API Gateway vs substrate
API Gateway is an MCP server published by rflpazini. Marketplaces we read that list it: 1 (Docker MCP Catalog). substrate is a plugin bundle for AI coding tools published by PKaldone. Marketplaces we read that list it: 1 (Claude Code: claude-plugins-community). As of our marketplace pass on 2026-10-13. This pair was picked by a reader, not by our comparison rule, so search engines are asked not to index the page.
Where each is published
| Marketplace |   API Gateway | |
|---|---|---|
| Docker MCP Catalog | Listed Version: sha256:9cc67b4a037f Forks (GitHub): 12 Pulls (Docker Hub): 58 363 Stars (Docker Hub): 6 Stars (GitHub): 44 Not marked · First seen |
Not listed |
| Claude Code: claude-plugins-community | Not listed | Listed Version: 69709ea No figure published Not marked · First seen |
Each figure is the marketplace's own and is never added up across marketplaces. A marketplace that publishes no figure shows none: no number is not zero.
The facts side by side
| Fact | API Gateway | substrate |
|---|---|---|
| Marketplaces that list it | 1 | 1 |
| Stars (GitHub) (differs) | 44 | No figure on GitHub |
| Pulls (Docker Hub) (differs) | 58 363 | No figure on Docker Hub |
| Forks (GitHub) (differs) | 12 | No figure on GitHub |
| Last release | Not published | Not published |
| Where it runs (differs) | On your machine (mcp/api-gateway) | Installs as a plugin bundle |
| Transport (differs) | stdio | Not stated |
| Tools it declares (differs) | 2 | Not published |
| Environment variables it asks for (differs) | 3, secrets among them: 0 | Not published |
| Licence | Not stated | Not stated |
| Repository (differs) | github.com/rflpazini/mcp-api-gateway | github.com/pkaldone/substrate-mcp-plugin |
| Changes in the last 7 days | 0 | 0 |
| First seen (differs) | 2026-10-11 | 2026-10-12 |
Lines where the two differ have a tinted background and bold values. Where the data itself says which value is better (more marketplaces, a larger figure of the same marketplace, a fresher release, a verified mark on a marketplace that lists both), the better one is also marked green with ▲ and the worse one red with ▼. Where it runs, the transport, the tools, the settings, hooks, the bundle's parts, the licence and the week's changes are marked only as different: more or fewer is not better in itself.
What each says it does
API Gateway
A universal MCP (Model Context Protocol) server to integrate any API with Claude Desktop using only Docker configurations.
substrate
Persistent AI entity framework with causal memory, emotional state, and identity continuity. Gives Claude 94 cognitive layers including episodic memory, value systems, emotional affect, theory of mind, and narrative identity — all persisted across sessions via MCP.
How to run each
API Gateway As a local MCP server: Docker image
claude mcp add --transport stdio mcp-api-gateway -- docker run -i --rm mcp/api-gatewaysubstrate As a Claude Code plugin
/plugin marketplace add anthropics/claude-plugins-community
/plugin install substrate@claude-communityCommands built only from what the marketplaces declare; the full set for every client is on each card.
Tools each declares
The marketplaces of substrate publish no list of tools, so we do not compare tools.
Settings each asks for
The marketplaces of substrate publish no settings it asks for, so we do not compare settings.
What it can do: API Gateway · What it can do: substrate · Compare two other plugins
Data comes from the Docker MCP Catalog (desktop.docker.com/mcp/catalog) and Docker Hub. Data comes from the public marketplace file https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/HEAD/.claude-plugin/marketplace.json. Figures come from our own regular passes over the marketplaces, last read on . We publish no contact details for plugin publishers.