# Docker Setup
This document explains how to build and run the Perplexity MCP Server using Docker.
## Prerequisites
- Docker installed on your system
- A Perplexity API key from the [API Portal](https://www.perplexity.ai/account/api/group)
## Building the Docker Image
Build the Docker image from the project root:
```bash
docker build -t perplexity-mcp-server .
```
## Running the Container
### HTTP Mode (Default)
The Docker container runs in HTTP mode by default, making it accessible via HTTP requests:
```bash
docker run --rm -p 8080:8080 -e PERPLEXITY_API_KEY=your_key_here perplexity-mcp-server
```
The server will be accessible at `http://localhost:8080/mcp`
### With Custom Timeout
Set a custom timeout for requests (default is 5 minutes):
```bash
docker run --rm -p 8080:8080 \
-e PERPLEXITY_API_KEY=your_key_here \
-e PERPLEXITY_TIMEOUT_MS=600000 \
perplexity-mcp-server
```
### With Proxy Support
If you're behind a corporate proxy, configure it:
```bash
docker run --rm -p 8080:8080 \
-e PERPLEXITY_API_KEY=your_key_here \
-e PERPLEXITY_PROXY=https://your-proxy-host:8080 \
perplexity-mcp-server
```
Or with authentication:
```bash
docker run --rm -p 8080:8080 \
-e PERPLEXITY_API_KEY=your_key_here \
-e PERPLEXITY_PROXY=https://username:password@your-proxy-host:8080 \
perplexity-mcp-server
```
### Using Environment File
Create a `.env` file:
```bash
PERPLEXITY_API_KEY=your_key_here
PERPLEXITY_TIMEOUT_MS=600000
PERPLEXITY_PROXY=https://your-proxy-host:8080
PORT=8080
```
Then run:
```bash
docker run --rm -p 8080:8080 --env-file .env perplexity-mcp-server
```
## Integration with MCP Clients
When using the HTTP Docker server, configure your MCP client to connect to the HTTP endpoint:
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"perplexity": {
"url": "http://localhost:8080/mcp"
}
}
}
```
## STDIO Mode (Local Development)
For local development with STDIO transport, you can still run the server locally without Docker:
```bash
npm install
npm run build
PERPLEXITY_API_KEY=your_key_here npm start
```
> **Note**: The Docker image is optimized for HTTP mode deployment. For local STDIO usage, the `npx` method documented in the main README is recommended.
