Docker MCP Server vs Substack MCP Server
A side-by-side look at the Docker MCP Server and Substack MCP Server MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
Verdict: choose Docker MCP Server for developer tools work as a local process; choose Substack MCP Server for developer tools as a local process. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
Which MCP server should you choose?
Choose Docker MCP Server when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Developer Tools domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- You want tools like
docker_container, docker_container_control, docker_compose.
Choose Substack MCP Server when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Developer Tools domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- You have the keys it needs:
SUBSTACK_PUBLICATION_URL, SUBSTACK_SESSION_TOKEN, SUBSTACK_USER_ID. - You want tools like
create_draft_post, set_post_body, upload_image.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Developer Tools | Developer Tools |
| Quality signal | 59/100 · Good | 67/100 · Great |
| Install command | Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | Local subprocess (stdio) |
| Auth | Not declared | Not declared |
| Pricing | Not declared | Not declared |
| Required env vars | None listed | SUBSTACK_PUBLICATION_URLSUBSTACK_SESSION_TOKENSUBSTACK_USER_ID |
| Verified owner | Community listing | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 0 | 87 |
| Directory activity | 2 views 0 installs 0 upvotes | 2 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | 10 | 27 |
| Full listing | View Docker MCP Server | View Substack MCP Server |
Tools & capabilities
Docker MCP Server tools 10
docker_containerLists the containers of a project with their state, health and published ports, or measures with stats what one service consumes right now. A project name no container carries is refused with the names that exist, so an empty list means the host itself runs nothing under compose. Moving a container between states is docker_container_control.docker_container_controlMoves one service between states — start, stop, restart — and reports where it stood before and where it stands now, with changed saying whether the call did anything at all. A stop that ran out of time comes back killed with its exit code, never as a clean stop. The whole stack at once is docker_compose_control.docker_composeReads what the project declares: config for the resolved compose file, env for the variables with the file each came from. Both read files rather than a running process — a variable here is what was written down, not what the container now holds. What is actually running is docker_container.docker_compose_controlBrings the stack up or takes it down, and reports the containers standing afterwards as read from the daemon, not as compose described them. A stack that half came up says so instead of passing for a success. Taking volumes down with it destroys their data and is refused without confirm.docker_execRuns a command inside a service container and brings back its exit code, with stdout and stderr apart. exit_code null means the command never ran and reason says why; an empty stdout means it ran and said nothing. What destroys data is refused until the command carries # CONFIRMED-DESTRUCTIVE. Reading logs, asking a database and taking dumps have tools of their own.docker_logsReads what a container printed, line by line: each line carries the stream that wrote it and its own time. An empty list means the window held nothing, not that the read failed, and lines dropped from the middle are counted rather than quietly lost. Narrow the window with since and until instead of raising the count.docker_dbquery runs a statement against a database container, status asks the database about itself — version, size, uptime. PostgreSQL, MySQL/MariaDB, Redis, MongoDB and SQLite are spoken to through the client the image carries. A database that refuses answers with its exit code, not with a failed call. A statement that destroys data needs # CONFIRMED-DESTRUCTIVE.docker_db_adminbackup takes a dump of a database container, restore fills the database from one. The answer names the file, its size and whether it was read back: a call that says done without naming a file of known size says nothing. Restore overwrites what is there and is refused without confirm — take a backup here first.docker_healthservices says whether the containers answer their healthchecks, server whether this process is well, profiles which Docker hosts it was given. The word healthy means something different in each branch, so every answer explains its own verdict. A service that declares no healthcheck is said to have none, not counted as sick.docker_resourceimages, volumes and networks list what a host holds; disk counts what they take, with unused bytes apart from the total. An empty list means asked and found nothing, which is not the same as never asked. What a running container consumes right now is docker_container with stats.
Substack MCP Server tools 27
create_draft_postcreate a draft post on your Substack account.set_post_bodyreplace the body of a draft with a Substack document. This is the only way to write structured content — headings, lists, links, code blocks, images, buttons and a paywall. Create the draft first with create_draft_post, then call this with its id. The result reports how many nodes of each type were stored, so a caller can confirm that what it asked for is there. An image must already be hosted by Substack: this cannot upload one.upload_imageHost an image on your Substack publication and get back a Substack URL — the one thing image2.src in set_post_body and cover_image in update_draft will actually render. The source is either an http(s) URL, which the server downloads and re-hosts, or `path`, an absolute path to a local file on the machine running this server, which is read straight from disk: use that for an image you generated or edited locally, with no need to publish it anywhere first. Private and loopback hosts are refused, HEIC is not accepted, max 10 MB.list_subscribersList and filter the subscribers of your Substack publication. Supports the same 48 columns and operators as the Subscribers dashboard, combined with AND, plus free-text search, sorting and pagination. Returns `count`, the total matching the filters regardless of `limit`, so a call with limit 1 is a cheap way to size a segment. Engagement columns (email opens, post views, comments, shares, activity rating) can be filtered on here but are not part of the records this tool returns — use export_subscribers to read their values.export_subscribersExport subscribers with their full column values, including the engagement metrics list_subscribers can filter on but not return: email opens over 7d/30d/6mo, unique emails seen, post views, unique posts seen, comments, shares, links clicked, days active and activity rating. Takes the same filters as list_subscribers and covers the whole matching set — there is no paging. Substack generates the file asynchronously, so this waits for it and returns the parsed records. One column cannot be exported and is reported in `missing_columns` rather than failing: tag_ids.list_postsList the posts of your Substack publication: drafts, published posts or scheduled posts. Supports free-text search, pagination and sort direction. Each post is returned as a summary; use get_draft for the full content of an unpublished one.get_draftRead one draft post of your Substack publication in full, including its body and its audience and email settings. Take the id from list_posts or create_draft_post.update_draftChange an existing draft's title, subtitle or any of its Post settings: audience, who may comment, comment order, cover image, social preview title and description, SEO title and description, and URL slug. The update is partial: only the fields you pass change, everything else — including the body — is left alone. A cover_image not already hosted by Substack is downloaded and re-hosted first. Take the id from list_posts or create_draft_post.publish_draftPublish a draft. The post goes live on the web; `send` additionally emails it to subscribers and defaults to false, because an email cannot be recalled. Publishing cannot be undone from this server — there is no unpublish tool.delete_draftDelete an unpublished draft. Refuses if the id belongs to a published post: Substack deletes both through the same endpoint, and removing a live post is irreversible, so that is left to the dashboard.get_publicationRead the settings and identity of your Substack publication: name, subdomain, custom domain, hero text, copyright, sender name, logo, plans and payment state. Returns a projection by default; pass full: true for all 111 fields.get_user_profileRead the account behind the session: id, handle, name, bio, and every publication you have a role on. This is how to discover which publications the session can reach, beyond the one SUBSTACK_PUBLICATION_URL points at.- +15 more on the listing page
Ready-to-paste client configs
Paste either block (or both) into your client config, e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json. We only show a config when the install command is confirmed.
Docker MCP Server
{
"mcpServers": {
"docker-mcp-server": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@hypnosis/docker-mcp-server"
]
}
}
}
Substack MCP Server
{
"mcpServers": {
"substack-mcp-server": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"substack-mcp@latest"
],
"env": {
"SUBSTACK_PUBLICATION_URL": "YOUR_SUBSTACK_PUBLICATION_URL_HERE",
"SUBSTACK_SESSION_TOKEN": "YOUR_SUBSTACK_SESSION_TOKEN_HERE",
"SUBSTACK_USER_ID": "YOUR_SUBSTACK_USER_ID_HERE"
}
}
}
}
Frequently asked questions
Docker MCP Server is categorized under Developer Tools and uses a local stdio subprocess. Substack MCP Server belongs to Developer Tools and uses a local stdio subprocess. Pick Docker MCP Server for developer tools work and Substack MCP Server for developer tools.
Copy the mcpServers block from the config section on this page into your client's config (for example claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json), then fully restart the client.
Docker MCP Server has no declared pricing — check the project's own site. Substack MCP Server has no declared pricing — check the project's own site. If a server needs environment variables such as API keys, define them under the env key in your client's MCP config.
Yes. MCP clients support multiple servers: add docker-mcp-server and substack-mcp-server as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, Docker MCP Server has a quality signal of 59/100 (Good) with 2 views, 0 installs and 0 GitHub stars. Substack MCP Server has 67/100 (Great) with 2 views, 0 installs and 87 GitHub stars.