Silica — Claude Code MCP server: what it does, how to install
Connects AI coding agents to an EDA hardware toolchain. It automates RTL verification, simulation, and board programming while returning structured diagnostics.
claude mcp add silica-eda -- uvx silica-edaWhat Silica does
Silica acts as an MCP bridge between coding assistants and silicon design tools. Instead of pasting raw terminal logs into chat, the server parses tool outputs into structured diagnostics. The assistant receives exact file paths, line numbers, clock timing calculations, FPGA resource utilization, and counterexample waveforms from formal checks.
The server does not ship with EDA binaries. It orchestrates external tools found in PATH, such as Verilator, Icarus Verilog, Yosys, and the OSS CAD Suite. A built-in doctor command scans the machine and reports which design tools are missing.
Commercial tool support has constraints. Vivado only works through the synthesis stage, while adapters for VCS and Questa have only been tested against simulated calls rather than real installations.
What it helps with
- lint Verilog and SystemVerilog files with Verilator or Verible
- simulate digital designs and inspect waveform coverage
- run bounded model checks with SymbiYosys
- synthesize RTL with Yosys and assemble FPGA bitstreams
- program FPGA boards via openFPGALoader and monitor UART
Example prompts for the agent
- Run the UART simulation in examples/uart/ and explain any failing checks.
- Run the doctor tool to see which EDA tools are ready on this system.
- Synthesize the design using Yosys and show the logic utilization report.
How to install Silica
Platform CLI
claude mcp add silica-eda -- uvx silica-edauvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from silica-eda <command>
Platform CLI
codex mcp add silica -- uvx silica-edauvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from silica-eda <command>
Config file
{
"mcpServers": {
"silica": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": [
"silica-eda"
]
}
}
}uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from silica-eda <command>
Config file
{
"servers": {
"silica": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "uvx",
"args": [
"silica-eda"
]
}
}
}uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from silica-eda <command>
Platform CLI
gemini mcp add silica uvx silica-edauvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from silica-eda <command>
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 Silica
How to install Silica in Claude Code?
Run claude mcp add silica-eda -- uvx silica-eda in your terminal. You must have the uv tool installed beforehand to fetch the package.
What does Silica do?
It provides coding agents with structured access to hardware design tools. The server translates simulator and synthesizer outputs into structured data so agents can debug RTL autonomously.
Are EDA tools bundled with the server?
No, you must install compilers, synthesizers, and suites like OSS CAD Suite separately. Silica relies on finding those binaries in your system PATH.
