kicad-claude-mcp

Design KiCAD PCBs from natural language. An MCP server that gives Claude Code (or any MCP client) 105 tools to drive a complete PCB workflow — schematic capture, library management, PCB layout, autorouting, manufacturing outputs, signal-integrity calculations, RF design, and more.

105 MCP tools · 240 tests passing · 16 phases · headless from idea to gerbers

The server edits .kicad_sch / .kicad_pcb / .kicad_pro files directly. You drive it via Claude Code; you open KiCAD only to review the result.

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What you can build with this

> Create a project at /tmp/blinky for a USB-C powered ESP32 board.
> Index KiCAD's libraries, find ESP32-S3-WROOM-1 and a 3V3 LDO.
> Lay out the schematic with USB-C input, the LDO, the ESP32, and a status LED.
> Run ERC, fix any issues you find.
> 
> Place the components on a 50×30 mm 4-layer board with USB on the left edge,
> add a GND plane on B.Cu, route everything with Freerouting, and add length
> tuning to the USB diff pair so D+ and D- match within 0.5 mm.
> 
> Apply the JLCPCB design rules, run DRC, and export the fab package
> (gerbers + drill + pos + BOM with live DigiKey/Mouser stock).

Claude Code translates this into ~30 tool calls, each editing the project files. You verify the result by opening KiCAD.

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Quick start

Requirements

• Python 3.10+ and uv
• KiCAD 9.0+ or 10.x (with kicad-cli installed)
• Java 21+ (for autorouting via Freerouting; Java 24 works, Java 25 needed for the very latest Freerouting)
• Optional: ngspice (for SPICE simulation), DigiKey/Mouser API keys (for live BOM enrichment)

Install

git clone https://github.com/Greg3001/kicad-claude-mcp.git
cd kicad-claude-mcp
uv sync
cp .env.example .env       # fill API keys when ready (optional, only Phase 4+)

Download Freerouting 2.1.0 to third_party/freerouting.jar (only needed for autoroute_pcb):

mkdir -p third_party
curl -L https://github.com/freerouting/freerouting/releases/download/v2.1.0/freerouting-2.1.0.jar \
  -o third_party/freerouting.jar

Wire into Claude Code

Add to ~/.claude/settings.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "kicad": {
      "command": "/ABSOLUTE/PATH/TO/kicad-claude-mcp/.venv/bin/python",
      "args": ["server.py"],
      "cwd": "/ABSOLUTE/PATH/TO/kicad-claude-mcp"
    }
  }
}

The command MUST be the absolute path to .venv/bin/python — the system Python doesn’t have the dependencies. Reload Claude Code, run /mcp to confirm kicad is connected, then ask for Use the kicad ping tool.

First run

> Index KiCAD's libraries  (one-time, ~60 s)
> Create a project at /tmp/test for a voltage divider
> ... etc

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Capabilities

Schematic capture

• Symbol placement & connections: add_symbol, add_wire, add_label, add_power_symbol, add_no_connect, move_symbol, remove_symbol, get_pin_position, list_pins