Source URL: https://www.docker.com/blog/mcp-server-best-practices/
Source: Docker
Title: 5 Best Practices for Building, Testing, and Packaging MCP Servers
Feedly Summary: We recently launched a new, reimagined Docker MCP Catalog with improved discovery and a new submission process. Containerized MCP servers offer a secure way to run and scale agentic applications and minimize risks tied to host access and secret management. Developers can submit servers in two ways: Docker-built servers, which include our full security suite…
AI Summary and Description: Yes
**Summary:** This text discusses the launch of a new Docker MCP Catalog designed to enhance the discovery and submission process for containerized server applications. It outlines best practices for developers to create secure and efficient MCP servers, focusing on aspects such as managing tool complexity, documentation for both users and agents, and packaging for portability. These insights are particularly pertinent for professionals in cloud and infrastructure security, as they emphasize secure and efficient deployment practices in containerized environments.
**Detailed Description:**
The blog post elaborates on several key best practices for developers working with the new Docker MCP Catalog and focuses on optimizing the creation, submission, and management of MCP servers:
– **Reimagined Docker MCP Catalog**: The new catalog aims to improve how developers discover and submit containerized applications, enhancing security and usability.
– **Driving Points on MCP Server Creation**:
– **1. Manage Your Agent’s Tool Budget:**
– Developers should aim to keep the MCP server’s toolset streamlined to avoid overwhelming users.
– Design around clear use cases rather than mapping every API endpoint.
– Using MCP server prompts can efficiently chain multiple API calls, simplifying user interactions.
– **2. The End User of the Tool is the Agent/LLM**:
– Recognizes the agent as the actual user of the tools, emphasizing the importance of tailored error handling that aids agent decision-making instead of delivering user-centric error messages.
– **3. Document for Humans and Agents**:
– Highlighting the need for documentation that caters to both end users (humans) and agents (LLMs).
– Documentation should outline the usefulness and functionality for users while providing detailed tool descriptions for agents.
– **4. Don’t Just Test Functionality, Test User Interactions**:
– Encourages developers to validate their MCP servers through user perspective testing, not just functionality, to ensure a good user experience.
– **5. Packaging Your MCP Servers with Containers**:
– Advocates packaging the MCP servers as Docker images for portability and dependency management ease.
– Discusses utilizing Docker features to optimize and improve server performance.
– **Conclusion and Call to Action**: The blog emphasizes the importance of adhering to these best practices for creating reliable and user-friendly MCP servers and encourages developers to submit their servers to the Docker community for broader exposure.
This analysis suggests significant implications for security and compliance professionals. By following the outlined best practices in developing and managing MCP servers, organizations can enhance the security posture and usability of their automated systems in an increasingly complex containerized environment.