Docker Compose adds AI agents and models to one file

Docker changed Docker Compose this week. The tool operates apps that have many containers (parts of software) in one YAML file. A new element, models, lets teams give large language models in that file. Docker gave no test results. Teams deploy the agents to cloud services with the same docker compose up command as other apps. Docker has no deal with AWS at this time.

How it works

Teams connect the models to tools through Model Context Protocol (MCP), a standard that connects agents to software. They can use agents from many frameworks in one file. Then they deploy to cloud services with docker compose up.

The numbers

Docker gave no numbers. Torsten Volk, an analyst at Enterprise Strategy Group, says one file lets a team release code and models together. Docker also made its MCP Gateway open source. It adds a security check between agents and tools.

What is not known

Docker is in talks with AWS and has no deal. Larry Carvalho, a consultant, says no enterprise will use it without support. Docker says Azure Container Apps will come next. A Google Cloud Run command works.

Insight: Docker needs AWS, and AWS has its own agent sandbox

On 16 October 2026, AWS released Strands Box, a sandbox that sets which tasks an agent can do. Docker has a security check for agents, and it wants AWS to back Compose. This reads as a contest for the control point of agents, and AWS holds the gate that Docker must have. Look for an AWS step on Compose.