Simple

You can run a lightweight MCP server that offers practical tools like time, date, math, timezone info, random numbers, and shell command execution. It’s self-contained, requires no external dependencies beyond Docker for easy deployment, and logs all activity for monitoring.

How to use

You connect to the MCP server from a compatible MCP client. Once connected, you can invoke tools by their name to request information or perform actions. This setup provides immediate access to time-related data, date formats, simple calculations, timezone details, and controlled command execution, all through an MCP-enabled chat or automation interface. The server uses a standard SSE endpoint for communication, so your client can subscribe to tool responses and receive structured results in real time.

How to install

Prerequisites you need before installation are Docker and Docker Compose installed on your system. You will run the server in a container and expose it on port 8000.

# 1. Ensure Docker is installed and running
# 2. Ensure Docker Compose is available

# 3. Start the server (builds image if needed and runs container)
docker compose up --build

# 4. Verify the server is running
docker compose ps

docker compose logs -f mcp-server

# 5. Health check (replace <remote-server-ip> with your server IP)
curl -H "X-API-Key: your-secure-api-key-here" http://<remote-server-ip>:8000/health

Configuration and security notes

The server requires an API key for all requests. Set the API key in your environment as MCP_API_KEY and include it in the X-API-Key header when making requests. This ensures only authorized clients can access the MCP endpoints. A health check endpoint is available to verify that the server is healthy after startup.

Common actions you’ll perform include starting the server, verifying health, and connecting with your MCP client. If you need to adjust firewall rules, ensure port 8000 is accessible from your network for external clients.

Troubleshooting and testing

If the server doesn’t connect from your MCP client, verify the container is running and listening on 0.0.0.0:8000. Check the logs for startup messages and errors. Use the health endpoint to confirm availability. If you see connection refusals, confirm firewall rules and the correct IP address are being used in the client configuration.

For quick validation, try the following health check and basic connectivity tests from a machine that can reach the server: curl -H "X-API-Key: your-secure-api-key-here" http://<remote-server-ip>:8000/health and curl http://<remote-server-ip>:8000/ to confirm the root endpoint responds.

Notes on logging and observability

All requests and responses are logged locally for monitoring. The log captures client information, request details, response data, and server processing metrics. Access the host-mounted log file (for example, in the logs directory) to review recent activity or diagnose issues.

Available tools

get_current_time

Get the current time in UTC and the local timezone.

get_current_date

Get the current date in various formats.

calculate

Perform basic mathematical calculations with common functions and constants.

get_timezone_info

Get information about a specific timezone.

generate_random_number

Generate random numbers within a specified range.

execute_command

Execute a shell command and return its output.