Compatible with every major AI agent and IDE
What is the Portainer MCP Server?
Connect your Portainer instance to any AI agent and orchestrate your containerized infrastructure through natural conversation.
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.
How it works
- Subscribe to this server
- Enter your Portainer URL and API Key
- Start managing your devops infrastructure from Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-compatible client
Who is this for?
- DevOps Engineers — quickly check container statuses and restart services without leaving the terminal or chat.
- Developers — deploy new testing environments or images directly from the code editor.
- System Administrators — manage multiple remote environments and endpoints through a unified AI interface.
Built-in capabilities (6)
Add a new environment (endpoint) to Portainer
Authenticate to receive a JWT token
Create a new Docker container
Initialize Portainer admin password
List Docker containers in an environment
Start a Docker container
Why Claude Code?
Claude Code registers Portainer as an MCP server in a single terminal command. Once connected, Claude Code discovers all 6 tools at runtime and can call them headlessly. ideal for CI/CD pipelines, cron jobs, and automated workflows where Portainer data drives decisions without human intervention.
- —
Single-command setup:
claude mcp addregisters the server instantly. no config files to edit or applications to restart - —
Terminal-native workflow means MCP tools integrate seamlessly into shell scripts, CI/CD pipelines, and automated DevOps tasks
- —
Claude Code runs headlessly, enabling unattended batch processing using Portainer tools in cron jobs or deployment scripts
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Built by the same team that created the MCP protocol, ensuring first-class compatibility and the fastest adoption of new protocol features
Portainer in Claude Code
Portainer and 4,000+ other MCP servers. One platform. One governance layer.
Teams that connect Portainer to Claude Code through Vinkius don't need to source, host, or maintain individual MCP servers. Every tool call runs inside a hardened runtime with credential isolation, DLP, and a signed audit chain.
Raw MCP | Vinkius | |
|---|---|---|
| Server catalog | Find and host yourself | 4,000+ managed |
| Infrastructure | Self-hosted | Sandboxed V8 isolates |
| Credential handling | Plaintext in config | Vault + runtime injection |
| Data loss prevention | None | Configurable DLP policies |
| Kill switch | None | Global instant shutdown |
| Financial circuit breakers | None | Per-server limits + alerts |
| Audit trail | None | Ed25519 signed logs |
| SIEM log streaming | None | Splunk, Datadog, Webhook |
| Honeytokens | None | Canary alerts on leak |
| Custom domains | Not applicable | DNS challenge verified |
| GDPR compliance | Manual effort | Automated purge + export |
Why teams choose Vinkius for Portainer in Claude Code
The Portainer 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. All 6 tools execute in hardened sandboxes optimized for native MCP execution.
Your AI agents in Claude Code only access the data you authorize, with DLP that blocks sensitive information from ever reaching the model, kill switch for instant shutdown, and up to 60% token savings. Enterprise-grade infrastructure, zero maintenance.

* 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
How Vinkius secures
Portainer for Claude Code
Every tool call from Claude Code to the Portainer MCP Server is protected by DLP redaction, cryptographic audit chains, V8 sandbox isolation, kill switch, and financial circuit breakers.
Frequently asked questions
How do I see all containers running in a specific environment?
Use the list_docker_containers tool by providing the specific endpoint_id. The agent will return a list of all containers managed within that Portainer environment.
Can I add a new remote Docker endpoint through the AI?
Yes! Use the add_endpoint action. You can specify the name, set the type to 2 (Remote), and provide the URL (e.g., tcp://10.0.0.1:2375) to connect a new environment.
Is it possible to deploy a container with specific port mappings?
Yes. When using create_docker_container, you can provide a config_json string containing standard Docker API parameters like ExposedPorts or HostConfig to define your network and port requirements.
How do I add an MCP server to Claude Code?
Run claude mcp add <name> --transport http "<url>" in your terminal. Claude Code registers the server and discovers all tools immediately.
Can Claude Code run MCP tools in headless mode?
Yes. Claude Code supports non-interactive execution, making it ideal for scripts, cron jobs, and CI/CD pipelines that need MCP tool access.
How do I list all connected MCP servers?
Run claude mcp in your terminal to see all registered servers and their status, or type /mcp inside an active Claude Code session.
Command not found: claude
Ensure Claude Code is installed globally: npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
Connection timeout
Check your internet connection and verify the Edge URL is reachable
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