Question 1

What can you do with this server?

Accepted Answer

The klayout-draw-mcp server enables AI assistants to programmatically create, edit, inspect, and validate GDS/OASIS chip layouts using KLayout's Python API.

Layout Management

* Create new layouts (new_layout) with a named top cell and configurable database unit
* Load existing GDS/OASIS files (load_gds) for editing or inspection
* Save layouts (save_gds) to GDS/OASIS format with optional auto-open in KLayout
* Inspect layouts (layout_info, inspect_gds) for per-layer shape counts, areas, bounding boxes, and cell lists

Drawing Primitives

* Add rectangles (add_box), polygons (add_polygon), paths (add_path), and text labels (add_label) on specified layers

Advanced Layout Construction

* Create and manage cells (create_cell, use_cell) and place instances or arrays (place_cell) with rotation/mirroring
* Add vias (add_via) — cut arrays with enclosing metal on both connected layers
* Add Manhattan wires (add_wire) — axis-aligned wires with automatic L-corner insertion

Design Rule Checking

* Run DRC checks (drc_check) for spacing, width, overlap, separation, and enclosure rules, reporting violations

GUI Integration

* Open layouts in KLayout viewer (open_layout) or editor mode (open_editor)

Scripting & Extensibility

* Execute arbitrary Python code (run_script) with full access to klayout.db for boolean geometry, custom DRC, cell hierarchies, and other advanced operations

Question 2

How do I use klayout-draw-mcp?

Accepted Answer

1. Click on "Install Server".
2. Wait a few minutes for the server to deploy. Once ready, it will show a "Started" state.
3. In the chat, type @ followed by the MCP server name and your instructions, e.g., "@klayout-draw-mcp draw a 10um square on layer 1 and save as out.gds"

That's it! The server will respond to your query, and you can continue using it as needed.

Here is a step-by-step guide with screenshots.

Tool	Purpose
`new_layout(top_cell, dbu)`	Start a new in-memory layout (coordinates in micrometers)
`add_box(layer, x1, y1, x2, y2, datatype)`	Add a rectangle
`add_polygon(layer, points, datatype)`	Add a polygon from `[x, y]` vertices
`add_path(layer, points, width, datatype)`	Add a path with width
`add_label(layer, x, y, text, datatype)`	Add a text label
`create_cell(name)` / `use_cell(name)`	Create/select the active drawing cell
`place_cell(cell, x, y, orient, nx, ny, dx, dy)`	Place an instance or array of a cell
`add_via(x, y, bottom_layer, top_layer, cut_layer, …)`	Via: cut array + enclosing metal
`add_wire(layer, points, width)`	Manhattan wire (auto L-corners)
`layout_info()`	Inspect current layout (layers, bbox, shape count)
`load_gds(path, top_cell?)`	Load an existing GDS/OASIS into the session for editing
`inspect_gds(path?)`	Per-layer shape count, area and bbox of a file or the session
`drc_check(rules, path?)`	Simple DRC: spacing / width / overlap / separation / enclosure
`save_gds(path, open_after)`	Write GDS/OASIS; optionally open in the editor
`open_layout(file_path)`	Open a file in KLayout (viewer)
`open_editor(file_path?)`	Open KLayout in editor mode, or a blank layout
`run_script(code)`	Run arbitrary Python with `klayout.db` (cell hierarchy, arrays, booleans, DRC, ...)

Example	What it draws
`basic_shapes.py`	The four primitives: box, path, polygon, label
`nmos_transistor.py`	A single NMOS (active, poly gate, n+, contacts, M1 S/G/D)
`cmos_inverter.py`	A CMOS inverter: PMOS over NMOS, shared gate, Vdd/Vss rails
`cis_aps_pixel.py`	A 1 µm 4T CMOS image-sensor pixel, tiled as a 2×2 array

klayout-draw-mcp

klayout-draw-mcp

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