Operating kicad eda
KiCad EDA orchestration via kicad-mcp MCP server. Routes 17 tools for schematic creation, PCB layout, autorouting, DRC, and Gerber export. Enforces serialized PCB ops, library-first lookup, and autoroute-only routing.From its SKILL.md
npx -y skills add telagod/code-abyss --skill operating-kicad-edaAssembled from the repository path, not quoted from the project. Check it against their README if it does not work.
SKILL.md
3.6 KB, 924 tokens by cl100k_base, as published. Nobody here has run it
Operating KiCad EDA
判断先于执行：决定「是否做 / 选什么 / 如何取舍」（栈、方案、架构、权衡）前，先读领域判断内核
skills/_kernel/hardware/SKILL.md——它管 judgment，本秘典管 execution；冲突时以内核判断为准。
MCP tool router for KiCad 9. Never guess, never hand-route, never parallelize PCB writes.
When to use
| Scenario | Use | Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Create schematic from design doc | Yes | schematic() operations |
| Generate PCB from schematic | Yes | build_pcb_from_schematic |
| Route a PCB | Yes | autoroute(operation="run") only |
| Fix DRC violations | Yes | drc(operation="autofix") |
| Export manufacturing files | Yes | export() Gerber/BOM/render |
| Hand-place a single trace | NO | LLM traces violate clearances |
Iron rules
- NEVER hand-route —
pcb(add_trace/add_via)produces DRC-failing garbage. Useautoroute(operation="run"). - NEVER guess names — footprint and symbol names change between KiCad versions. Always
library(operation="search")first. - SERIALIZE PCB ops — MCP PCB tools do load/modify/save. Parallel calls corrupt the
.kicad_pcbfile. - VERIFY after changes —
drc(operation="run")+audit(operation="all")before declaring done.
MCP tool routing table
| Task | MCP Tool | Operation |
|---|---|---|
| Search parts | library | search |
| Create/edit schematic | schematic | create_symbol, add_wire, add_label |
| Build PCB from schematic | build_pcb_from_schematic | — (standalone) |
| Place footprints | pcb | place_footprint |
| Set board outline | pcb | set_board_outline |
| Add zones (copper pour) | pcb | add_zone |
| Auto-route | autoroute | run |
| Run DRC | drc | run |
| Auto-fix DRC | drc | autofix |
| Export Gerber | export | gerber |
| Export BOM | export | bom |
| 3D render | export | render |
| Estimate board size | estimate_board_size | — (standalone) |
| Suggest placement | suggest_placement | — (standalone) |
| Full audit | audit | all |
Standard pipeline
1. library(search) → find symbols and footprints
2. schematic(create_symbol) → place all components
3. schematic(add_wire/add_label) → connect nets
4. [Python] footprint injection script → fix kicad-cli lookup
5. build_pcb_from_schematic → initial PCB
6. pcb(set_board_outline) → product form factor
7. suggest_placement or pcb(place_footprint) → position components
8. autoroute(run) → FreeRouter
9. drc(run) → check
10. drc(autofix) → fix violations
11. pcb(add_zone) → GND copper pour both layers
12. export(gerber) → manufacturing files
13. export(render) → 3D views
References
| Topic | File |
|---|---|
| KiCad 9 parse quirks | kicad9-quirks.md |
| DRC fix strategies | drc-strategies.md |
| Footprint injection | footprint-injection.md |
Exit criteria
- ERC: 0 errors (warnings acceptable)
- DRC: 0 violations
- All nets routed (no unconnected)
- Gerber zip exportable
What ships with it: 3 files
4.0 KB alongside SKILL.md
references/
- drc-strategies.md1.4 KB
- footprint-injection.md2.3 KB
- kicad9-quirks.md303 B
Gives 0 of the 12 instructions most mcp tooling skills give in 924 tokens
Counted across 780 of the 1,136 authors here whose files we hold, read 2026-09-06
- Use Zod for input validationin 34 of 780, across 21 files
- Use stdio for local clientsin 27 of 780, across 10 files
- Restart Claude Code after configurationin 26 of 780, across 23 files
- Verify MCP server connection before using toolsin 23 of 780, across 17 files
- Define input schemas for every toolin 20 of 780, across 11 files
- Use Streamable HTTP for remote clientsin 18 of 780, across 8 files
- Pin SDK version in package.jsonin 17 of 780, across 6 files
- Keep server logic independent of transportin 16 of 780, across 6 files
- Verify SDK methods against official documentationin 15 of 780, across 5 files
- Format evaluation results as an XML filein 15 of 780, across 12 files
- Test servers using the MCP Inspectorin 15 of 780, across 14 files
- Create ten complex and independent evaluation questionsin 14 of 780, across 11 files
Said here and by no other author read
- Search library before using symbols or footprints
- Serialize all PCB modification operations
- Use autoroute for all trace routing
- Run DRC and audit after every change
- Use autofix for DRC violations
- Follow the standard pipeline for PCB creation
Grouped from the skills themselves: near-identical wordings counted once, and counted by distinct author, so one author publishing three of these counts once. Length counted with cl100k_base; the agent that loads this file may tokenize it differently.