Perfboard Designer — MCP server for Claude Code
An MCP server that has your AI agent lay out perfboard and stripboard circuits: it finds parts, writes the board, checks the wiring and hands back an editor link.
claude mcp add --transport http mcp https://mcp.perfboarddesigner.com/mcpWhat Perfboard Designer does
Run it locally over stdio or connect over HTTP. The agent gets a set of tools: search the part catalog, start a board of a given size, place parts and route wires, then run a check. The report catches loose leads, parts that overlap, supply rails shorted together, and on stripboard, pins joined by a strip or landing in a cut hole.
A project sits in memory under a projectId, so the agent sends the file once and then makes small edits. The file itself stays the source of truth: get_project returns it and any tool accepts a whole project instead of an id. Ask for the board as text or as a PNG, and make_share_link gives you a URL that opens it in the editor at https://perfboarddesigner.com/app/.
You need Node.js 22 or newer; npx pulls perfboard-designer-mcp on the first run. No account. Links point at the public editor unless you change PERFBOARD_EDITOR_URL. A project that fails validation will not get a share link while allowErrors is unset, so run validate_project and fix the errors first.
What it helps with
- lay out a circuit on perfboard from a plain description
- look up a part and check its pins and package
- catch shorted rails and unconnected pins before building
- get a link to the board and edit it by hand
- compare a board against an intended netlist
Example prompts for the agent
- Check the project in
projectIdand list wires with loose ends - Add a capacitor next to the chip and re-check the connections
How to install Perfboard Designer
1Platform CLI: remote server
claude mcp add --transport http mcp https://mcp.perfboarddesigner.com/mcp2Platform CLI
claude mcp add --env PERFBOARD_EDITOR_URL=<PERFBOARD_EDITOR_URL> --env PERFBOARD_PROJECTS_URL=<PERFBOARD_PROJECTS_URL> --env PERFBOARD_IMAGE_URL=<PERFBOARD_IMAGE_URL> --transport stdio mcp -- npx -y perfboard-designer-mcpReplace <…> with your own values
1Platform CLI: remote server
codex mcp add mcp --url https://mcp.perfboarddesigner.com/mcp2Platform CLI
codex mcp add mcp --env PERFBOARD_EDITOR_URL=<PERFBOARD_EDITOR_URL> --env PERFBOARD_PROJECTS_URL=<PERFBOARD_PROJECTS_URL> --env PERFBOARD_IMAGE_URL=<PERFBOARD_IMAGE_URL> -- npx -y perfboard-designer-mcpReplace <…> with your own values
Config file
{
"mcpServers": {
"mcp": {
"url": "https://mcp.perfboarddesigner.com/mcp"
}
}
}{
"mcpServers": {
"mcp": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"perfboard-designer-mcp"
],
"env": {
"PERFBOARD_EDITOR_URL": "<PERFBOARD_EDITOR_URL>",
"PERFBOARD_PROJECTS_URL": "<PERFBOARD_PROJECTS_URL>",
"PERFBOARD_IMAGE_URL": "<PERFBOARD_IMAGE_URL>"
}
}
}
}Replace <…> with your own values
Config file
{
"servers": {
"mcp": {
"type": "http",
"url": "https://mcp.perfboarddesigner.com/mcp"
}
}
}{
"servers": {
"mcp": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"perfboard-designer-mcp"
],
"env": {
"PERFBOARD_EDITOR_URL": "<PERFBOARD_EDITOR_URL>",
"PERFBOARD_PROJECTS_URL": "<PERFBOARD_PROJECTS_URL>",
"PERFBOARD_IMAGE_URL": "<PERFBOARD_IMAGE_URL>"
}
}
}
}Replace <…> with your own values
1Platform CLI: remote server
gemini mcp add -t http mcp https://mcp.perfboarddesigner.com/mcp2Platform CLI
gemini mcp add -e PERFBOARD_EDITOR_URL=<PERFBOARD_EDITOR_URL> -e PERFBOARD_PROJECTS_URL=<PERFBOARD_PROJECTS_URL> -e PERFBOARD_IMAGE_URL=<PERFBOARD_IMAGE_URL> mcp npx -y perfboard-designer-mcpReplace <…> with your own values
Step by step, with commands for each platform: How to add an MCP server to Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, VS Code, Gemini CLI and more
Questions about Perfboard Designer
How do I install Perfboard Designer in Claude Code?
Over stdio: `claude mcp add --env PERFBOARD_EDITOR_URL=<PERFBOARD_EDITOR_URL> --env PERFBOARD_PROJECTS_URL=<PERFBOARD_PROJECTS_URL> --env PERFBOARD_IMAGE_URL=<PERFBOARD_IMAGE_URL> --transport stdio mcp -- npx -y perfboard-designer-mcp. Or use the hosted endpoint: claude mcp add --transport http mcp https://mcp.perfboarddesigner.com/mcp`.
What does Perfboard Designer do?
It gives an agent tools for breadboard-style boards: a part catalog, project creation and edits, a wiring check, board rendering and a link to the editor where you can open and change the layout.
Which environment variables does it read?
PERFBOARD_EDITOR_URL sets the editor used for links. PERFBOARD_IMAGE_URL and PERFBOARD_PROJECTS_URL enable the board image and project storing in make_share_link; set them to off to drop those extras.
