Shipshape MCP server

Let your coding agent lint a Dockerfile or Kubernetes manifest before handing it over: root in the final stage, unpinned base images, curl | sh, secrets in ENV/ARG, Pod Security Standards, resources and probes.

The server is open source (MIT). It calls the Shipshape API, which is paid, with a free plan.

• You use your own key, from RapidAPI or api.market.
• Every tool call is one request on your plan.
• The free Basic plan has 15 requests a month, with a hard limit, so it never runs up a bill.

1. Get a key

2. Add the server to your MCP client

The server runs locally over stdio with uv. Put your key in its environment.

JSON configuration (Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code and most clients):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "shipshape": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["--from", "hybridforgelab-shipshape-mcp", "shipshape-mcp"],
      "env": { "RAPIDAPI_KEY": "your-rapidapi-key" }
    }
  }
}

Claude Code:

claude mcp add shipshape --env RAPIDAPI_KEY=your-rapidapi-key -- uvx --from hybridforgelab-shipshape-mcp shipshape-mcp

Environment

Without a key the server still starts. The first tool call then explains where to get one.

3. Tools

• With path, files named like Dockerfile, *.Dockerfile, Dockerfile.* or Containerfile are linted as Dockerfiles.
• passed is false when a finding is at or above fail_on.

Every tool returns the API's JSON response.

• When the marketplace reports it, quota_remaining is added: the requests left on your plan this month.
• Errors are explained in plain words, with what to do next:
  • key refused, with the link to subscribe;
  • quota reached, with the plans;
  • input the API couldn't process, with the API's reason.

Privacy

• Local files are read only when a tool is given their path. They are sent to the API for that one request.
• The API processes inputs in memory and doesn't store them. See the privacy policy.
• Your key is only sent to the marketplace you chose.

Limits

• Files up to 512 KiB.
• Helm templates must be rendered first (helm template).
• NetworkPolicies, PodDisruptionBudgets and RBAC are not checked.
• The server needs Python 3.10+ (uv installs it for you).

Development

uv venv && uv pip install -e ".[dev]"
.venv/bin/pytest            # unit tests, no network; 100% coverage required
.venv/bin/ruff check src tests scripts

scripts/e2e_stdio.py shipshape runs the server over stdio, as a client would, and calls its tools against the real API. It needs RAPIDAPI_KEY or API_MARKET_KEY.

Licence

MIT. Shipshape itself is a paid API with a free plan, run by Hybrid Forge Lab.