compose-up
Starts Docker Compose services and returns structured status.
This record as markdown: /tools/io-github-dave-london-docker/compose-up.md
What compose-up does on Docker
AI agents invoke compose-up to trigger actions in Docker. What it does depends on the arguments the agent supplies, and its effects often reach beyond the immediate call: builds kicked off, notifications sent, workflows started.
Why compose-up is rated High
Starting Docker Compose services is an Execute-category action: it spins up containers, networks, and volumes in the Docker environment. The blast radius is high because an AI agent could start unintended services, expose ports, mount volumes, or consume significant system resources. It is not Destructive by default (services can be stopped), but it does trigger real external operations.
From the tool's definition 'Starts Docker Compose services' — this triggers external operations (launching containers/services) whose effects depend on the compose configuration arguments.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs compose-up safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Docker, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For compose-up, this is the rule to start with:
compose-up stays usable, but rate-capped: a runaway agent can't fire it dozens of times a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Docker, apply this rule, and every compose-up call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about compose-up
Starts Docker Compose services and returns structured status. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Docker MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.
Register the Docker MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for compose-up: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches Docker. Nothing to install.
compose-up is a Execute tool with high risk. Execute tools should be rate-limited and have argument validation enabled.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the compose-up rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for compose-up. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.
compose-up is provided by the Docker MCP server (@paretools/docker). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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