Remote Docker Desktop Extension

Manage remote Docker environments directly from Docker Desktop

Overview

🚀 Remote Docker is a powerful Docker Desktop extension that revolutionizes how you manage remote Docker environments. Connect securely to any Docker host through SSH tunnels and enjoy the familiar Docker Desktop experience, whether your containers are running locally or on remote servers across the globe.

Perfect for developers, DevOps engineers, and system administrators who need to manage multiple Docker environments from a single, unified interface.

Why Remote Docker?

• 🌐 Bridge the gap between local development and remote production environments
• 🔒 Enterprise-grade security with SSH key authentication
• ⚡ Real-time monitoring of remote Docker resources and performance
• 🎯 Zero configuration - works with any Docker host that supports SSH
• 📱 Seamless integration with Docker Desktop's native UI and workflows

✨ Key Features

Installation

From Docker Hub

bash
docker extension install telkombe/remote-docker:latest

Manual Installation

bash
# Clone the repository
git clone [***]
cd remote-docker

# Build and install locally
make build
docker extension install telkombe/remote-docker:latest

Quick Start

1. Install the extension from Docker Hub
2. Open the extension in Docker Desktop
3. Add a remote environment:
   • Click "Add Environment"
   • Enter a name for your environment
   • Provide the SSH connection details:
     • Hostname: Your remote Docker host (e.g., 192.168.1.25)
     • Username: SSH username (e.g., ubuntu)
     • Port: SSH port (default: 22)
4. Connect to start managing your remote Docker environment

Requirements

Local Machine

• Docker Desktop 4.8.0 or later
• SSH key pair for authentication

Remote Host

• Docker Engine installed and running
• SSH server with key-based authentication enabled
• User with Docker permissions (typically in the docker group)

SSH Key Setup

The extension uses SSH key authentication for secure connections. Your SSH keys are automatically mounted from your local .ssh directory.

Windows

powershell
# Keys are read from
C:\Users\<username>\.ssh\id_rsa
C:\Users\<username>\.ssh\id_rsa.pub

macOS/Linux

bash
# Keys are read from
~/.ssh/id_rsa
~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub

Setting up SSH Keys

1. Generate SSH keys (if you don't have them):

   bash
   ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096
   

2. Copy your public key to the remote host:

   bash
   ssh-copy-id username@remote-host
   

3. Test the connection:

   bash
   ssh username@remote-host docker version
   

Features in Detail

Dashboard

• System information and Docker version
• Resource utilization (CPU, Memory, Disk)
• Container statistics and distribution
• Recent Docker events
• Real-time metrics with auto-refresh

Container Management

• View all containers with status
• Start/stop containers
• View container logs with syntax highlighting
• Port mapping information
• Docker Compose project grouping

Image Management

• List all images with size information
• Remove unused images
• View image details and layers

Network Management

• List Docker networks
• View network configuration
• Delete unused networks

Volume Management

• List Docker volumes
• View volume details
• Remove unused volumes

MCP Toolkit Integration

The extension now supports running MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers on remote Docker hosts, enabling AI assistants to interact with remote systems securely.

🆕 MCP Catalog Browser (v1.0.15+)

• Browse Available Servers: Explore the MCP catalog with 8+ server types
• Search & Filter: Find servers by name, description, or category
• One-Click Install: Install any MCP server with a single click
• Auto-Configuration: Smart configuration based on server type
• Real-time Metrics: See download counts and ratings
• Categories: Browse by storage, docker, shell, kubernetes, database, git, monitoring, AI/LLM

Available MCP Server Types

• Filesystem Access: Read/write or read-only access to remote files
• Docker Management: Control containers, images, and networks via MCP
• Shell Access: Execute commands with configurable restrictions
• Kubernetes: Manage Kubernetes clusters and resources
• Database Access: Connect to PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB
• Git Repository: Work with Git repositories on remote hosts
• Monitoring: System metrics, logs, and alerts
• AI/LLM Integration: Connect to Claude, GPT, and local models

MCP Features

• Browse and install from the MCP catalog
• Pre-configured server templates for quick deployment
• One-click server creation and management
• Secure SSH tunneling for all MCP connections
• Real-time server status monitoring
• Automatic port assignment and management
• Container-based isolation for each MCP server
• Custom naming for installed servers

Configuration

Environment Settings

Each environment can be configured with:

• Name: Friendly name for the environment
• Hostname: IP address or domain name
• Port: SSH port (default: 22)
• Username: SSH username

Auto-refresh Settings

• Enable/disable auto-refresh per view
• Configurable refresh intervals (15s, 30s, 60s, 300s)
• Visual indicators for refresh status

Security

• SSH Key Authentication: Only SSH key authentication is supported (no passwords)
• Local Key Storage: SSH keys remain on your local machine
• Read-only Mounts: Keys are mounted read-only in the extension container
• No Keys in Images: Docker images do not contain any SSH keys
• Secure Tunneling: All Docker API communication goes through SSH tunnels

Architecture

Components

The extension consists of two main parts:

1. Backend (Go)

   • Handles SSH tunnel creation and management
   • Proxies Docker commands to remote hosts
   • Built with Echo framework

2. Frontend (React/TypeScript)

   • Provides a UI for remote Docker management
   • Features a responsive dashboard with real-time updates
   • Built with Material UI components and Recharts for data visualization

How It Works

1. The extension mounts your local ~/.ssh directory as read-only
2. When you connect to a remote environment, it creates an SSH tunnel
3. Docker commands are proxied through the tunnel to the remote Docker daemon
4. Results are displayed in the familiar Docker Desktop UI

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

"Permission denied" SSH Error

• Ensure your SSH key has proper permissions (600 on Unix-like systems)
• Verify the remote user is in the docker group
• Check SSH key is correctly added to remote host's authorized_keys

Blank Screen on Extension Load

• Check Docker Desktop console for errors (View → Developer Tools)
• Ensure Docker Desktop is up to date
• Try reinstalling the extension

Cannot Connect to Remote Host

• Verify SSH connection works: ssh username@hostname
• Check Docker is running on remote: ssh username@hostname docker ps
• Ensure no firewall is blocking SSH port

Debug Mode

Enable debug logging in the extension:

1. Open Docker Desktop Developer Tools
2. Check console for detailed error messages
3. Look for API response errors

Development

See docs/development.md for development setup and contribution guidelines.

Project Structure

remote-docker/
├── backend/          # Go backend service
├── ui/              # React frontend
├── docs/            # Documentation
├── scripts/         # Build and deployment scripts
├── assets/          # Icons and images
├── Dockerfile       # Extension container definition
├── metadata.json    # Extension metadata
└── docker-compose.yaml

Documentation

• User Guide - Detailed usage instructions
• API Reference - Backend API documentation
• MCP Integration - MCP toolkit architecture and implementation
• Development Guide - Setup and contribution guide
• Docker Hub Cleanup - Image management guide

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please read our Contributing Guide for details on our code of conduct and the process for submitting pull requests.

Acknowledgments

• Built with Docker Extension SDK
• UI powered by React and Material-UI
• Backend powered by Go and Echo
• Extension icon created using Midjourney

Support

• Issues: GitHub Issues
• Discussions: GitHub Discussions
• Docker Hub: telkombe/remote-docker
• Repository: anubissbe/remote-docker

☕ Support the Project

If you find this extension helpful and want to support its development, consider buying me a coffee! Your support helps maintain and improve the project.

Every contribution, no matter how small, is greatly appreciated and helps keep this project active and improving! 🙏

📄 License & Disclaimer

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

⚠️ Important Notice

Use Responsibly: This extension provides direct access to remote Docker environments. Always:

• Test on non-production environments first
• Review all actions before execution
• Maintain proper backup procedures
• Follow your organization's security policies

🎯 Project Genesis

This project was created as an exploration of:

• 🐳 Docker Desktop Extension SDK capabilities and architecture
• 🤖 LLM-assisted development workflows and best practices
• 🔧 Remote Docker management patterns and security considerations
• 🚀 Modern web technologies integration (React, TypeScript, Go)

Built with curiosity, enhanced by community contributions.

📸 Screenshots