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docker_restart

Restarts a Docker container by name, bringing it down and back up; check logs first if the cause is unknown, since success confirms the command, not that the app is serving.

Instructions

Restart a Docker container by name. It goes down and comes back, and the result says the restart command succeeded, not that the app inside is serving again. Read the logs first if you do not know why it needs restarting

Tool call template

Replace each placeholder with a value matching the input schema. Only required parameters are included; add optional parameters as needed.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {
      "name": "<name>"
    },
    "name": "docker_restart"
  }
}

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`name`	Yes	Container name to restart
`server`	No	Remote server name from config (optional, runs locally if omitted)

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

First observedv0.10.2Mar 24, 2026

TDQS

A3.9/5.0

Behavior5/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

It discloses behavior annotations cannot express: the container goes down and comes back, and the success result reflects the command, not that the application inside is serving. That is exactly the caveat an agent needs to avoid over-reporting success. No contradiction with readOnlyHint=false/destructiveHint=false.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Three tight clauses with the purpose front-loaded, followed by the return-value caveat and then the prerequisite hint. The middle clause is somewhat wordy ('the result says the restart command succeeded, not that...') but that verbosity carries real information.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

With no output schema, the description correctly spends its words on what the result does and does not mean, and annotations already cover the mutation profile. The only omission is the optional 'server' parameter's effect on execution locality, which the schema handles.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 100%, so both the required 'name' and the optional 'server' are already documented in structured form. The description only reinforces the name-based targeting and says nothing about the remote-server option, so baseline 3 applies.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States a specific verb and resource — 'Restart a Docker container by name' — which is unambiguous against siblings such as docker_stop and docker_inspect. It does not explicitly name how it differs from docker_stop's stop/start cycle, keeping it just short of a 5.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines3/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

'Read the logs first if you do not know why it needs restarting' gives a prerequisite workflow hint pointing toward diagnostic siblings. However, it never states when to restart versus docker_stop or proxmox_guest_reboot, so the primary selection guidance is only implied.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.