What is PCB Parts MCP?
PCB Parts MCP, an independent project by the GitHub user Averyy, gives an MCP client component data for building circuit boards. It runs a parametric search over more than 630,000 in-stock JLCPCB parts, checks live price and stock on JLCPCB, Mouser and DigiKey, finds compatible alternatives, and returns pinouts, datasheets, EasyEDA footprints and KiCad symbols. It also searches about 300 open-source reference boards, more than 1,600 sensors and 41 design-rule files.
A hosted endpoint at pcbparts.dev needs no account or API key, and the MIT-licensed Python code can be self-hosted. It has about 142 GitHub stars, started in January 2026, and released 0.8.20 on 6 November 2026.
How to install PCB Parts MCP
https://pcbparts.dev/mcpIs PCB Parts MCP worth it?
PCB Parts MCP solves the dull half of board design: finding a part that fits, is in stock and will not add an assembly fee. Its 14 tools turn plain requests such as a 10k 0603 1% resistor or a logic-level MOSFET with Vgs(th) under 2 V into spec filters over a daily snapshot of JLCPCB parts with at least 10 in stock. Basic and preferred parts, which carry no JLCPCB assembly fee, rank first; extended parts cost $3 each per unique part. Alternatives are checked against compatibility rules for more than 120 part types, and live checks reach the rest of JLCPCB's catalogue of more than 7 million parts.
The reference-board search is what sets it apart from a catalogue lookup. Asking how real designs use an RP2040 returns how about 300 open-source boards decouple and clock it, which is closer to what an engineer actually wants than a datasheet table. The design-rule files cover power, protection, interfaces, layout and EMC.
The changelog shows why those rules need care. Release 0.8.20 fixed microstrip and stripline delay figures that were 10 times too large and an IPC-2221 clearance figure that was 10 times off, and narrowed rules that had been stated as universal. The project is in 0.x, where a minor release can change replies, and new versions land several times a day.
The hosted service is generous but fragile. Every user shares one Mouser key and one DigiKey app, each capped at 1,000 requests a day; the health page showed 892 DigiKey requests used on 6 November. Each IP gets 100 requests a minute. The README says usage statistics keep no IPs, queries or part numbers, but pcbparts.dev publishes no privacy policy, terms or uptime commitment. Self-hosting with your own keys removes the shared quota; the Docker setup binds to 127.0.0.1:8080 and checks Host headers against DNS rebinding.
Where it earns its place
A maker ordering 10 assembled boards from JLCPCB
Keep the bill of materials to parts with no assembly fee
Ask for each part with library_type set to no_fee, then use jlc_find_alternatives for anything extended. Each extended part avoided saves $3 per unique part on the order.
A firmware engineer at a four-person hardware start-up
Check how other boards wire an unfamiliar microcontroller
Run board_search for the IC to see decoupling, crystal and pull-up choices across open-source boards, then pull the KiCad symbol and footprint with cse_get_kicad. Confirm against the datasheet.
A purchasing lead at a small electronics firm
Compare stock and price for a part across three distributors
Self-host with your own Mouser and DigiKey keys so the shared 1,000-a-day quota does not apply, then check JLCPCB, Mouser and DigiKey in one request each.
Before you commit
- Setup
- Hosted: claude mcp add -s user --transport http pcbparts https://pcbparts.dev/mcp, or the same URL in Claude Desktop, Cursor or VS Code. Self-hosted: clone, uv pip install -e ., run the server; the parts database builds on first run.
- Integrations
- JLCPCB, EasyEDA, Mouser, DigiKey and SamacSys ComponentSearchEngine. Streamable HTTP; stdio clients connect through mcp-remote.
- Data and privacy
- Part queries go to pcbparts.dev and, for live checks, to the distributors. The README says usage statistics keep no IPs, queries or part numbers; the site publishes no privacy policy. Self-hosted Docker binds to 127.0.0.1:8080 with Host-header checks.
- Cost at scale
- Free. Heavy users should self-host with their own free Mouser and DigiKey API keys; KiCad downloads need a SamacSys account when self-hosted.
- Limits
- 100 requests a minute per IP; shared 1,000-a-day Mouser and DigiKey quotas on the hosted server; search covers parts with at least 10 in stock from a daily snapshot. Spec figures are JLCPCB's listings.
What’s good
- Parametric search over 630,000+ in-stock JLCPCB parts
- Live stock and price on JLCPCB, Mouser and DigiKey
- Reference boards show how real designs use an IC
- Hosted endpoint needs no account or key
What’s not
- Shared 1,000-a-day Mouser and DigiKey quotas on the hosted server
- Design rules recently corrected by a factor of 10
- No privacy policy, terms or uptime commitment
- 0.x releases can change replies
Best for
Hobbyists and small hardware teams ordering assembled boards from JLCPCB who want an agent to shortlist in-stock parts, footprints and reference circuits.
PCB Parts MCP alternatives
PCB Parts MCP: common questions
- Is PCB Parts MCP worth it?
- A genuinely useful parts-picking companion for JLCPCB builds, provided you remember it is one person's free service and check every datasheet yourself. We rate it 3.8 out of 5.
- How much does PCB Parts MCP cost?
- Free hosted endpoint with no key; MIT code to self-host. JLCPCB charges $3 per unique extended part at assembly, which the search can avoid.
- What are the downsides of PCB Parts MCP?
- Shared 1,000-a-day Mouser and DigiKey quotas on the hosted server; design rules recently corrected by a factor of 10; no privacy policy, terms or uptime commitment; 0.x releases can change replies.
- Who is PCB Parts MCP best for?
- Hobbyists and small hardware teams ordering assembled boards from JLCPCB who want an agent to shortlist in-stock parts, footprints and reference circuits.
- How much does PCB Parts MCP cost for a team or in production?
- Free. Heavy users should self-host with their own free Mouser and DigiKey API keys; KiCad downloads need a SamacSys account when self-hosted.
- Is PCB Parts MCP safe for company data?
- Part queries go to pcbparts.dev and, for live checks, to the distributors. The README says usage statistics keep no IPs, queries or part numbers; the site publishes no privacy policy. Self-hosted Docker binds to 127.0.0.1:8080 with Host-header checks.
- What are the best PCB Parts MCP alternatives?
- The closest alternatives we have reviewed are KiCAD MCP Server.
Answers checked Nov 6, 2026.