KiCad MCP Server

Content

KiCad MCP Server is a Model Context Protocol server for inspecting and working with local KiCad electronic design automation projects. It exposes resources, tools, and prompts for project discovery, file inspection, PCB and schematic analysis, netlist extraction, BOM review, design-rule checking, thumbnail generation, and circuit pattern recognition.

The server is useful when Claude needs project-aware context about an approved board design, but it should be treated as an assistant for review and analysis, not as a replacement for KiCad, electrical engineering review, manufacturing checks, or formal sign-off.

Source Review

• https://github.com/lamaalrajih/kicad-mcp
• https://github.com/lamaalrajih/kicad-mcp/blob/main/README.md
• https://pypi.org/pypi/kicad-mcp/json
• https://github.com/lamaalrajih/kicad-mcp/blob/main/pyproject.toml
• https://github.com/lamaalrajih/kicad-mcp/blob/main/kicad_mcp/server.py
• https://github.com/lamaalrajih/kicad-mcp/blob/main/kicad_mcp/config.py
• https://github.com/lamaalrajih/kicad-mcp/blob/main/kicad_mcp/tools/export_tools.py
• https://github.com/lamaalrajih/kicad-mcp/blob/main/LICENSE

These sources were reviewed on 2026-06-06. Prefer the live repository, README, PyPI metadata, package metadata, server implementation, configuration module, export tool implementation, and license file for current setup, supported KiCad versions, tool behavior, file outputs, and licensing.

Features

• Python package kicad-mcp.
• FastMCP server launched with the kicad-mcp console command or from source.
• Project discovery through configured KiCad search paths.
• Resources for projects, files, DRC data, BOM data, netlists, and circuit patterns.
• Tools for project management, PCB analysis, exports, DRC workflows, BOM review, netlist extraction, and pattern recognition.
• Prompt templates for PCB debugging, DRC review, BOM work, and pattern analysis.
• KiCad CLI-backed thumbnail/export operations.
• MIT license.

Installation

Install the package, configure approved KiCad search paths, then add the server to your MCP client:

pip install kicad-mcp

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "kicad": {
      "command": "kicad-mcp",
      "env": {
        "KICAD_SEARCH_PATHS": ""
      }
    }
  }
}

After restarting the MCP client, ask Claude to inspect an approved KiCad project, summarize board structure, review BOM data, or run a DRC-oriented workflow for human review.

Use Cases

• List and identify local KiCad projects.
• Explain the structure of a selected board project.
• Summarize schematic, PCB, netlist, or BOM information.
• Run a design-rule-check workflow and summarize findings.
• Generate a board thumbnail for visual review.
• Identify common circuit patterns in a schematic.
• Ask Claude to prepare hardware-review questions from design artifacts.

Safety and Privacy

KiCad MCP works with local hardware design files and can run local KiCad CLI operations. Restrict KICAD_SEARCH_PATHS to approved project folders, verify results in KiCad, and keep human engineering review in the loop before acting on BOM, DRC, netlist, footprint, or manufacturing conclusions.

Hardware designs often contain sensitive intellectual property. Treat project paths, schematics, board layouts, BOMs, netlists, component selections, generated thumbnails, logs, and model transcripts as sensitive design data. Avoid exposing regulated, export-controlled, customer, or unreleased hardware unless the environment and model workflow are approved for that use.

Duplicate Check

Existing MCP content includes CAD, browser, and developer-tool integrations, but no dedicated entry for lamaalrajih/kicad-mcp or the kicad-mcp PyPI package was found in content/mcp. This entry is distinct because it covers local KiCad project discovery, PCB analysis, DRC, BOM, netlist, export, and circuit pattern workflows.