kicad-mcp by muammar-yacoob - MCP Server

⚡ KiCad MCP

🔧 Automate PCB design • 🤖 AI-powered workflows • 🚀 Natural language commands

✨ What It Does

Control KiCad PCB design software through natural language via Claude Desktop:

Feature	Description
🎨 Project Creation	Initialize new KiCad projects with custom templates
🔍 DRC/ERC Checks	Run design rule and electrical rule checks automatically
📦 Component Management	Add, remove, and organize components programmatically
📤 Export & Manufacturing	Generate Gerber files, drill files, BOMs, and 3D models
🔄 Auto-Routing	Automatically route PCB traces with AI assistance
💰 Cost Estimation	Get production cost estimates from JLCPCB, PCBWay

🚀 Quick Setup

📋 Prerequisites

Node.js >= 18.0.0
KiCad 8.x installed on your system
Claude Desktop app

📥 Installation

npm install -g @spark-apps/kicad-mcp

⚙️ Configure Claude Desktop

Open Claude Desktop settings and locate the MCP configuration file:
- macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
- Windows: %APPDATA%/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
- Linux: ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Add KiCad MCP server to the configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "kicad-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@spark-apps/kicad-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Restart Claude Desktop
Verify installation: Look for the 🔌 icon in Claude Desktop. Click it to see "kicad-mcp" listed as a connected server.

🛠️ Available Tools

	Tool	Description
	init	Create new KiCad projects with custom templates
	fix	Run design rule and electrical rule checks with auto-fix
	add/remove	Manage components programmatically
	export	Generate Gerber, drill files, PDFs, SVGs, STEP models
	bom	Generate Bill of Materials with supplier integration
	gen-3d	Create 3D models for visualization and verification
	route	Intelligent trace routing with AI assistance
	estimate	Production cost estimation (JLCPCB, PCBWay)

💬 Example Commands in Claude Desktop

🎨 Project Creation

"Create a new 4-layer PCB project for ESP32 development"

"Initialize a simple Arduino shield project"

"List available project templates"

"Create a basic 2-layer PCB called 'my-sensor-board'"

Available Templates:

basic - Simple 2-layer PCB
esp32-dev - 4-layer ESP32 dev board with USB-C
arduino-shield - 2-layer Arduino-compatible shield
power-supply - 2-layer power supply board

🔍 Design Validation

"Run DRC checks on my current board and fix all errors"

"Check for electrical rule violations in the schematic"

📤 Manufacturing Output

"Export Gerber files for JLCPCB fabrication"

"Generate a complete BOM with supplier links"

"Create a 3D STEP model for mechanical verification"

🤖 AI-Powered Automation

"Auto-route all remaining traces on the power supply section"

"Estimate production cost for 100 units via JLCPCB"

"Optimize component placement for thermal management"

🔧 Using with KiCad

Workflow Integration

Open your KiCad project in KiCad software
Open Claude Desktop alongside KiCad
Ask Claude to automate tasks using natural language
Review results in KiCad and iterate

Supported KiCad Versions

KiCad 8.x (recommended)
KiCad 7.x (limited support)

Important Notes

⚠️ Current Status: This MCP server uses a mock implementation for development. Real KiCad integration requires KiCad's IPC protocol implementation (coming soon).

✅ What Works Now:

Project creation with templates and natural language prompts
Template selection (basic, esp32-dev, arduino-shield, power-supply)
Project metadata injection (author, description, tags, version)
Command interface and workflow testing
All tool signatures and parameter validation
Integration with Claude Desktop
Mock KiCad client for development/testing

🔄 Coming Soon:

Real KiCad IPC integration
Live project synchronization
Advanced AI-powered routing
Supplier API integration for BOMs

🐛 Troubleshooting

MCP Server Not Showing in Claude Desktop

Verify Node.js is installed: node --version
Check configuration file path is correct
Ensure JSON syntax is valid (use a JSON validator)
Restart Claude Desktop completely

Commands Not Working

Ensure KiCad is installed and accessible
Check project paths are correct
Verify file permissions for project directories

Need Help?

📝 License

🌟 Support

If you find this MCP server helpful:

⭐ Star the repository
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🐛 Report bugs and suggest features

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