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Showing content from https://docs.stacklok.com/toolhive/guides-ui/run-mcp-servers below:

Run MCP servers | Stacklok Docs

Run MCP servers

ToolHive makes it easy to run and manage Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers. This guide walks you through installing MCP servers from the registry, using Docker images, or from source packages.

Install from the registry

ToolHive includes a built-in registry of MCP servers that meet a minimum quality standard, allowing you to discover and deploy high-quality tools effortlessly. Simply select one from the list to run it securely with just a few clicks.

Select an MCP server

To install an MCP server from the registry:

  1. Open the Registry page from the menu bar.
  2. Browse or search for the MCP server you want to install.
  3. Click on the desired MCP server to open its details page. Here you can review more information about the server like its:
  4. Click the Install server button to start the installation process.
Configure the server

On the configuration form, enter the following details:

  1. Server name: A unique name for the MCP server.
    This defaults to the MCP server's name in the registry. If you want to run multiple instances of the same MCP server, give each instance a unique name.

  2. Command arguments (optional):
    Enter any command-line arguments needed to run the MCP server. These might be needed to pass application-specific parameters to the MCP server. Refer to the MCP server's documentation for details.

    info

    We've made every effort to include sensible defaults in the registry for a one-click experience, but some servers may require additional command-line arguments to function correctly.

  3. To give the MCP server access to the file system, use the Volume mount feature. [Optional]

  4. Secrets and environment variables expected by the server are populated from the registry automatically. Required values are marked with an asterisk (*).

    1. Secrets: Enter a value to create a new secret or select an existing secret to map to the environment variable. Secrets are stored securely and can be used by the MCP server without exposing them in plaintext.
    2. Environment variables: Enter the value in the input field alongside the variable name. These are typically used for configuration options that do not require sensitive data.

note

Refer to the MCP server's documentation for the required configuration information, required permissions, and authentication details. A link to the GitHub repository is provided on each server's details page.

Network isolation

You can optionally enable network isolation for the MCP server. This allows you to control the MCP server's network access, restricting it to only the necessary resources and preventing it from accessing the internet or other external networks.

See the Network isolation guide for details on how to configure network isolation for MCP servers in ToolHive.

Start the MCP server

Click Install server to install and start the MCP server. ToolHive downloads the Docker image, creates a container, and starts it with the specified configuration.

Once the server is running, you can see its status on the MCP Servers page. Each server's card includes:

See Manage MCP servers below for more details on server states.

Install a custom MCP server

You're not limited to the MCP servers in the registry. You can also run your own custom MCP servers using Docker images or source packages.

On the MCP Servers page, click Add server, then choose Custom MCP server in the drop-down menu. Or if this is your first MCP server, click Add custom server on the introductory screen.

In the Custom MCP server dialog, choose Docker image or Package manager.

From a Docker image

Select the Docker image option. This allows you to run any MCP server that is available as a Docker image in a remote registry or locally on your system.

On the configuration form, enter:

  1. A unique name for the MCP server. [Required]

  2. The transport protocol that the MCP server uses. [Required]
    ToolHive supports standard input/output (stdio), server-sent events (SSE), and Streamable HTTP. The protocol must match what the MCP server supports.

  3. The target port to expose from the container (SSE or Streamable HTTP transports only). [Optional]
    If the MCP server uses a specific port, enter it here. If not specified, ToolHive will use a random port that is exposed to the container with the MCP_PORT and FASTMCP_PORT environment variables.

  4. The Docker image name and tag (e.g., my-mcp-server:latest). [Required]
    You can use any valid Docker image, including those hosted on Docker Hub or other registries.

  5. Command-line arguments needed to run the MCP server. [Optional]
    These are specific to the MCP server and might include transport options or application-specific parameters. Refer to the MCP server's documentation for details.

  6. To give the MCP server access to the file system, use the Volume mount feature. [Optional]

  7. Any secrets or environment variables required by the MCP server. [Optional]
    These might include API tokens, configuration options, or other sensitive data.

Click Install server to create and start the MCP server container.

From a source package

Select the Package manager option. This allows you to run an MCP server from a source package.

ToolHive downloads the MCP server's source package and builds a Docker image on-the-fly. The following package formats are supported:

On the configuration form, enter:

  1. A unique name for the MCP server. [Required]

  2. The transport protocol that the MCP server uses. [Required]
    ToolHive supports standard input/output (stdio), server-sent events (SSE), and Streamable HTTP. The protocol must match what the MCP server supports.

  3. The target port to expose from the container (SSE or Streamable HTTP transports only). [Optional]
    If the MCP server uses a specific port, enter it here. If not specified, ToolHive will use a random port that is exposed to the container with the MCP_PORT and FASTMCP_PORT environment variables.

  4. The package protocol (npx, uvx, or go). [Required]

  5. The name of the package to run. [Required]

    1. For npx, use the npm package name and version, e.g. my-mcp-package@latest
    2. For uvx, use the PyPI package name and version, e.g. my-mcp-package@latest
    3. For go, use the GitHub repository URL with full path to the main package and version, e.g. go://github.com/orgname/my-mcp-server/cmd/server@latest
  6. Command-line arguments needed to run the MCP server. [Optional]
    These are specific to the MCP server and might include transport options or application-specific parameters. Refer to the MCP server's documentation for details.

  7. To give the MCP server access to the file system, use the Volume mount feature. [Optional]

  8. Any secrets or environment variables required by the MCP server. [Optional]
    These might include API tokens, configuration options, or other sensitive data.

Click Install server to create and start the MCP server container.

Mount host files and folders (Volumes)

Some MCP servers need access to files on your machine. You can mount host paths directly in the UI.

  1. In the server Install / Configure dialog, scroll to Storage volumes.
  2. Use the first row to create your mount:
  3. If you need additional mounts, click Add a volume and repeat.
  4. Click Install server to start the server with your volume(s).

This applies to both registry-installed servers and custom servers (Docker image or source package).

Manage MCP servers

On the MCP Servers page, you can manage your installed MCP servers:

When you quit the application, ToolHive prompts you to stop all running MCP servers. The running servers are recorded and ToolHive restarts them automatically the next time you launch the application.

Next steps

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