Cannot connect to the Docker daemon

[PickHub]

Describe the bug

When I click "Start server" for MCP, I get [warning] [server stderr] docker: Cannot connect to the Docker daemon at unix:///var/run/docker.sock..

Affected version

Please run docker run -i --rm ghcr.io/github/github-mcp-server ./github-mcp-server --version and paste the output below

$ docker run -i --rm ghcr.io/github/github-mcp-server ./github-mcp-server --version
bash: $: command not found
mage 'ghcr.io/github/github-mcp-server:latest' locally
latest: Pulling from github/github-mcp-server@PickHub ➜ /workspaces/cse-copilot $ Unable to find image 'ghcr.io/github/github-mcp-server:latest' locally

3d78e577de35: Pull complete 
bfb59b82a9b6: Pull cbash: Unable: command not found
omplete 
4eff9a62d888: Pull complete 
a62778643d56: Pull complete 
7c12895b777b: Pull complete 
3214@PickHub ➜ /workspaces/cse-copilot $ latest: Pulling from github/github-mcp-server
bash: latest:: command not found
acf345c0: Pull complete 
5664b15f108b: Pull complete 
0bab15eea81d: Pull complete 
4aa0ea1413d3: Pul@PickHub ➜ /workspaces/cse-copilot $ 3d78e577de35: Pull complete 
bash: 3d78e577de35:: command not found
l complete 
da7816fa955e: Pull complete 
9aee425378d2: Pull complete 
d00c3209d929: Pull complete 
2@PickHub ➜ /workspaces/cse-copilot $ bfb59b82a9b6: Pull complete 
bash: bfb59b82a9b6:: command not found
21438ca359c: Pull complete 
e76e88e5b481: Pull complete 
4d3ee8eeb83f: Pull complete 
Digest: sha256@PickHub ➜ /workspaces/cse-copilot $ 4eff9a62d888: Pull complete 
:faa1dfed068fb1d9c866a5ce4909947a5f2a5a72130815fbabash: 4eff9a62d888:: command not found
56c32bb441ca83f
Status: Downloaded newer image for ghcr.io/github/github-mcp-server:latest
server ve@PickHub ➜ /workspaces/cse-copilot $ a62778643d56: Pull complete 
bash: a62778643d56:: command not found
rsion v0.1.1 (7ab5d968e065f13a660cd123c2c5d0be6d8b6dbd) 2025-04-07T16:05:10Z@PickHub ➜ /workspaces/cse-copilot $ 7c12895b777b: Pull complete 
bash: 7c12895b777b:: command not found
@PickHub ➜ /workspaces/cse-copilot $ 3214acf345c0: Pull complete 
bash: 3214acf345c0:: command not found
@PickHub ➜ /workspaces/cse-copilot $ 5664b15f108b: Pull complete 
bash: 5664b15f108b:: command not found
@PickHub ➜ /workspaces/cse-copilot $ 0bab15eea81d: Pull complete 
bash: 0bab15eea81d:: command not found
@PickHub ➜ /workspaces/cse-copilot $ 4aa0ea1413d3: Pull complete 
bash: 4aa0ea1413d3:: command not found
@PickHub ➜ /workspaces/cse-copilot $ da7816fa955e: Pull complete 
bash: da7816fa955e:: command not found
@PickHub ➜ /workspaces/cse-copilot $ 9aee425378d2: Pull complete 
bash: 9aee425378d2:: command not found
@PickHub ➜ /workspaces/cse-copilot $ d00c3209d929: Pull complete 
bash: d00c3209d929:: command not found
@PickHub ➜ /workspaces/cse-copilot $ 221438ca359c: Pull complete 
bash: 221438ca359c:: command not found
@PickHub ➜ /workspaces/cse-copilot $ e76e88e5b481: Pull complete 
bash: e76e88e5b481:: command not found
@PickHub ➜ /workspaces/cse-copilot $ 4d3ee8eeb83f: Pull complete 
bash: 4d3ee8eeb83f:: command not found
@PickHub ➜ /workspaces/cse-copilot $ Digest: sha256:faa1dfed068fb1d9c866a5ce4909947a5f2a5a72130815fba56c32bb441ca83f
bash: Digest:: command not found
@PickHub ➜ /workspaces/cse-copilot $ Status: Downloaded newer image for ghcr.io/github/github-mcp-server:latest
bash: Status:: command not found
@PickHub ➜ /workspaces/cse-copilot $ server version v0.1.1 (7ab5d968e065f13a660cd123c2c5d0be6d8b6dbd) 2025-04-07T16:05:10Z
bash: syntax error near unexpected token `('
@PickHub ➜ /workspaces/cse-copilot $ ^C
@PickHub ➜ /workspaces/cse-copilot $ docker run -i --rm ghcr.io/github/github-mcp-server ./github-mcp-server --version
server version v0.1.1 (7ab5d968e065f13a660cd123c2c5d0be6d8b6dbd) 2025-04-07T16:05:10Z

Steps to reproduce the behavior

1. Click on the red icon:

2. Select "Start server"

Expected vs actual behavior

I'd expect the server to start.

Logs

When I run the docker command myself I get the following:

$ docker run -i --rm -e GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN ghcr.io/github/github-mcp-server
Unable to find image 'ghcr.io/github/github-mcp-server:latest' locally
latest: Pulling from github/github-mcp-server
3d78e577de35: Pull complete 
bfb59b82a9b6: Pull complete 
4eff9a62d888: Pull complete 
a62778643d56: Pull complete 
7c12895b777b: Pull complete 
3214acf345c0: Pull complete 
5664b15f108b: Pull complete 
0bab15eea81d: Pull complete 
4aa0ea1413d3: Pull complete 
da7816fa955e: Pull complete 
9aee425378d2: Pull complete 
d00c3209d929: Pull complete 
221438ca359c: Pull complete 
e76e88e5b481: Pull complete 
4d3ee8eeb83f: Pull complete 
Digest: sha256:faa1dfed068fb1d9c866a5ce4909947a5f2a5a72130815fba56c32bb441ca83f
Status: Downloaded newer image for ghcr.io/github/github-mcp-server:latest
GitHub MCP Server running on stdio
^Ctime="2025-04-11T22:38:41Z" level=info msg="shutting down server..."
time="2025-04-11T22:38:41Z" level=info msg="stdioserverError reading input: context canceled"

vscode settings.json

"mcp": {
  "servers": {
    "github": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "-i",
        "--rm",
        "-e",
        "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN",
        "ghcr.io/github/github-mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "<redacted>"
      }
    }
  }
}

[SamMorrowDrums]

Hi, a few questions to debug further.

What platform are you on? If Mac or windows is docker desktop running?

And also if windows are you running the docker commands in WSL? Because VSCode might not be.

Let me know, and hope some of the above helps.

[Ronodeep]

I have also faced this issue. Here is what worked for me on macOS:

1. Run docker info in the terminal. If it returns "ERROR: Cannot connect to the Docker daemon at unix:///Users/ronodeep/.docker/run/docker.sock. Is the docker daemon running?", it means Docker is not running or accessible.
2. On macOS, I installed Docker Desktop using Homebrew: brew install --cask docker.
3. Start Docker Desktop from the Applications folder or using Spotlight. Wait for Docker to finish starting up (the Docker icon should stop animating in the menu bar).
4. Once Docker is running, try restarting the MCP server from your mcp.json or settings.json.

After following these steps, the MCP server was able to connect to Docker successfully.

Hope this helps others facing the same problem!

[PickHub]

$ docker info
Client:
 Version:    28.0.4-1
 Context:    default
 Debug Mode: false
 Plugins:
  buildx: Docker Buildx (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.22.0
    Path:     /usr/libexec/docker/cli-plugins/docker-buildx
  compose: Docker Compose (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v2.34.0
    Path:     /usr/libexec/docker/cli-plugins/docker-compose

Still getting

2025-04-23 12:58:51.381 [warning] [server stderr] docker: Cannot connect to the Docker daemon at unix:///var/run/docker.sock. Is the docker daemon running?.
2025-04-23 12:58:51.381 [warning] [server stderr] See 'docker run --help'.

[PickHub]

What platform are you on? If Mac or windows is docker desktop running?

@SamMorrowDrums I'm using the latest vscode with Codespaces. The vscode is running on a MacBook.

[SamMorrowDrums]

@PickHub if you're using codespaces, next question is where is the MCP config? If it's in your general settings it's running on your local machine, but if it's in .vscode/mcp.jon, it's running in the Codespace.

Depending on the answer to the above either your local machine doesn't have Docker running correctly or it is the Codespace.

If you are running Docker commands in your Codespace terminal but VScode is trying to run the MCP server on your local machine, that could easily be the issue, and getting Docker engine (or Docker desktop) installed and running on your local machine would fix it.

[PickHub]

@SamMorrowDrums Got it, it was looking for the docker on my local machine, whereas I assumed it would run in Codespace's docker. That's with having the config in both the settings.json and the vscode/mcp.json.

Thanks for the help!