Portainer MCP Server for WindsurfGive Windsurf instant access to 6 tools to Add Endpoint, Authenticate, Create Docker Container, and more
GDPR Free for SubscribersWindsurf brings agentic AI coding to a purpose-built IDE. Connect Portainer through Vinkius and Cascade will auto-discover every tool. ask questions, generate code, and act on live data without leaving your editor.
Ask AI about this MCP Server for Windsurf
The Portainer MCP Server for Windsurf is a standout in the Ship It category — giving your AI agent 6 tools to work with, ready to go from day one.
Vinkius delivers Streamable HTTP and SSE to any MCP client
Gemini{
"mcpServers": {
"portainer": {
"url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp"
}
}
}Vinkius Desktop App
The modern way to manage MCP Servers — no config files, no terminal commands. Install Portainer and 4,000+ MCP Servers from a single visual interface.
* Every MCP server runs on Vinkius-managed infrastructure inside AWS - a purpose-built runtime with per-request V8 isolates, Ed25519 signed audit chains, and sub-40ms cold starts optimized for native MCP execution. See our infrastructure
About Portainer MCP Server
Connect your Portainer instance to any AI agent and orchestrate your containerized infrastructure through natural conversation.
Windsurf's Cascade agent chains multiple Portainer tool calls autonomously. query data, analyze results, and generate code in a single agentic session. Paste Vinkius Edge URL, reload, and all 6 tools are immediately available. Real-time tool feedback appears inline, so you see API responses directly in your editor.
What you can do
- Container Management — List all Docker containers in any environment, create new ones from images, and start existing containers.
- Environment Orchestration — Add and manage new local or remote Docker/Kubernetes environments (endpoints) to your Portainer setup.
- Admin Control — Initialize admin accounts on fresh installations and authenticate to receive secure JWT tokens.
- Configuration Control — Deploy containers with custom configurations, including exposed ports and host settings via JSON.
The Portainer MCP Server exposes 6 tools through the Vinkius. Connect it to Windsurf in under two minutes — credentials fully managed, no infrastructure to provision, no vendor lock-in. Your configuration, your data, your control.
All 6 Portainer tools available for Windsurf
When Windsurf connects to Portainer through Vinkius, your AI agent gets direct access to every tool listed below — spanning docker, kubernetes, container-management, and more. Every call runs in a secure, isolated environment with full audit visibility. Beyond a simple connection, you get real-time monitoring of agent activity, enterprise governance, and optimized token usage.
Add endpoint on Portainer
Add a new environment (endpoint) to Portainer
Authenticate on Portainer
Authenticate to receive a JWT token
Create docker container on Portainer
Create a new Docker container
Init admin on Portainer
Initialize Portainer admin password
List docker containers on Portainer
List Docker containers in an environment
Start docker container on Portainer
Start a Docker container
Connect Portainer to Windsurf via MCP
Follow these steps to wire Portainer into Windsurf. The entire setup takes under two minutes — your credentials stay safe behind Vinkius.
Open MCP Settings
Cmd+Shift+P and search "MCP"Add the server
mcp_config.jsonSave and reload
Start using Portainer
Why Use Windsurf with the Portainer MCP Server
Windsurf provides unique advantages when paired with Portainer through the Model Context Protocol.
Windsurf's Cascade agent autonomously chains multiple tool calls in sequence, solving complex multi-step tasks without manual intervention
Purpose-built for agentic workflows. Cascade understands context across your entire codebase and integrates MCP tools natively
JSON-based configuration means zero code changes: paste a URL, reload, and all 6 tools are immediately available
Real-time tool feedback is displayed inline, so you see API responses directly in your editor without switching contexts
Portainer + Windsurf Use Cases
Practical scenarios where Windsurf combined with the Portainer MCP Server delivers measurable value.
Automated code generation: ask Cascade to fetch data from Portainer and generate models, types, or handlers based on real API responses
Live debugging: query Portainer tools mid-session to inspect production data while debugging without leaving the editor
Documentation generation: pull schema information from Portainer and have Cascade generate comprehensive API docs automatically
Rapid prototyping: combine Portainer data with Cascade's code generation to scaffold entire features in minutes
Example Prompts for Portainer in Windsurf
Ready-to-use prompts you can give your Windsurf agent to start working with Portainer immediately.
"List all containers in Portainer endpoint 1."
"Create a new container named 'web-server' using the 'nginx:latest' image in endpoint 2."
"Start the container 'redis-cache' in endpoint 1."
Troubleshooting Portainer MCP Server with Windsurf
Common issues when connecting Portainer to Windsurf through Vinkius, and how to resolve them.
Server not connecting
Portainer + Windsurf FAQ
Common questions about integrating Portainer MCP Server with Windsurf.
How does Windsurf discover MCP tools?
mcp_config.json file on startup and connects to each configured server via Streamable HTTP. Tools are listed in the MCP panel and available to Cascade automatically.Can Cascade chain multiple MCP tool calls?
Does Windsurf support multiple MCP servers?
mcp_config.json. Each server's tools appear in the MCP panel and Cascade can use tools from different servers in a single flow.Explore More MCP Servers
View all →
Heyzine
12 toolsTransform PDFs into interactive flipbooks with page-turn animations, embedded media, and sharing analytics for digital publishing.
Azure Log Analytics Workspace
1 toolsThis MCP does exactly one thing: it queries logs from a single Azure Log Analytics table. That's its only function, and nothing else. Incredible for giving your AI secure observability.
Leadfeeder
9 toolsBring Leadfeeder B2B visit intelligence to your AI. Discover which companies visit your website natively.
pgvector (Vector Database)
6 toolsRun vector similarity searches, manage embedding tables, and build AI-powered retrieval pipelines — all directly inside your existing PostgreSQL database.