{"slug": "kicad-mcp-server", "name": "KiCAD-MCP-Server", "category": "ai", "category_name": "AI tools and apps", "description": "", "recommenders": 4, "commenters": 5, "warners": 0, "score": 3.987, "rising": 1.35, "first": "2026-01-19", "latest": "2026-09-05", "why": "I got a flexpcb that validates in JLC and PCBWay DRC tools from the KiCAD MCP Server and Codex.", "why_is_quote": true, "has_verdict": false, "sentiment": {"recommend": 4, "neutral": 1, "compare": 0, "warn": 0}, "spark": [0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 2, 0], "listed": true, "loved": [], "caveat": "", "short_quote": "I got a flexpcb that validates in JLC and PCBWay DRC tools from the KiCAD MCP Server and Codex.", "kind": "", "icon": false, "domain": null, "github_repo": "github.com/mixelpixx/kicad-mcp-server", "official_url": "https://github.com/mixelpixx/kicad-mcp-server", "pricing": "", "aliases": ["KiCAD-MCP-Server", "KiCAD MCP Server"], "verdict": null, "praise": [{"label": "", "summary": "", "quotes": [{"id": 793160352, "item_id": 49572522, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49572522", "by": "thenthenthen", "date": "2026-09-05", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Apparently this can source from LCSC:  https://github.com/mixelpixx/KiCAD-MCP-Server", "excerpt": "Apparently this can source from LCSC: https://github.com/mixelpixx/KiCAD-MCP-Server Now how to hook it up to my Tencent ai thing\u2026", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "Can AI design circuit boards yet?"}, {"id": 793116032, "item_id": 49569752, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49569752", "by": "itomato", "date": "2026-09-04", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I got a flexpcb that validates in JLC and PCBWay DRC tools from the KiCAD MCP Server and Codex.", "excerpt": "I got a flexpcb that validates in JLC and PCBWay DRC tools from the KiCAD MCP Server and Codex. I have yet to order any or program it, but it was enough to make me push on with a PCB art project for ST-style guitar pickguards - no netlist, no problems. I'm also foolishly toying with NeXTBus dev boards for the Cube. Is it cursed? Probably. https://github.com/itomato/NeXTBus-Dev-Board", "context": "", "use_case": "AI-generated PCB design", "switched_from": "", "story": "Can AI design circuit boards yet?"}, {"id": 785001936, "item_id": 49062621, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49062621", "by": "pedda8862", "date": "2026-07-26", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I was able to build at least a working board with a mcp server", "excerpt": "Without any deep knowledge, I was able to build at least a working board with a mcp server [1]. It\u2019s always about the interface. I had to solder a few parts. Yes there where a lot of vias placed. Nice grid but it worked. [1] https://github.com/mixelpixx/KiCAD-MCP-Server", "context": "", "use_case": "AI-assisted PCB design", "switched_from": "", "story": "I learned PCB design, 3D printing and C just to listen to music"}, {"id": 746885744, "item_id": 46680359, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46680359", "by": "empressplay", "date": "2026-01-19", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "MCP Server for KiCAD", "excerpt": "MCP Server for KiCAD: https://github.com/mixelpixx/KiCAD-MCP-Server", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "\"Anyone else out there vibe circuit-building?\""}]}], "caveats": [], "who": [{"by": "peteforde", "context": "experienced PCB designer", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49065438", "date": "2026-07-26"}], "tags": [], "use_cases": ["ai-generated pcb design", "llm pcb layout", "ai-assisted pcb design"], "compared": [], "makers": [], "threads": [{"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49569366", "title": "Can AI design circuit boards yet?", "mentions": 2}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49022355", "title": "I learned PCB design, 3D printing and C just to listen to music", "mentions": 2}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46679896", "title": "\"Anyone else out there vibe circuit-building?\"", "mentions": 1}], "sentiment_by_month": {"2025-11": {}, "2025-12": {}, "2026-01": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-02": {}, "2026-03": {}, "2026-04": {}, "2026-05": {}, "2026-06": {}, "2026-07": {"recommend": 1, "neutral": 1}, "2026-08": {}, "2026-09": {"recommend": 2}, "2026-10": {}}, "versions": [], "version_unnamed": 0, "family_ref": null, "runs_on": null, "lines": [], "quotes": [{"id": 793160352, "item_id": 49572522, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49572522", "by": "thenthenthen", "date": "2026-09-05", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Apparently this can source from LCSC:  https://github.com/mixelpixx/KiCAD-MCP-Server", "excerpt": "Apparently this can source from LCSC: https://github.com/mixelpixx/KiCAD-MCP-Server Now how to hook it up to my Tencent ai thing\u2026", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "Can AI design circuit boards yet?"}, {"id": 793116032, "item_id": 49569752, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49569752", "by": "itomato", "date": "2026-09-04", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I got a flexpcb that validates in JLC and PCBWay DRC tools from the KiCAD MCP Server and Codex.", "excerpt": "I got a flexpcb that validates in JLC and PCBWay DRC tools from the KiCAD MCP Server and Codex. I have yet to order any or program it, but it was enough to make me push on with a PCB art project for ST-style guitar pickguards - no netlist, no problems. I'm also foolishly toying with NeXTBus dev boards for the Cube. Is it cursed? Probably. https://github.com/itomato/NeXTBus-Dev-Board", "context": "", "use_case": "AI-generated PCB design", "switched_from": "", "story": "Can AI design circuit boards yet?"}, {"id": 785047008, "item_id": 49065438, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49065438", "by": "peteforde", "date": "2026-07-26", "version": null, "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I'll have to give it a try, as it seems to have matured significantly since I last checked.", "excerpt": "Thanks for reminding me that that exists! I'll have to give it a try, as it seems to have matured significantly since I last checked. That said, outside of casual experimentation, I have almost zero need for an LLM to lay out my circuits for me. It's not just that I do have the deep knowledge, but there's so much more to board layout than routing. What parts I've worked with, what I have in inventory and on my PnP. I", "context": "experienced PCB designer", "use_case": "LLM PCB layout", "switched_from": "", "story": "I learned PCB design, 3D printing and C just to listen to music"}, {"id": 785001936, "item_id": 49062621, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49062621", "by": "pedda8862", "date": "2026-07-26", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I was able to build at least a working board with a mcp server", "excerpt": "Without any deep knowledge, I was able to build at least a working board with a mcp server [1]. It\u2019s always about the interface. I had to solder a few parts. Yes there where a lot of vias placed. Nice grid but it worked. [1] https://github.com/mixelpixx/KiCAD-MCP-Server", "context": "", "use_case": "AI-assisted PCB design", "switched_from": "", "story": "I learned PCB design, 3D printing and C just to listen to music"}, {"id": 746885744, "item_id": 46680359, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46680359", "by": "empressplay", "date": "2026-01-19", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "MCP Server for KiCAD", "excerpt": "MCP Server for KiCAD: https://github.com/mixelpixx/KiCAD-MCP-Server", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "\"Anyone else out there vibe circuit-building?\""}]}