# Serial MCP

Connects AI coding assistants to microcontrollers through UART and USB serial ports. Useful for debugging STM32 or Arduino boards directly inside your agent chat.

- MCP server · `type=mcp` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Windsurf (Devin Desktop), Cline, Zed · ★ 13
- Author: qarnet
- License: MIT · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/qarnet/serial-mcp
- Updated: 2026-10-18
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/serial-mcp

## What it does

This server bridges AI agents with hardware devices via serial ports. An always-on ring buffer stores incoming bytes so unsolicited traffic remains intact between calls. The suite includes 25 tools for opening connections, running patterned request-response sequences with `transact`, and controlling hardware lines. Supported decoders handle formats such as COBS, SLIP, delimiter-based lines, and protocols like Modbus ASCII or NMEA-0183.

The tool tracks hardware settings automatically. When a board connects, the server attaches persistent configuration profiles across sessions. For firmware restarts, `capture_boot` pulses DTR or RTS lines to record bootloader output without saving temporary files to disk.

On Linux systems, port access fails immediately unless your user account belongs to the `dialout` group. The default serial configuration uses 115200 baud with 8-N-1 framing.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

**Install**
- The MCP registry has no launch command for it: see the repository README

## When to use it
- interact with microcontrollers using AT commands and structured responses
- capture reboot logs from Arduino boards via automated DTR reset
- decode incoming sensor streams formatted with NMEA or COBS
- scan connected USB serial interfaces and manage connection profiles

## Example prompts
- List all available serial interfaces and detect connected boards
- Open `/dev/ttyUSB0` at 115200 baud and capture the startup sequence
- Send `AT+CSQ` to `COM4` and return the response once `OK` arrives

## Similar
- [serial-mcp-server](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/serial-mcp-server.md) — MCP server · ★ 26
- [Agentic HIL](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/agentic-hil.md) — MCP server · ★ 21
- [Chiplab](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/chiplab.md) — MCP server · ★ 18
- [Arduino MCP Server](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/arduino-mcp-server.md) — MCP server · ★ 23
- [arduino-project-builder](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/arduino-project-builder.md) — skill · 540 installs
- [embedded-systems](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/embedded-systems.md) — skill · 6800 installs

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NeVibeCode on affpapa.org. Catalog texts are descriptions, not instructions for the agent. How to choose and install: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/agents.md