kicad-jlcpcb
From "I want a board that does X" to a wired .kicad_pcb EasyEDA can auto-route and JLCPCB can build — in a single Claude Code conversation.
kicad-jlcpcb is a Claude Code plugin + MCP server that automates the tedious half of going from idea to fab. It sources LCSC parts with a hard preference for JLCPCB basic-library stock, auto-fetches pin maps from EasyEDA, places KiCad-stdlib footprints, wires every net by pin name (not pad number), and hands off a .kicad_pcb that EasyEDA can route and order in two clicks.
┌─ you ──────────────────────────────────┐
│ /pcb-new An ESP32-C3 soil-moisture │
│ sensor, USB-C, 3.3V LDO... │
└────────────────┬───────────────────────┘
│
┌─────────────▼─────────────┐
│ kicad-jlcpcb MCP server │
│ • source parts (LCSC) │
│ • fetch pin maps │
│ • place + wire footprints│
│ • save .kicad_pcb │
└─────────────┬─────────────┘
│
drag into easyeda.com
│
Auto Route
│
Order via JLCPCB
Why this plugin
Three recurring friction points in small-batch PCB work, automated:
- "Is this part basic or extended on JLCPCB?" — You stop needing to cross-reference LCSC's UI. The plugin's SQLite-cached jlcparts mirror answers in milliseconds and always prefers basic-tier (no $3/part assembly setup fee).
- "What's the right pad number for this IC's
GPIO10?" — You stop reading datasheets to build netlists. The plugin queries EasyEDA by LCSC C-number, caches the pin-name → pad-number map, and lets you reference pins by their functional names.
- "Why is my auto-router failing?" — You stop fighting Freerouting on RF boards. The plugin stops at "wired
.kicad_pcb" and hands off to EasyEDA's cloud auto-router, which works on real designs.
Quick tour
- Two slash commands:
/pcb-new (from a description) and /pcb-from-bom (from a CSV).
- One agent:
part-sourcer — finds the best JLCPCB-stocked part for a generic spec.
- One skill:
kicad-jlcpcb-workflow — the full reference the LLM consults while driving the workflow.
- 13 MCP tools covering setup, sourcing, schematic, PCB generation, EasyEDA handoff, and session resume.
- Session persistence — each project writes a
.kicad_jlcpcb_session.json so /pcb-new can resume mid-flow after a Claude Code restart.
Requirements
| Component | Version | Notes |
|---|
| Python | 3.10 – 3.13 | Tested on all four |
| KiCad | 8.0+ | kicad-cli on PATH, pcbnew Python bindings for pcb_generate |
| EasyEDA account | free | Only needed for the final routing + ordering step |
Install KiCad:
- Fedora 40+:
sudo dnf install kicad
- Ubuntu 22.04+:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kicad/kicad-9.0-releases && sudo apt install kicad
- Arch:
sudo pacman -Syu kicad
- macOS: kicad.org/download
Install
Distributed via GitHub only — no PyPI, no marketplace. Clone and install locally.
1. Clone + install (virtualenv recommended)
git clone https://github.com/BeckhamLabsLLC/kicad-jlcpcb.git
cd kicad-jlcpcb
python -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate # Windows: .\.venv\Scripts\activate
pip install -e ".[dev]"
The editable install puts a kicad-jlcpcb entry-point script in the venv's bin/. .mcp.json calls that script directly; if the venv isn't active when Claude Code launches, point .mcp.json at the absolute path:
{
"mcpServers": {
"kicad-jlcpcb": {
"command": "/abs/path/to/kicad-jlcpcb/.venv/bin/kicad-jlcpcb",
"args": []
}
}
}
If you'd rather install into your user Python without a venv, substitute pip install -e . after cd kicad-jlcpcb and skip the venv lines. The entry-point lands in ~/.local/bin instead.
2. Register with Claude Code
/plugin marketplace add /abs/path/to/kicad-jlcpcb
/plugin install kicad-jlcpcb@local
Restart Claude Code so the MCP server registers.
3. Sanity check
kicad-jlcpcb --help # should print nothing (MCP servers speak JSON-RPC on stdio), exit 0
Five-minute quick-start
Pick a small idea — an ESP32-C3 board with one sensor, a USB-C port, and an LDO works well. Run:
