Quick Start

🚀 Quick Start

MCP Gateway can be running on your laptop or server in < 5 minutes. Pick an install method below, generate an auth token, then walk through a real tool + server demo.

Installing and starting MCP Gateway

!!! tip "Choose a base URL" - Direct installs (uvx, pip, or docker run): http://localhost:4444 - Docker Compose (nginx proxy): http://localhost:8080 - Dev server (make dev): http://localhost:8000

=== "PyPI / uv"

!!! note
    **Prereqs**: Install uv (https://docs.astral.sh/uv/getting-started/installation/)

!!! info "Authentication"
    Basic auth is **disabled by default** for security. Use JWT tokens for API access.
    The Admin UI uses email/password authentication (`PLATFORM_ADMIN_EMAIL`/`PASSWORD`).

```bash
# Quick start with environment variables
JWT_SECRET_KEY=my-test-key \
MCPGATEWAY_UI_ENABLED=true \
MCPGATEWAY_ADMIN_API_ENABLED=true \
PLATFORM_ADMIN_EMAIL=admin@example.com \
PLATFORM_ADMIN_PASSWORD=changeme \
PLATFORM_ADMIN_FULL_NAME="Platform Administrator" \
uvx --from mcp-contextforge-gateway mcpgateway --host 0.0.0.0 --port 4444

# Or better: use the provided .env.example
curl -O https://raw.githubusercontent.com/IBM/mcp-context-forge/main/.env.example
cp .env.example .env
# Edit .env to customize your settings
uvx --from mcp-contextforge-gateway mcpgateway --host 0.0.0.0 --port 4444
```

=== "PyPI / virtual-env"

### Local install via PyPI

!!! note
    **Prereqs**: Python ≥ 3.11, plus `curl` & `jq` for the smoke test.

1. **Create an isolated environment and upgrade pip if required**

    ```bash
    mkdir mcpgateway && cd mcpgateway
    python3 -m venv .venv && source .venv/bin/activate
    python3 -m pip install --upgrade pip
    ```

2. **Install the gateway from pypi**

    ```bash
    pip install mcp-contextforge-gateway
    mcpgateway --version
    ```

3. **Configure and launch it**

    ```bash
    # Option 1: Download and use the provided .env.example
    curl -O https://raw.githubusercontent.com/IBM/mcp-context-forge/main/.env.example
    cp .env.example .env
    # Edit .env to customize your settings (especially passwords!)
    mcpgateway --host 0.0.0.0 --port 4444

    # Option 2: Set environment variables directly
    export JWT_SECRET_KEY=my-test-key
    export MCPGATEWAY_UI_ENABLED=true
    export MCPGATEWAY_ADMIN_API_ENABLED=true
    export PLATFORM_ADMIN_EMAIL=admin@example.com
    export PLATFORM_ADMIN_PASSWORD=changeme
    export PLATFORM_ADMIN_FULL_NAME="Platform Administrator"
    mcpgateway --host 0.0.0.0 --port 4444
    ```

    The terminal shows startup logs; keep it running.

4. **Generate a bearer token with an expiration time of 10080 minutes (1 week)**

    !!! warning "Development Only"
        CLI token generation is for development/testing. For production, use the `/tokens` API endpoint which enforces security controls.

    ```bash
    export MCPGATEWAY_BEARER_TOKEN=$(python3 -m mcpgateway.utils.create_jwt_token \
        --username admin@example.com --exp 10080 --secret my-test-key)
    ```

    !!! tip "Non-expiring tokens require `REQUIRE_TOKEN_EXPIRATION=false`"
        By default, tokens must have an expiration. To use `--exp 0` for non-expiring tokens (development only), set `REQUIRE_TOKEN_EXPIRATION=false`.

5. **Smoke-test health + version**

    ```bash
    curl -s http://localhost:4444/health | jq
    curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $MCPGATEWAY_BEARER_TOKEN" http://localhost:4444/version | jq
    ```

=== "Docker / Podman"

### Docker/Podman Container install

!!! note
    Substitute **`docker`** with **`podman`** if preferred.

1. **Run the image**

    ```bash
    docker run -d --name mcpgateway \
      -p 4444:4444 \
      -e HOST=0.0.0.0 \
      -e JWT_SECRET_KEY=my-test-key \
      -e PLATFORM_ADMIN_EMAIL=admin@example.com \
      -e PLATFORM_ADMIN_PASSWORD=changeme \
      -e PLATFORM_ADMIN_FULL_NAME="Platform Administrator" \
      ghcr.io/ibm/mcp-context-forge:1.0.0-BETA-2
    ```

2. **(Optional) persist the DB**

    === "SQLite (Default)"
        ```bash
        mkdir -p $(pwd)/data
        docker run -d --name mcpgateway \
          -p 4444:4444 \
          -v $(pwd)/data:/data \
          -e DATABASE_URL=sqlite:////data/mcp.db \
          -e JWT_SECRET_KEY=my-test-key \
          -e PLATFORM_ADMIN_EMAIL=admin@example.com \
          -e PLATFORM_ADMIN_PASSWORD=changeme \
          -e PLATFORM_ADMIN_FULL_NAME="Platform Administrator" \
          ghcr.io/ibm/mcp-context-forge:1.0.0-BETA-2
        ```

    === "MySQL"
        ```bash
        # Start MySQL container first
        docker run -d --name mysql-db \
          -e MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=mysecretpassword \
          -e MYSQL_DATABASE=mcp \
          -e MYSQL_USER=mysql \
          -e MYSQL_PASSWORD=changeme \
          -p 3306:3306 \
          mysql:8

        # Start MCP Gateway with MySQL connection
        docker run -d --name mcpgateway \
          -p 4444:4444 \
          --link mysql-db:mysql \
          -e DATABASE_URL=mysql+pymysql://mysql:changeme@mysql:3306/mcp \
          -e JWT_SECRET_KEY=my-test-key \
          -e PLATFORM_ADMIN_EMAIL=admin@example.com \
          -e PLATFORM_ADMIN_PASSWORD=changeme \
          -e PLATFORM_ADMIN_FULL_NAME="Platform Administrator" \
          ghcr.io/ibm/mcp-context-forge:1.0.0-BETA-2
        ```

    === "PostgreSQL"
        ```bash
        # Start PostgreSQL container first
        docker run -d --name postgres-db \
          -e POSTGRES_USER=postgres \
          -e POSTGRES_PASSWORD=mysecretpassword \
          -e POSTGRES_DB=mcp \
          -p 5432:5432 \
          postgres:17

        # Start MCP Gateway with PostgreSQL connection
        docker run -d --name mcpgateway \
          -p 4444:4444 \
          --link postgres-db:postgres \
          -e DATABASE_URL=postgresql+psycopg://postgres:mysecretpassword@postgres:5432/mcp \
          -e JWT_SECRET_KEY=my-test-key \
          -e PLATFORM_ADMIN_EMAIL=admin@example.com \
          -e PLATFORM_ADMIN_PASSWORD=changeme \
          -e PLATFORM_ADMIN_FULL_NAME="Platform Administrator" \
          ghcr.io/ibm/mcp-context-forge:1.0.0-BETA-2
        ```

3. **Generate a token inside the container**

    ```bash
    docker exec mcpgateway python3 -m mcpgateway.utils.create_jwt_token \
      --username admin@example.com --exp 10080 --secret my-test-key
    ```

4. **Smoke-test**

    ```bash
    export MCPGATEWAY_BEARER_TOKEN=<paste_from_previous_step>
    curl -s http://localhost:4444/health | jq
    curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $MCPGATEWAY_BEARER_TOKEN" http://localhost:4444/version | jq
    ```

=== "Docker Compose"

### Run the full stack with Compose

Typical Compose file includes **Gateway + Postgres + Redis and optional PgAdmin / Redis Commander**.
See the complete sample and advanced scenarios in [Deployment › Compose](../deployment/compose.md).

1. **Install Compose v2 (if needed)**

    ```bash
    # Ubuntu example
    sudo apt install docker-buildx docker-compose-v2
    # Tell the Makefile / docs which command to use
    export COMPOSE_CMD="docker compose"
    ```

2. **Pull the published image**

    ```bash
    docker pull ghcr.io/ibm/mcp-context-forge:1.0.0-BETA-2
    ```

3. **Start the stack**

    ```bash
    # Uses podman or docker automatically
    make compose-up
    # -or- raw CLI
    docker compose -f docker-compose.yml up -d
    ```

4. **Verify**

    ```bash
    # Nginx proxy listens on 8080 in docker-compose.yml
    curl -s http://localhost:8080/health | jq
    ```

!!! tip "Database Support"
    The sample Compose file includes multiple database options:

    - **PostgreSQL** (default): `postgresql+psycopg://postgres:password@postgres:5432/mcp`
    - **MariaDB**: `mysql+pymysql://mysql:changeme@mariadb:3306/mcp` - fully supported with 36+ tables
    - **MySQL**: `mysql+pymysql://admin:changeme@mysql:3306/mcp`

    MariaDB 10.6+ and MySQL 8.0+ are fully compatible with all VARCHAR length requirements resolved.

Registering MCP tools & creating a virtual server

# Set the gateway base URL
export BASE_URL="http://localhost:4444"
# If you're running docker-compose with nginx:
# export BASE_URL="http://localhost:8080"

# Spin up a sample MCP time server (SSE, port 8002)
pip install uv
python3 -m mcpgateway.translate \
  --stdio "uvx mcp_server_time -- --local-timezone=Europe/Dublin" \
  --expose-sse \
  --port 8002 &

# Register that server with your gateway
curl -s -X POST -H "Authorization: Bearer $MCPGATEWAY_BEARER_TOKEN" \
     -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
     -d '{"name":"local_time","url":"http://localhost:8002/sse"}' \
     $BASE_URL/gateways | jq

# Bundle the imported tool(s) into a virtual MCP server
curl -s -X POST -H "Authorization: Bearer $MCPGATEWAY_BEARER_TOKEN" \
     -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
     -d '{"name":"demo_server","description":"Time tools","associatedTools":["1"]}' \
     $BASE_URL/servers | jq

# Verify catalog entries
curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $MCPGATEWAY_BEARER_TOKEN" $BASE_URL/tools   | jq
curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $MCPGATEWAY_BEARER_TOKEN" $BASE_URL/servers | jq

# Optional: Connect interactively via MCP Inspector
npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/inspector
# Transport SSE → URL $BASE_URL/servers/UUID_OF_SERVER_1/sse
# Header Authorization → Bearer $MCPGATEWAY_BEARER_TOKEN

Connect via mcpgateway-wrapper (stdio)

export MCP_AUTH="Bearer ${MCPGATEWAY_BEARER_TOKEN}"
export MCP_SERVER_URL=$BASE_URL/servers/UUID_OF_SERVER_1/mcp
python3 -m mcpgateway.wrapper   # behaves as a local MCP stdio server - run from MCP client

Use this in GUI clients (Claude Desktop, Continue, etc.) that prefer stdio. Example:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mcpgateway-wrapper": {
      "command": "python3",
      "args": ["-m", "mcpgateway.wrapper"],
      "env": {
        // Use http://localhost:8080 if you're running docker-compose with nginx.
        "MCP_SERVER_URL": "http://localhost:4444/servers/UUID_OF_SERVER_1/mcp",
        "MCP_AUTH": "Bearer <YOUR_JWT_TOKEN>",
        "MCP_TOOL_CALL_TIMEOUT": "120"
      }
    }
  }
}

For more information see MCP Clients

4 - Useful URLs

Use the BASE_URL you set above (for example http://localhost:4444 or http://localhost:8080).

5 - Next Steps

• Features Overview - deep dive on transports, federation, caching
• Admin UI Guide
• Deployment to K8s / AWS / GCP / Azure
• Wrap any client via mcpgateway-wrapper
• Tweak .env - see example

!!! success "Gateway is ready!" You now have an authenticated MCP Gateway proxying a live tool, exposed via SSE and stdio. Jump into the Admin UI or start wiring it into your agents and clients!