Give docking ports the ability to lock themselves.-

[Strawberry]

One thing that hurts orbital construction and makes it nearly non viable is the fact that docking ports can be super bendy under thrust. Docking ports should have an option to lock themselves with the port theyre docked to, this would make the docking port much more steady, however come at the cost of said docking port be unable to be used again. 

[magnemoe]

Its more an issue about diameter I think, using auto struts or eva added struts solves the issue in my experience. 

[zeekzeek22]

Still, I agree something has to be done about docking ports, even if it's just a matter of making them 50% stiffer. But I also don't hate the idea that it'd be clearer in KSP2 that if you're going to high-thrust your on-orbit-construction, then you gotta do EVAs to add structural supports...like have it mentioned in a tutorial video about space station construction.

 

That said, I wonder how much the space-docks result in a partial alternative: fewer docking ports because you build it in an orbital bay rather than piecewise from planetary launches.