOCKET": "<DOCKER_SOCKET>",
"LOG_LEVEL": "<LOG_LEVEL>"
}
}
}
}Replace <…> with your own values
Config file
{
"servers": {
"containerization-assist": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"containerization-assist-mcp"
],
"env": {
"DOCKER_SOCKET": "<DOCKER_SOCKET>",
"LOG_LEVEL": "<LOG_LEVEL>"
}
}
}
}Replace <…> with your own values
Platform CLI
gemini mcp add -e DOCKER_SOCKET=<DOCKER_SOCKET> -e LOG_LEVEL=<LOG_LEVEL> containerization-assist npx -y containerization-assist-mcpReplace <…> with your own values
Step by step, with commands for each platform: How to add an MCP server to Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, VS Code, Gemini CLI and more
Questions about Containerization Assist
How do I install Containerization Assist in Claude Code?
Run claude mcp add containerization-assist -- npx -y containerization-assist-mcp. To pass environment variables, use the longer form: `claude mcp add --env DOCKER_SOCKET=<DOCKER_SOCKET> --env LOG_LEVEL=<LOG_LEVEL> --transport stdio containerization-assist -- npx -y containerization-assist-mcp`.
What does Containerization Assist do?
It handles the containerization path end to end: repository analysis, Dockerfile generation, image build and scan, tagging, Kubernetes manifest generation, and a check that the deployment came up healthy.
What does the server need to run?
Node.js 20 or newer and a running Docker daemon with a reachable socket. Trivy is needed for scanning, and Kubernetes with a kubeconfig for deployment.
