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Side-by-side MCP evidence comparison
Evidence fieldDocker MCP GatewayMCP100 RecommendedContext7 MCPMCP100 Recommended
Task fit
Best for
  • Running multiple MCP servers behind one stdio connection
  • Isolating catalog MCP servers in containers with restricted privileges and resources
  • Centralizing server profiles, secrets, OAuth, logs, and call traces
  • Current library and API documentation inside coding agents
  • Read-only technical lookup with a small two-tool surface
  • Users who want remote or local npx connection options
Not ideal for
  • Users who need only one simple remote MCP endpoint
  • Hosts where Docker Desktop or Docker Engine cannot run
  • Private internal documentation not indexed by Context7
  • Guaranteed authoritative answers without checking the cited upstream docs
  • Offline-only development
Avoid when
  • You cannot review every downstream MCP server and profile permission
  • The agent must not be able to discover or add tools dynamically
  • Container isolation is being treated as protection from an over-privileged downstream credential
  • Your policy prohibits sending formulated documentation queries to a hosted service
  • You require complete or guaranteed-correct community-contributed documentation
  • You cannot keep an API key out of shared configuration
Provenance
Provenance details

First-party MCP

Docker · Publisher source ↗

First-party MCP

Upstash · Publisher source ↗

Maintenance
Maintenance details

Repo: Sep 23, 2026

Package: Not documented

Repo: Sep 24, 2026

Package: Sep 21, 2026

Popularity evidence
GitHub stars

1,581

GitHub stars · checked 2026-09-24T04:14:26.324000Z

62,372

GitHub stars · checked 2026-09-24T04:14:16.247000Z

Package downloads / 30 daysNo reliable download data

3,451,044

package downloads / 30 days · checked 2026-09-24T04:17:39.154000Z

External adoption evidenceNot documented
  • npm: package downloads: 3,916,841Exact attributable signal.npm: package downloads · Rolling 30 days · checked 2026-08-14T18:46:26.000ZEvidence source ↗
Client coverage
Client coverage details
Claude Code✓ Local stdio
Claude Desktop✓ Local stdio
Codex✓ Local stdio
VS Code✓ Local stdio
Cursor✓ Local stdio
OpenCode✓ Local stdio
Claude Code✓ Streamable HTTP
Claude Desktop✓ Streamable HTTP
Codex✓ Streamable HTTP
VS Code✓ Streamable HTTP
Cursor✓ Streamable HTTP
OpenCode✓ Streamable HTTP
Client coverage noteLocal stdio runs on your computer. Streamable HTTP connects to a remotely hosted MCP server.
Access and data
AuthenticationThe gateway handles downstream server credentials and OAuth flows. The client connects locally over stdio by running `docker mcp gateway run`, optionally with a named profile.Remote MCP accepts CONTEXT7_API_KEY as an HTTP header. The local package accepts --api-key. The CLI can use OAuth to generate an API key; unauthenticated documentation commands may have lower limits.
CostThe open-source gateway documents no standalone usage fee. Docker Desktop licensing, Docker AI Governance invite-only features, container infrastructure, downstream MCP services, and AI-client charges may apply.A free API key and free usage are documented, with higher-rate or team/enterprise offerings potentially requiring a paid plan. Applicable limits should be checked in the current Context7 dashboard.
PermissionsThe gateway exposes the servers and tools included in the selected profile. It starts catalog servers in containers with restricted privileges, network access, and resource usage, injects configured secrets, and can support OAuth. Dynamic MCP can additionally expose tools that discover, add, configure, remove, and execute servers during a session.The MCP surface resolves library identifiers and queries documentation. It does not require repository or filesystem write access for the documented hosted mode.
Data handlingTool requests and results pass through the local gateway to downstream MCP containers or remote services. Docker documents built-in logging and call tracing. Credentials are managed and injected by the gateway; downstream servers can still receive data and reach networks allowed by their configuration.Context7 states that formulated queries are sent to its API while full prompts, source code, and conversation history are not transmitted; its tool descriptions instruct clients to remove secrets, personal data, and proprietary code.
Limitations
Tradeoffs
  • Gateway isolation improves lifecycle and credential management but adds Docker runtime complexity and local resource use.
  • The MCP Toolkit is documented as Beta, and Dynamic MCP is experimental.
  • The gateway reduces direct host privileges, but network access and injected credentials still let downstream servers affect external systems.
  • An API key is recommended for higher limits, adding account and secret management.
  • Context7 says it sends formulated queries rather than full prompts or source code, but queries still leave the client.
  • Community-contributed projects can be incomplete or inaccurate and should be checked against primary documentation.
Risk contextGateway safety is only as strong as the selected profile, catalog provenance, tool filters, network policy, and downstream credentials. Disable experimental Dynamic MCP unless required, use narrow profiles, verify signatures where available, inspect traces, and treat each downstream server as a separate trust decision. This review does not claim MCP100 execution testing.Primary risks are query disclosure, stale or inaccurate indexed documentation, and accidental API-key exposure. Keep queries free of proprietary details and verify consequential advice against first-party library documentation.
Evidence date
Editorial review2026-07-242026-07-24
Candidate evidence2026-09-24T04:25:05.554391Z2026-09-24T04:25:05.554391Z

Popularity, maintenance, fit, permissions, and client support are independent evidence fields.

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