KiCAD-MCP-Server

MCP.Pizza Chef: mixelpixx

Circuit board design in KiCAD normally means placing every component and drawing every connection by hand. Describe the board instead, and your assistant can start the project, edit the circuit diagram, place parts, route traces, run the design and electrical rule checks, and export manufacturing files. It can also invent symbols and footprints for parts missing from the standard library, save them to a personal library, look up JLCPCB pricing and stock, and hand routing to Freerouting. Installing means KiCAD 9, Node, Python, and a build step.

Coding
Images/Design

Use This MCP server To

Place components on a board by describing what I need Create a footprint for a part missing from the library Route the connections on a simple board automatically Run the design rule check and explain what failed Check JLCPCB stock and pricing for a part Export the files a factory needs to build my board

README

KiCAD-MCP-Server Logo

KiCAD MCP Server

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License Platform KiCAD Stars Discussions

Our new forum is up: https://forum.orchis.ai β€” Need help? Have suggestions? Want to show off your work?

Meet Konnect β€” the next generation

Konnect is this project rebuilt from scratch in Rust as a native KiCAD 10 plugin: a single binary with no runtime dependencies, built on KiCAD's official IPC API instead of SWIG, with 171 tools, bundled Claude skills and agents, design-review audits, and a manufacturing pipeline. It's where new development happens β€” licensed AGPL-3.0 (free for individuals and open source; commercial licenses available for businesses).

This Python/TypeScript server remains fully open (MIT) and maintained.

KiCAD MCP Server is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that enables AI assistants like Claude to interact with KiCAD for PCB design automation. Built on the MCP 2025-06-18 specification, this server provides comprehensive tool schemas and real-time project state access for intelligent PCB design workflows.

Design PCBs with natural language

Describe what you want to build β€” and let AI handle the EDA work. Place components, create custom symbols and footprints, route connections, run checks, and export production files, all by talking to your AI assistant.

What it can do today

  • Project setup, schematic editing, component placement, routing, DRC/ERC, export
  • Custom symbol and footprint generation β€” for modules not in the standard KiCAD library
  • Personal library management β€” create once, reuse across projects
  • JLCPCB integration β€” parts catalog with pricing and stock data
  • Freerouting integration β€” automatic PCB routing via Java/Docker
  • Visual feedback β€” snapshots and session logs for traceability
  • Cross-platform β€” Windows, Linux, macOS

Quick Start

  1. Install KiCAD 9.0+
  2. Install Node.js 18+ and Python 3.11+
  3. Clone and build:
git clone https://github.com/mixelpixx/KiCAD-MCP-Server.git
cd KiCAD-MCP-Server
npm install
npm run build
  1. Configure your AI client β€” see Platform Guide

GitHub Copilot (VS Code)

Copy config/vscode-mcp.example.json to .vscode/mcp.json β€” VS Code auto-detects it. β†’ Full setup guide

Claude Desktop

Edit your config file:

  • Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
  • macOS/Linux: ~/.config/claude/claude_desktop_config.json

Example configs: config/windows-config.example.json or config/macos-config.example.json

Documentation

  • Full README β€” complete documentation
  • Quick Start (Router Tools) β€” first steps
  • Tool Inventory β€” all available tools
  • Schematic Tools Reference
  • Routing Tools Reference
  • Footprint & Symbol Creator Guide
  • JLCPCB Usage Guide
  • Platform Guide
  • Changelog

Community

  • Discussions β€” questions, ideas, showcase
  • Issues β€” bugs and feature requests
  • Contributing

Star History

Star History Chart

AI Disclosure

Developed with AI Assistance This project was developed with the support of AI-assisted coding tools (GitHub Copilot, Claude). All code has been reviewed, tested, and integrated by the maintainers. AI tools were used to accelerate development β€” creative decisions, architecture, and responsibility remain entirely with the authors.

Disclaimer

No Warranty β€” Use at Your Own Risk

This project is provided without any warranty, express or implied. The authors and contributors accept no liability for damages of any kind arising from the use or inability to use this software, including but not limited to:

  • Errors in generated schematics, PCB layouts, or manufacturing files
  • Damage to hardware, components, or devices caused by incorrect designs
  • Financial losses due to manufacturing errors or incorrect orders
  • Data loss or corruption of KiCAD project files

AI-generated design suggestions do not replace qualified engineering review. Safety-critical applications (medical, aerospace, automotive, etc.) require mandatory independent expert verification.

This project is licensed under the MIT License β€” which likewise excludes all liability.

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KiCAD-MCP-Server FAQ

Do I need KiCAD installed?
Yes, version 9.0 or newer, plus Node 18 and Python 3.11, on Windows, Linux, or macOS.
Which apps does it work with?
Claude Desktop and GitHub Copilot inside VS Code both have setup instructions and example config files.
Do I need a paid key?
No. Everything runs against the KiCAD install already on your machine.
Can I use this to make a part that is not in the library?
Yes β€” it generates custom symbols and footprints and saves them to a personal library you can reuse.
How hard is the setup?
You clone the project and build it yourself, so expect a developer-style install.
Should I trust a board it designs?
Not without review. The authors state plainly that AI suggestions do not replace qualified engineering checks, especially for safety-critical work.
Is this still the newest version from these authors?
It stays open and maintained, but the same author's Rust rewrite, Konnect, is where new development now happens.