EDA Tools MCP Server

Instructions

Implementation Reference

• src/index.ts:333-505 (handler)

  The core handler function `runOpenlane` in the `EDAServer` class. It creates a temporary OpenLane project directory, writes the provided Verilog code and configuration (including clock port and period), generates a wrapper bash script to run OpenLane via Docker, executes it with timeout handling, locates the generated GDS file, and optionally launches KLayout to view it. Returns JSON with project details, paths, stdout/stderr (truncated), and status.

    async runOpenlane(
      verilogCode: string, 
      designName: string, 
      clockPort = "clk", 
      clockPeriod = 10.0,
      openInKlayout = true
    ): Promise<string> {
      try {
        const projectId = Math.random().toString(36).substring(2, 15);
        const projectName = `${designName}_${projectId}`;
        const projectDir = join(this.openlaneDir, projectName);
        
        // Store project info
        this.projects.set(projectId, { dir: projectDir, type: "openlane" });
  
        // Create project directory
        await fs.mkdir(projectDir, { recursive: true });
  
        // Write Verilog file
        const verilogFile = join(projectDir, `${designName}.v`);
        await fs.writeFile(verilogFile, verilogCode);
  
        // Create OpenLane config
        const configContent = {
          DESIGN_NAME: designName,
          VERILOG_FILES: [`${designName}.v`],
          CLOCK_PORT: clockPort,
          CLOCK_PERIOD: clockPeriod,
          // Additional OpenLane settings for better results
          FP_SIZING: "absolute",
          DIE_AREA: "0 0 100 100",
          FP_PDN_MULTILAYER: false,
          QUIT_ON_TIMING_VIOLATIONS: false,
          QUIT_ON_MAGIC_DRC: false,
          QUIT_ON_LVS_ERROR: false,
          RUN_KLAYOUT_XOR: false,
          RUN_KLAYOUT_DRC: false
        };
  
        const configFile = join(projectDir, "config.json");
        await fs.writeFile(configFile, JSON.stringify(configContent, null, 2));
  
        // Find Python command
        let pythonCmd = "python3";
        const pythonCandidates = [
          "python3",
          "python"
        ];
        
        for (const candidate of pythonCandidates) {
          if (await commandExists(candidate)) {
            pythonCmd = candidate;
            break;
          }
        }
  
        // Run the OpenLane command using Docker MCP approach
        console.error(`Starting OpenLane flow for ${designName}...`);
        console.error(`Working directory: ${projectDir}`);
        console.error(`This may take up to 10 minutes...`);
  
        const openlaneCmd = `${pythonCmd} -m openlane --dockerized config.json`;
        console.error(`Executing: ${openlaneCmd}`);
  
        // Create a wrapper script to handle TTY issues
        const wrapperScript = `#!/bin/bash
  set -e
  
  # Disable TTY requirements
  export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
  export CI=true
  export TERM=dumb
  
  # Change to project directory
  cd "${projectDir}"
  
  # Run OpenLane with script command to simulate TTY
  script -q /dev/null ${pythonCmd} -m openlane --dockerized config.json
  `;
  
        const wrapperPath = join(projectDir, 'run_openlane.sh');
        await fs.writeFile(wrapperPath, wrapperScript);
        await execAsyncWithTimeout(`chmod +x "${wrapperPath}"`, {});
  
        // Run the OpenLane command using the wrapper script
        console.error(`Starting OpenLane flow for ${designName}...`);
        console.error(`Working directory: ${projectDir}`);
        console.error(`This may take up to 10 minutes...`);
        console.error(`Using wrapper script to handle TTY`);
  
        const { stdout, stderr } = await execAsyncWithTimeout(`"${wrapperPath}"`, {
          cwd: projectDir,
          env: {
            ...process.env,
            PATH: process.env.PATH + ":/usr/local/bin:/opt/homebrew/bin"
          },
          maxBuffer: 10 * 1024 * 1024, // 10MB buffer instead of default 1MB
          timeout: 600000
        }, 600000); // 10 minutes timeout
  
        // Find the latest run directory
        const runsDir = join(projectDir, "runs");
        let latestRun = "";
        let gdsFile = "";
        
        try {
          const runs = await fs.readdir(runsDir);
          if (runs.length > 0) {
            // Sort runs by name (they include timestamps) and get the latest
            latestRun = runs.sort().reverse()[0];
            const finalDir = join(runsDir, latestRun, "final", "gds");
            
            // Find GDS file
            try {
              const gdsFiles = await fs.readdir(finalDir);
              const gdsFilesList = gdsFiles.filter(f => f.endsWith('.gds'));
              if (gdsFilesList.length > 0) {
                gdsFile = join(finalDir, gdsFilesList[0]);
              }
            } catch {
              // GDS directory might not exist
            }
          }
        } catch {
          // Runs directory might not exist
        }
  
        let klayoutResult = "";
        
        // Open in KLayout if requested and GDS file exists
        if (openInKlayout && gdsFile) {
          try {
            // Check if KLayout is available
            if (await commandExists('klayout')) {
              // Launch KLayout with the GDS file
              const klayoutCmd = `open -a KLayout "${gdsFile}" &`;
              await execAsyncWithTimeout(klayoutCmd, {}, 10000);
              klayoutResult = `KLayout launched with GDS file: ${basename(gdsFile)}`;
            } else {
              klayoutResult = "KLayout not found. Install KLayout to view GDS files.";
            }
          } catch (error: any) {
            klayoutResult = `KLayout launch failed: ${error.message}`;
          }
        }
  
        return JSON.stringify({
          project_id: projectId,
          success: true,
          design_name: designName,
          project_dir: projectDir,
          latest_run: latestRun,
          gds_file: gdsFile ? basename(gdsFile) : "Not generated",
          gds_path: gdsFile,
          klayout_status: klayoutResult,
          command_used: openlaneCmd,
          stdout: stdout.length > 2000 ? stdout.substring(0, 2000) + "...(truncated)" : stdout,
          stderr: stderr.length > 2000 ? stderr.substring(0, 2000) + "...(truncated)" : stderr,
          note: "OpenLane flow completed. Check the runs directory for detailed results."
        }, null, 2);
  
      } catch (error: any) {
        // Simple error reporting
        const errorMessage = error.message || String(error);
        console.error(`OpenLane error: ${errorMessage}`);
        
        return JSON.stringify({
          success: false,
          error: errorMessage,
          note: "OpenLane flow failed. Make sure Docker is running and try: docker pull efabless/openlane:latest"
        }, null, 2);
      }
    }

• src/index.ts:789-817 (schema)

  The input schema definition for the `run_openlane` tool, specifying required parameters (verilog_code, design_name) and optional ones (clock_port, clock_period, open_in_klayout). Used for validation in MCP tool calls.

  inputSchema: {
    type: "object",
    properties: {
      verilog_code: { 
        type: "string", 
        description: "The Verilog RTL code for ASIC implementation" 
      },
      design_name: { 
        type: "string", 
        description: "Name of the design (will be used for module and files)" 
      },
      clock_port: { 
        type: "string", 
        description: "Name of the clock port", 
        default: "clk" 
      },
      clock_period: { 
        type: "number", 
        description: "Clock period in nanoseconds", 
        default: 10.0 
      },
      open_in_klayout: {
        type: "boolean",
        description: "Automatically open result in KLayout",
        default: true
      },
    },
    required: ["verilog_code", "design_name"],
  },

• src/index.ts:786-818 (registration)

  Registration of the `run_openlane` tool in the MCP server's `ListToolsRequestSchema` handler. Includes name, description, and references the inputSchema. This makes the tool discoverable by MCP clients.

  {
    name: "run_openlane",
    description: "Run complete ASIC design flow using OpenLane (RTL to GDSII). This process can take up to 10 minutes.",
    inputSchema: {
      type: "object",
      properties: {
        verilog_code: { 
          type: "string", 
          description: "The Verilog RTL code for ASIC implementation" 
        },
        design_name: { 
          type: "string", 
          description: "Name of the design (will be used for module and files)" 
        },
        clock_port: { 
          type: "string", 
          description: "Name of the clock port", 
          default: "clk" 
        },
        clock_period: { 
          type: "number", 
          description: "Clock period in nanoseconds", 
          default: 10.0 
        },
        open_in_klayout: {
          type: "boolean",
          description: "Automatically open result in KLayout",
          default: true
        },
      },
      required: ["verilog_code", "design_name"],
    },
  },

• src/index.ts:902-915 (handler)

  The switch case dispatcher in `CallToolRequestSchema` handler that validates parameters and invokes `edaServer.runOpenlane()` with extracted arguments (verilogCode, designName, etc.). Returns the result as MCP content.

  case "run_openlane": {
    const verilogCode = validateRequiredString(args, "verilog_code", name);
    const designName = validateRequiredString(args, "design_name", name);
    const clockPort = getStringProperty(args, "clock_port", "clk");
    const clockPeriod = getNumberProperty(args, "clock_period", 10.0);
    const openInKlayout = args && args.open_in_klayout !== false; // Default true
    
    return {
      content: [{
        type: "text",
        text: await edaServer.runOpenlane(verilogCode, designName, clockPort, clockPeriod, openInKlayout),
      }],
    };
  }