Add useful error message when docker isn't running

[RachelScodes]

Describe the feature or problem you’d like to solve

The Githup MCP is calling docker to authenticate. If it fails, it doesn't give a reason why.

Proposed solution

Can we wrap the docker call to catch and show a descriptive error? This way the user can self serve: "Could not launch docker. Verify docker is installed and running and try again. See [link to documentation]"

Additional context

I'd be happy to contribute (if you're open to that)

[SamMorrowDrums]

Hi @RachelScodes I understand the frustration but I think this is not straightforward to fix because the whole thing is wrapped in docker for many users of STDIO server, which makes the version clear and means it can be trivially run on any platform.

Introducing a script into the run command that only runs on Linux/Mac for example would then break it for windows users.

For any users that can we instead recommend using our remote server, where they simply don't have to manage a local runtime.

An alternative is, download the binaries from one of our releases and then run the server without Docker at all.

[drr13917-cpu]

jsamsamdrdr_917917 در تاریخ دوشنبه ۲۳ فوریه ۲۰۲۶، ۱۱:۲۸ ق.ظ Sam Morrow < ***@***.***> نوشت:

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*SamMorrowDrums* left a comment (github/github-mcp-server#2055) <#2055 (comment)> Hi @RachelScodes <https://github.com/RachelScodes> I understand the frustration but I think this is not straightforward to fix because the whole thing is wrapped in docker for many users of STDIO server, which makes the version clear and means it can be trivially run on any platform. Introducing a script into the run command that only runs on Linux/Mac for example would then break it for windows users. For any users that can we instead recommend using our remote server, where they simply don't have to manage a local runtime. An alternative is, download the binaries from one of our releases and then run the server without Docker at all. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#2055 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/BVAHC3NRX4HZQBXVALADTBL4NKXJBAVCNFSM6AAAAACV3BGW6KVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZTSNBTGIYTCMZUHA> . You are receiving this because you are subscribed to this thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[RachelScodes]

@SamMorrowDrums

Introducing a script into the run command that only runs on Linux/Mac for example would then break it for windows users.

I guess I refuse to believe that a basic "oops we couldn't start docker" is impossible. The request to start docker is itself written in such a way (I hope) as to work in any environment, so catching if that command fails should also work.

This really seems like table stakes

[SamMorrowDrums]

You're more than welcome to propose something, but the docker command in the config doesn't just run the server, it pulls down the docker image, so there is no custom code running from our side as a server author until that occurs.

Perhaps the table stakes part you are referring could be solved by the host application, which could actually check the launch command in the MCP server configuration json and provide a better user error, that would also solve it for all Docker distributed MCP servers not just ours.

I'm still confused as to how you think we could achieve what you're suggesting, we are not in control of the parts we would need to be to do so as a server author, but I'm open minded if you can imagine how to implement something I can't.

I'll also reiterate, you can use the remote server or binaries from our releases and not need docker at all.