Docker Engineering shipped docker-agent/cagent v1.144.0 on 2026-09-25. It widens ACP v1 compatibility: session delete + elicitation, model reasoning/safety options via session/set_config_option, shell via client terminal/create, client-supplied Streamable HTTP/SSE MCP on session new/resume/load, host credential auth/logout, audio prompts with bounded history replay. Sandbox gains --cloud and v3 kit so sandboxes run without a local Docker dependency. Plus TUI render wins and sandbox/filesystem confinement fixes. Aimed at teams embedding agents in IDEs/gateways over ACP.

Key Takeaways

  • ✓Shipped: v1.144.0 — `docker agent` / docker-agent binary
  • ✓ACP: session delete, elicitation, set_config_option, client terminals, remote MCP, host creds, audio prompts
  • ✓Sandbox: --cloud + v3 kit without local Docker; confinement fixes
  • ✓Install: Docker Desktop 4.63+ or brew install docker-agent; docs at docker.github.io/docker-agent
  • ✓See agentclientprotocol.com; MCP still first-class
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Project Links & Resources

Direct Access
Direct access to official project resources and documentation
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GitHub Release docker-agent v1.144.0
github.com/docker/docker-agent/releases/tag/v1.144.0
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docker-agent repository
github.com/docker/docker-agent
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Docker Agent docs
docker.github.io/docker-agent/
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Set Up a Model
docker.github.io/docker-agent/getting-started/set-up-a-model
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Agent Client Protocol
agentclientprotocol.com/
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Docker Model Runner
docs.docker.com/ai/model-runner/
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Model Context Protocol
modelcontextprotocol.io/
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In-Depth Technical Analysis

Core Background & Industry Pain Points Embedding coding agents in IDEs, gateways, or CI usually stalls on session lifecycle, terminal execution, remote MCP, and credentials—not on “one more model API.” ACP aims to be that control plane; Docker’s docker-agent (cagent) packages declarative multi-agent YAML, MCP toolsets, and sandboxing as a docker agent CLI plugin. If ACP only covers chat, IDEs still need proprietary bridges, and sandboxes that require a local Docker daemon fail in CI/cloud desktops without Docker Desktop. ### Architecture Highlights & Internals v1.144.0 widens ACP v1: session delete after draining work, elicitation (form/URL), session/set_config_option for reasoning/safety, shell via client terminal/create, Streamable HTTP/SSE MCP on session new/resume/load, host credential auth/logout, audio prompts with bounded history replay, message identity + tool name exposure. Sandbox adds --cloud and v3 kit (no local Docker dependency) plus confinement fixes. TUI replaces tmux focus heuristics with async visibility polling and reuses chat formatting while scrolling. ### Authoritative Benchmarks & Measured Scores No public cross-version throughput or ACP compliance percentages in the release notes. Validate by capability checklist: session delete, terminal shell, remote MCP attach, --cloud sandbox without local Docker, and isolation regressions. Pair with an ACP client IDE and exercise elicitation/set_config_option. ### Developer Hands-on Guide Docker Desktop 4.63+ ships the plugin (docker agent); else brew install docker-agent or GitHub release binaries. Set provider API keys or use Docker Model Runner. Attach MCP via YAML toolsets; use --cloud when local Docker is unavailable. Docs: Set Up a Model, docs home, ACP.