KiCAD-MCP-Server

# KiCAD MCP Roadmap **Vision:** Enable anyone to design professional PCBs through natural conversation with AI **Current Version:** 2.1.0-alpha **Target:** 2.0.0 stable by end of Week 12 --- ## Week 2: Component Integration & Routing **Goal:** Make the MCP server useful for real PCB design **Status:** 80% Complete (2025-11-01) ### High Priority **1. Component Library Integration** ✅ **COMPLETE** - [x] Detect KiCAD footprint library paths - [x] Add configuration for custom library paths - [x] Create footprint search/autocomplete - [x] Test component placement end-to-end - [x] Document supported footprints **Deliverable:** ✅ Place components with actual footprints from libraries (153 libraries discovered!) **2. Routing Operations** ✅ **COMPLETE** - [x] Test `route_trace` with KiCAD 9.0 - [x] Test `add_via` with KiCAD 9.0 - [x] Test `add_copper_pour` with KiCAD 9.0 - [x] Fix any API compatibility issues - [x] Add routing examples to docs **Deliverable:** ✅ Successfully route a simple board (tested with nets, traces, vias, copper pours) **3. JLCPCB Parts Database** 📋 **PLANNED** - [x] Research JLCPCB API and data format - [x] Design integration architecture - [ ] Download/parse JLCPCB parts database (~108k parts) - [ ] Map parts to KiCAD footprints - [ ] Create search by part number - [ ] Add price/stock information - [ ] Integrate with component placement **Deliverable:** "Add a 10k resistor (JLCPCB basic part)" - Ready to implement ### Medium Priority **4. Fix get_board_info** 🟡 **DEFERRED** - [ ] Update layer constants for KiCAD 9.0 - [ ] Add backward compatibility - [ ] Test with real boards **Status:** Low priority, workarounds available **5. Example Projects** 🟢 - [ ] LED blinker (555 timer) - [ ] Arduino Uno shield template - [ ] Raspberry Pi HAT template - [ ] Video tutorial of complete workflow ### Bonus Achievements ✨ **Real-time Collaboration** ✅ **COMPLETE** - [x] Test MCP→UI workflow (AI places, human sees) - [x] Test UI→MCP workflow (human edits, AI reads) - [x] Document best practices and limitations - [x] Verify bidirectional sync works correctly **Documentation** ✅ **COMPLETE** - [x] LIBRARY_INTEGRATION.md (comprehensive library guide) - [x] REALTIME_WORKFLOW.md (collaboration workflows) - [x] JLCPCB_INTEGRATION_PLAN.md (implementation plan) --- ## Week 3: IPC Backend & Real-time Updates **Goal:** Eliminate manual reload - see changes instantly **Status:** 🟢 **IMPLEMENTED** (2025-11-30) ### High Priority **1. IPC Connection** ✅ **COMPLETE** - [x] Establish socket connection to KiCAD - [x] Handle connection errors gracefully - [x] Auto-reconnect if KiCAD restarts - [x] Fall back to SWIG if IPC unavailable **2. IPC Operations** ✅ **COMPLETE** - [x] Port project operations to IPC - [x] Port board operations to IPC - [x] Port component operations to IPC - [x] Port routing operations to IPC **3. Real-time UI Updates** ✅ **COMPLETE** - [x] Changes appear instantly in UI - [x] No reload prompt - [x] Visual feedback within 100ms - [ ] Demo video showing real-time design **Deliverable:** ✅ Design a board with live updates as Claude works ### Medium Priority **4. Dual Backend Support** ✅ **COMPLETE** - [x] Auto-detect if IPC is available - [x] Switch between SWIG/IPC seamlessly - [x] Document when to use each - [ ] Performance comparison --- ## Week 4-5: Smart BOM & Supplier Integration **Goal:** Optimize component selection for cost and availability **1. Digikey Integration** - [ ] API authentication - [ ] Part search by specs - [ ] Price/stock checking - [ ] Parametric search (e.g., "10k resistor, 0603, 1%") **2. Smart BOM Management** - [ ] Auto-suggest component substitutions - [ ] Calculate total board cost - [ ] Check component availability - [ ] Generate purchase links **3. Cost Optimization** - [ ] Suggest JLCPCB basic parts (free assembly) - [ ] Warn about expensive/obsolete parts - [ ] Batch component suggestions **Deliverable:** "Design a low-cost LED driver under $5 BOM" --- ## Week 6-7: Design Patterns & Templates **Goal:** Accelerate common design tasks **1. Circuit Patterns Library** - [ ] Voltage regulators (LDO, switching) - [ ] USB interfaces (USB-C, micro-USB) - [ ] Microcontroller circuits (ESP32, STM32, RP2040) - [ ] Power protection (reverse polarity, ESD) - [ ] Common interfaces (I2C, SPI, UART) **2. Board Templates** - [ ] Arduino form factors (Uno, Nano, Mega) - [ ] Raspberry Pi HATs - [ ] Feather wings - [ ] Custom PCB shapes (badges, wearables) **3. Auto-routing Helpers** - [ ] Suggest trace widths by current - [ ] Auto-create ground pours - [ ] Match differential pair lengths - [ ] Check impedance requirements **Deliverable:** "Create an ESP32 dev board with USB-C" --- ## Week 8-9: Guided Workflows & Education **Goal:** Make PCB design accessible to beginners **1. Interactive Tutorials** - [ ] First PCB (LED blinker) - [ ] Understanding layers and vias - [ ] Routing best practices - [ ] Design rule checking **2. Design Validation** - [ ] Check for common mistakes - [ ] Suggest improvements - [ ] Explain DRC violations - [ ] Manufacturing feasibility check **3. Documentation Generation** - [ ] Auto-generate assembly drawings - [ ] Create BOM spreadsheets - [ ] Export fabrication files - [ ] Generate user manual **Deliverable:** Complete beginner-to-fabrication tutorial --- ## Week 10-11: Advanced Features **Goal:** Support complex professional designs **1. Multi-board Projects** - [ ] Panel designs for manufacturing - [ ] Shared schematics across boards - [ ] Version management **2. High-speed Design** - [ ] Impedance-controlled traces - [ ] Length matching for DDR/PCIe - [ ] Signal integrity analysis - [ ] Via stitching for EMI **3. Advanced Components** - [ ] BGAs and fine-pitch packages - [ ] Flex PCB support - [ ] Rigid-flex designs --- ## Week 12: Polish & Release **Goal:** Production-ready v2.0 release **1. Performance** - [ ] Optimize large board operations - [ ] Cache library searches - [ ] Parallel operations where possible **2. Testing** - [ ] Unit tests for all commands - [ ] Integration tests for workflows - [ ] Test on Windows/macOS/Linux - [ ] Load testing with complex boards **3. Documentation** - [ ] Complete API reference - [ ] Video tutorial series - [ ] Blog post/announcement - [ ] Example project gallery **4. Community** - [ ] Contribution guidelines - [ ] Plugin system for custom tools - [ ] Discord/forum for support **Deliverable:** KiCAD MCP v2.0 stable release --- ## Future (Post-v2.0) **Big Ideas for v3.0+** **1. AI-Powered Design** - Generate circuits from specifications - Optimize layouts for size/cost/performance - Suggest alternative designs - Learn from user preferences **2. Collaboration** - Multi-user design sessions - Design reviews and comments - Version control integration (Git) - Share design patterns **3. Manufacturing Integration** - Direct order to PCB fabs - Assembly service integration - Track order status - Automated quoting **4. Simulation** - SPICE integration for circuit sim - Thermal simulation - Signal integrity - Power integrity **5. Extended Platform Support** - Altium import/export - Eagle compatibility - EasyEDA integration - Web-based viewer --- ## Success Metrics **v2.0 Release Criteria:** - [ ] 95%+ of commands working reliably - [ ] Component placement with 10,000+ footprints - [ ] IPC backend working on all platforms - [ ] 10+ example projects - [ ] 5+ video tutorials - [ ] 100+ GitHub stars - [ ] 10+ community contributors **User Success Stories:** - "Designed my first PCB with Claude Code in 30 minutes" - "Cut PCB design time by 80% using MCP" - "Got my board manufactured - it works!" --- ## How to Contribute See the roadmap and want to help? **High-value contributions:** 1. Component library mappings (JLCPCB → KiCAD) 2. Design pattern library (circuits you use often) 3. Testing on Windows/macOS 4. Documentation and tutorials 5. Bug reports with reproductions Check [CONTRIBUTING.md](../CONTRIBUTING.md) for details. --- **Last Updated:** 2025-11-30 **Maintained by:** KiCAD MCP Team