Dokku MCP Server — Claude Code MCP server: setup guide
Connects a Dokku PaaS instance to AI assistants via SSH, enabling app deployments, database provisioning, and log inspection directly from your workspace.
Open on GitHubWhat Dokku MCP Server does
The server is written in Go. It connects an AI assistant directly to Dokku over SSH, turning standard platform management tasks into MCP tools. The model can spin up applications and link datastores like Postgres or Redis. It also exposes diagnostic prompts like app_doctor to troubleshoot unhealthy containers.
Deployments run asynchronously. The deploy_app tool returns an identifier right after syncing code, letting the agent poll the build status and tail output logs. For safety, arguments pass through strict character checks, while database passwords in output are automatically hidden. High-risk commands can be disabled via DOKKU_MCP_SECURITY_BLACKLIST.
The project is in early development, so running it against production workloads is risky. Its remote SSE transport also lacks built-in authentication, which makes exposed network setups vulnerable without a reverse proxy.
What it helps with
- trigger application deployments and monitor build logs
- provision datastores like Postgres or Redis and attach them to apps
- tail live container logs through streamed notifications
- assign custom domains and enable Let's Encrypt certificates
Example prompts for the agent
- Deploy the current repository to Dokku under the name web-app
- Create a redis datastore named cache-store and link it to api
- Run the app_doctor prompt to diagnose why the backend failed
How to install Dokku MCP Server
Install
The MCP registry has no launch command for it: see the repository README
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 Dokku MCP Server
How to install Dokku MCP Server in Claude Code?
Build the Go binary locally or grab a precompiled release, then register it in your .mcp.json file. Provide your SSH credentials using DOKKU_MCP_SSH_HOST, DOKKU_MCP_SSH_USER, and DOKKU_MCP_SSH_KEY_PATH in the environment block.
What does Dokku MCP Server do?
It lets AI clients run Dokku operations on a remote server through standard MCP tools. The model can create containers, update configuration values, check deployment status, and link database services.
Can the server destroy my infrastructure?
You can restrict destructive actions by listing blocked keywords in DOKKU_MCP_SECURITY_BLACKLIST. Critical commands like removing datastores also require explicit confirmation before execution.
