Defang MCP Server: From Docker Compose to Production in Minutes

Skip the cloud deployment headaches. Defang's MCP server takes your existing Docker Compose setup and handles all the infrastructure complexity—security groups, load balancers, container registries, auto-scaling—so you can deploy production-ready apps without becoming a DevOps expert.

The Docker Compose Deployment Problem

You've got a perfectly working Docker Compose file. Local development is smooth, but now you need to deploy to production. Suddenly you're wrestling with:

• Converting compose services to cloud-native infrastructure
• Setting up container registries and image builds
• Configuring security groups, load balancers, and networking
• Writing Terraform or CloudFormation templates
• Managing secrets and environment variables securely

Most developers either spend weeks learning infrastructure-as-code or compromise on production readiness. Defang eliminates this choice.

What Defang Actually Does

Defang acts as an intelligent bridge between your Docker Compose file and production infrastructure. Point it at your docker-compose.yml, and it:

• Analyzes your services and generates appropriate cloud infrastructure patterns
• Builds and pushes your containers to the target cloud registry
• Provisions secure networking with proper firewalls and load balancing
• Handles secrets management and environment variable injection
• Sets up monitoring and logging for your deployed services

The generated infrastructure follows cloud best practices—private subnets, security groups, auto-scaling groups, and proper IAM roles—without you having to learn any of it.

Real-World Use Cases

Rapid Prototyping to Production

# You have a working compose file
defang init --provider aws
defang deploy
# Your app is now running on AWS with production-grade infrastructure

Multi-Environment Deployments Deploy the same compose file to staging and production with different configurations:

defang deploy --env staging
defang deploy --env prod

IDE Integration for Seamless Workflow With the MCP server running in VS Code, Cursor, or Windsurf, you can deploy directly from your editor. No context switching between terminal and IDE—just ask your AI assistant to deploy your changes.

Multi-Cloud Strategy Test your app across different cloud providers without rewriting infrastructure:

defang init --provider aws     # Deploy to AWS
defang init --provider gcp     # Same app, now on Google Cloud
defang init --provider do      # Or DigitalOcean

Integration with Your Workflow

MCP Server Mode When running as an MCP server, Defang integrates directly with AI-powered editors. You can:

• Ask Claude to deploy your latest changes
• Get cost estimates for your infrastructure
• Debug deployment issues through natural language
• Scale services up or down with a simple prompt

CLI Integration The CLI works alongside your existing development workflow:

• defang generate uses AI to scaffold new services
• defang preview shows you exactly what infrastructure will be created
• defang status gives you real-time deployment information
• defang destroy cleans up everything when you're done

Getting Started

1. Install Defang

   brew install DefangLabs/defang/defang
   

2. Initialize your project

   cd your-docker-compose-project
   defang init --provider aws
   

3. Deploy

   defang deploy
   

Your Docker Compose services are now running in production with enterprise-grade infrastructure.

Why This Matters

Every developer knows Docker Compose, but most don't want to become infrastructure specialists. Defang keeps you in your comfort zone while ensuring your deployments are secure, scalable, and maintainable. You write applications, not YAML manifests.

The MCP server integration means you can stay in your editor and deploy through natural language commands. No more switching between documentation, CLI tools, and cloud consoles—just describe what you want to deploy, and it happens.

Whether you're building a side project that needs to scale or migrating legacy applications to the cloud, Defang handles the infrastructure complexity so you can focus on building features your users actually care about.