About
MCP server exposing KiCad PCB Editor functionality via IPC API.
README
mcp-kicad — MCP server exposing KiCad PCB Editor functionality via IPC API.
Install
pip install mcp-kicad
Requirements
- KiCad 9.0 or higher with the IPC API server enabled
- Go to Preferences > Plugins in KiCad and enable the API server
Usage
The MCP server communicates with a running KiCad instance via the IPC API. Start KiCad first, then run the server:
mcp-kicad
Or configure it in your MCP client:
{
"mcpServers": {
"mcp-kicad": {
"command": "mcp-kicad",
"env": {}
}
}
}
Tools
The server exposes the following tools:
- Connection:
connect_kicad,check_connection - Board:
get_board_info,get_layers,get_board_design_settings - Footprints:
list_footprints,get_footprint,search_footprints - Nets:
list_nets,get_net,list_netclasses - Zones:
list_zones - Tracks/Vias:
list_tracks,list_vias - Pads:
list_pads - Text:
list_texts,get_text_extents - Project:
get_project,get_version
Example
from mcp_kicad import mcp_server
# Connect to running KiCad
result = mcp_server.connect_kicad()
# Get board info
board_info = mcp_server.get_board_info()
print(board_info)
# List all footprints
footprints = mcp_server.list_footprints()
for fp in footprints:
print(f"{fp['reference']}: {fp['value']}")
Development
git clone https://github.com/daedalus/mcp-kicad.git
cd mcp-kicad
pip install -e ".[test]"
# run tests
pytest
# format
ruff format src/ tests/
# lint
ruff check src/ tests/
# type check
mypy src/
mcp-name: io.github.daedalus/mcp-kicad
Install Kicad in Claude Desktop, Claude Code & Cursor
unyly install mcp-kicadInstalls into Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor & VS Code — handles npx, uvx and build-from-source repos for you.
First time? Get the CLI: curl -fsSL https://unyly.org/install | sh
Or configure manually
Run in your terminal:
claude mcp add mcp-kicad -- uvx mcp-kicadFAQ
Is Kicad MCP free?
Yes, Kicad MCP is free — one-click install via Unyly at no cost.
Does Kicad need an API key?
No, Kicad runs without API keys or environment variables.
Is Kicad hosted or self-hosted?
Self-hosted: the server runs locally on your machine via the install command above.
How do I install Kicad in Claude Desktop, Claude Code or Cursor?
Open Kicad on unyly.org, pick your client tab (Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor) and press Install — the config is generated automatically, no JSON editing.
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