Trace CLI — MCP Server

Trace speaks Model Context Protocol two ways, so any MCP-compatible AI client (Cursor, Claude Desktop, and others) can use Trace’s EDA capabilities as tools:

Hosted MCP (remote, one-click) — connect to https://mcp.buildwithtrace.com/mcp and sign in with OAuth. Nothing to install. Best for asking questions, running checks, searching parts, and generating symbols/footprints.
Local MCP (stdio) — run buildwithtrace mcp serve on your machine, scoped to a project directory. Best when the AI needs to read your local design files.

Hosted MCP (remote) — recommended

The fastest way to connect: point your client at the hosted endpoint and authenticate in the browser. No CLI, no Python, no local process.

https://mcp.buildwithtrace.com/mcp

In Cursor, add it as a remote MCP server (Settings → MCP → Add new MCP server, or use the one-click “Add MCP” buttons in these docs). On first use, Cursor opens a browser popup to sign in to your Trace account (OAuth 2.1 with PKCE) — once you authorize, the connection is saved and Trace’s tools appear in your tool list. Any MCP client that supports remote servers + OAuth works the same way.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "trace": {
      "url": "https://mcp.buildwithtrace.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Hosted MCP requires a Trace account (free tier available) and authorizes via your browser — there’s no token to copy or paste. It exposes the chat-backed tools (ERC/DRC, design review, ask, part search, symbol/footprint generation, DFM). To give the AI access to your local design files, use the local stdio server below.

Local MCP (stdio)

The Trace CLI also ships an MCP server you run yourself, scoped to a project on your machine.

The local MCP server requires you to be authenticated (buildwithtrace auth login) because most tools call the Trace backend. It runs over stdio and is meant to be launched by your MCP client, not run by hand.

One-step setup: the Trace agent plugin

The fastest way to give a coding agent (Cursor, Claude, Codex) deep Trace knowledge and wire up the MCP server is the Trace plugin:

npx plugins add buildwithtrace/trace-plugin

It installs a set of skills that teach your agent about Trace — platform overview, schematic design, PCB layout, component search, symbol/footprint generation, design review, manufacturing, the buildwithtrace CLI, file formats (.kicad_sch/.kicad_pcb), signal tracing, and the MCP tools — and connects your editor to the MCP server described below. Requirements: the buildwithtrace CLI (pip install buildwithtrace) and a Trace account (free tier available).

Prefer just the raw MCP tools without the skills? Skip the plugin and use the manual configuration below.

Start the server

buildwithtrace mcp serve --project /path/to/board

Option	Description
`--project`, `-p <dir>`	Scope the server to a project directory

Available tools

List the tools the server exposes:

buildwithtrace mcp tools

The server registers 12 tools:

Tool	Purpose
`get_project_info`	Project metadata and file overview
`list_project_files`	Enumerate design files in the project
`read_schematic`	Read schematic contents
`search_in_files`	Search across project files
`get_erc_violations`	Run/return Electrical Rule Check results
`get_drc_violations`	Run/return Design Rule Check results
`review_design`	AI design review
`ask_question`	Ask a question about the design
`search_parts`	Component search via distributors (Nexar aggregates DigiKey + Mouser)
`generate_symbol`	Generate a KiCad symbol
`generate_footprint`	Generate a KiCad footprint
`check_dfm`	Design-for-manufacturing checks

Prompt templates

The server also registers 4 reusable prompts your MCP client can surface as one-click workflows:

Prompt	What it kicks off
`review_design_prompt`	Full design review (DFM, SI, thermal, power)
`select_components_prompt`	Component selection with availability + cost
`check_before_fab_prompt`	Pre-fab gate: ERC, DRC, BOM validation, DFM
`optimize_layout_prompt`	Placement/routing improvement suggestions

Connect from Cursor

Add Trace to your MCP configuration (~/.cursor/mcp.json or the project’s .cursor/mcp.json):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "trace": {
      "command": "buildwithtrace",
      "args": ["mcp", "serve", "--project", "/path/to/board"]
    }
  }
}

Connect from Claude Desktop

Add it to claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "trace": {
      "command": "buildwithtrace",
      "args": ["mcp", "serve", "--project", "/path/to/board"]
    }
  }
}

After saving, restart the client. Trace’s tools will appear in the client’s tool list, and the assistant can read your schematic, run ERC/DRC, search parts, and generate symbols/footprints — all against the scoped project.

Make sure buildwithtrace is on the PATH your MCP client sees. If your client launches with a minimal environment, use the absolute path to the buildwithtrace binary in command (find it with which buildwithtrace).

MCP servers as Trace’s plugin system

Trace treats MCP as its plugin model in both directions:

Trace as a server (this page) — other AI clients consume Trace’s EDA tools, either via the trace-plugin (skills + MCP) or the manual config above.
Trace as a client — the desktop app and backend can consume external MCP servers to extend what the AI can do.

There’s no separate plugin format to learn: if it speaks MCP, it works with Trace.

Command Line (CLI)

Partner API

Reference

Platforms

Help

MCP Server

Hosted MCP (remote) — recommended

Local MCP (stdio)

One-step setup: the Trace agent plugin

Start the server

Available tools

Prompt templates

Connect from Cursor

Connect from Claude Desktop

MCP servers as Trace’s plugin system

​Hosted MCP (remote) — recommended

​Local MCP (stdio)

​One-step setup: the Trace agent plugin

​Start the server

​Available tools

​Prompt templates

​Connect from Cursor

​Connect from Claude Desktop

​MCP servers as Trace’s plugin system

Hosted MCP (remote) — recommended

Local MCP (stdio)

One-step setup: the Trace agent plugin

Start the server

Available tools

Prompt templates

Connect from Cursor

Connect from Claude Desktop

MCP servers as Trace’s plugin system