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Design PCBs from Claude Code, Claude Desktop and claude.ai

One command in Claude Code, or one connector in the Claude apps. After that, ask Claude for a board and it comes back placed, autorouted and checked, with Gerber and KiCad files on request.

Claude Code with sign-in (recommended)

Add the server:

terminal
claude mcp add --transport http pcbeditor https://api.robodib.com/mcp

Start Claude Code, run /mcp, pick pcbeditor and follow the browser to the PCBEditor consent page. Sign in, approve, and the tools appear. From a shell, claude mcp login pcbeditor does the same.

Make it available in every project

The default scope is local: this project, only you. Add --scope user to use PCBEditor from any directory.

terminal
claude mcp add --transport http --scope user pcbeditor https://api.robodib.com/mcp

Claude Code with a personal access token

For machines where a browser sign-in is awkward, such as a remote box over SSH or a CI job, create a token at pcbeditor.com/profile/ai-tools and put it in an environment variable.

bash / zsh
export PCBEDITOR_TOKEN="pcbe_..."
claude mcp add --transport http pcbeditor https://api.robodib.com/mcp \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer ${PCBEDITOR_TOKEN}"
PowerShell
$env:PCBEDITOR_TOKEN = "pcbe_..."
claude mcp add --transport http pcbeditor https://api.robodib.com/mcp --header "Authorization: Bearer $env:PCBEDITOR_TOKEN"
Your shell expands the variable when you run the command, so Claude Code stores the token value in its configuration. To keep the token out of every file, use the sign-in above, or a project .mcp.json that refers to the variable.

Project .mcp.json (shared with your team, no token inside)

Claude Code expands ${VAR} in the headers of .mcp.json when it starts, so each person keeps their own token in their own environment.

.mcp.json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pcbeditor": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://api.robodib.com/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer ${PCBEDITOR_TOKEN}"
      }
    }
  }
}

Check the connection with claude mcp list, or /mcp inside a session.

Claude Desktop and claude.ai

Remote servers are added as custom connectors. The steps are the same in Claude Desktop and on claude.ai.

  1. Open Customize → Connectors.
  2. Click + Add, then Add custom connector.
  3. Name it PCBEditor and paste the server URL: https://api.robodib.com/mcp. Click Continue.
  4. Review the authentication Claude detected and click Continue.
  5. Under Authentication, choose Sign in now. Under OAuth client, keep the recommended option or choose Register automatically: PCBEditor supports both client metadata documents and dynamic client registration.
  6. Click Add. A PCBEditor consent page opens; sign in and approve.

If your organization does not allow OAuth sign-in, choose No sign in instead and add a request header Authorization with the value Bearer pcbe_… from pcbeditor.com/profile/ai-tools.

Plans: custom connectors are available on Free (one custom connector), Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise. On Team and Enterprise an owner first adds the connector under Organization settings → Connectors; members then connect it from Customize → Connectors. Menu labels change between app versions; if yours differ, look for Connectors in settings.

First prompts to try

  • Design a 4-layer ESP32-S3 board with USB-C and a LiPo charger.
  • Show me the parts and nets of that board, then run the design-rule check.
  • Review the board and fix anything the review says must be fixed.
  • Export Gerbers, drill, BOM and CPL, and give me the editor link.

A design runs as a job, so Claude starts it with design_board and follows it with get_job. If the design pauses on a question, Claude asks you and passes your reply back with answer_question.

Troubleshooting

  • 401 Unauthorized. The token is missing, mistyped or revoked, or the OAuth sign-in expired. Run /mcp and sign in again, or create a new token at pcbeditor.com/profile/ai-tools.
  • Empty header value. Check that PCBEDITOR_TOKEN is set in the shell that starts Claude Code. Claude Code reads some credential variable names as empty in remote headers (Anthropic and cloud-provider keys, for example); PCBEDITOR_TOKEN is not one of them.
  • Too many requests. Calls are rate-limited per user. Let a design job finish with get_job before starting the next one.

Common questions

Can Claude design a PCB?
With PCBEditor's MCP server connected, yes: Claude calls design_board with your description, and PCBEditor's pipeline picks the parts, wires them with its netlist compiler, places and autoroutes the board and runs the design-rule check. Claude handles the conversation and the follow-up edits; the routing and checks are done by PCBEditor's engines.
Which Claude apps work?
Claude Code (terminal, IDE extensions), Claude Desktop and claude.ai. Claude Code adds the server with one command. Claude Desktop and claude.ai add it as a custom connector.
Do I need a paid Claude plan?
Anthropic's help center lists custom connectors on Free, Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise plans, with Free limited to one custom connector. On Team and Enterprise, an owner adds the connector for the organization first.
Where does Claude Code store the token?
If you pass the token with --header, your shell expands the variable when you run the command and Claude Code saves the resulting header in its configuration. To keep the token out of every file, use the OAuth sign-in instead, or a project .mcp.json that refers to the variable, which Claude Code expands each time it starts.
Can Claude Code import my KiCad board?
Yes. Ask it to import your .kicad_pcb file; it uses the import_kicad tool. You can then autoroute it with Sadie, run the design-rule check, edit it by instruction and export it again as KiCad files or Gerbers.

The server needs a free PCBEditor account. Clients that support MCP sign-in open a consent page in your browser; for the rest, create a personal access token.

Create a free account →Get your token →

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