MCP Server Docker vs Paper Lantern

In-depth architectural comparison of the MCP Server Docker and Paper Lantern MCP servers. Compare execution transports, security boundaries, tool capabilities, quality scores, and ready-to-paste client installation snippets for Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, and VS Code.

Which MCP Server Should You Choose?

Choose MCP Server Docker when:

• You need dedicated capabilities in the Developer Tools domain.
• You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
• Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).
• You have access to required keys: DOCKER_HOST.
• Primary tools included: Natural-language container composition prompt, Container lifecycle management, Image build, pull, push, and removal.

Explore MCP Server Docker Details

Choose Paper Lantern when:

• You need dedicated capabilities in the Developer Tools domain.
• You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
• Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).
• Primary tools included: explore_approaches, deep_dive, compare_approaches.

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	MCP Server Docker ckreiling Developer Tools	Paper Lantern Developer Tools
Summary	Integrate with Docker to manage containers, images, volumes, and networks.	Research intelligence for AI coding agents. 2M+ CS papers with evidence and tradeoffs.
Category & Scope	Developer Tools	Developer Tools

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

Ready-to-Paste Client Configurations

Paste either (or both) of these JSON server blocks into your client config file (e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json).

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ckreiling-mcp-server-docker": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "mcp-server-docker"
      ],
      "env": {
        "DOCKER_HOST": "YOUR_DOCKER_HOST_HERE"
      }
    }
  }
}

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "paper-lantern": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "paperlantern@latest"
      ]
    }
  }
}

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