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KiCAD MCP Bot 319473b1d8 feat: Implement IPC backend for real-time UI synchronization 
Add KiCAD IPC API backend using kicad-python library for real-time
communication with KiCAD 9.0+. Changes now appear instantly in KiCAD
UI without manual reload.

Key changes:
- Implement IPCBackend and IPCBoardAPI classes for IPC communication
- Auto-detect IPC availability and fall back to SWIG when unavailable
- Route existing commands (route_trace, add_via, place_component, etc.)
  through IPC automatically when available
- Add transaction support for proper undo/redo
- Add socket path auto-detection for Linux (/tmp/kicad/api.sock)

New commands:
- get_backend_info: Check which backend is active

Supported IPC operations:
- Board: set_size, get_board_info, save
- Routing: route_trace, add_via, add_net
- Components: place, move, delete, list
- Text: add_text, add_board_text

SWIG backend is now deprecated and will be removed when KiCAD 10.0
drops SWIG support.

Requires: kicad-python>=0.5.0, KiCAD 9.0+ with IPC enabled

🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code)

Co-Authored-By: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
2025-11-30 14:33:27 -05:00

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# 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
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