7d50fa1d4c
Add Prettier as a dev dependency with .prettierrc.json config and .prettierignore. Hook added via mirrors-prettier in pre-commit config. All TypeScript, JSON, Markdown, and YAML files auto-formatted. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
198 lines
4.8 KiB
Markdown
198 lines
4.8 KiB
Markdown
# Router Quick Start Guide
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## What is the Router?
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The KiCAD MCP Server includes an intelligent tool router that organizes 122+ tools into 8 discoverable categories. This reduces AI context usage by up to 70% while maintaining full access to all functionality.
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## How It Works
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Instead of loading all 59 tool schemas into every conversation, Claude now sees:
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- **12 direct tools** for high-frequency operations (always visible)
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- **4 router tools** for discovering and executing the other 47 tools
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When you ask Claude to do something (like "export gerber files"), it will:
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1. Search for relevant tools using `search_tools`
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2. Find the `export_gerber` tool in the "export" category
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3. Execute it via `execute_tool` with your parameters
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4. Return the results
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**You don't need to change how you interact with Claude** - the discovery happens automatically!
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## Tool Categories
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The 110+ routed tools are organized into these categories:
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### 1. board (9 tools)
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Board configuration: layers, mounting holes, zones, visualization
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- add_layer, set_active_layer, get_layer_list
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- add_mounting_hole, add_board_text
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- add_zone, get_board_extents, get_board_2d_view
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- launch_kicad_ui
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### 2. component (8 tools)
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Advanced component operations: edit, delete, search, group, annotate
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- rotate_component, delete_component, edit_component
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- find_component, get_component_properties
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- add_component_annotation, group_components, replace_component
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### 3. export (8 tools)
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File export for fabrication and documentation
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- export_gerber, export_pdf, export_svg, export_3d
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- export_bom, export_netlist, export_position_file, export_vrml
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### 4. drc (8 tools)
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Design rule checking and electrical validation
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- set_design_rules, get_design_rules, run_drc
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- add_net_class, assign_net_to_class, set_layer_constraints
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- check_clearance, get_drc_violations
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### 5. schematic (8 tools)
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Schematic operations: create, add components, wire connections
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- create_schematic, add_schematic_component, add_wire
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- add_schematic_connection, add_schematic_net_label
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- connect_to_net, get_net_connections, generate_netlist
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### 6. library (4 tools)
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Footprint library access and search
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- list_libraries, search_footprints
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- list_library_footprints, get_footprint_info
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### 7. routing (2 tools)
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Advanced routing operations
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- add_via, add_copper_pour
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## Direct Tools (Always Available)
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These 12 tools are always visible for common operations:
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**Project Lifecycle:**
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- create_project, open_project, save_project, get_project_info
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**Core PCB Operations:**
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- place_component, move_component
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- add_net, route_trace
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- get_board_info, set_board_size
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- add_board_outline
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**UI Management:**
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- check_kicad_ui
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## Router Tools
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### list_tool_categories
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Browse all available tool categories.
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**Example:**
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```
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Claude, what tool categories are available?
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```
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### get_category_tools
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View all tools in a specific category.
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**Example:**
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```
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Show me all export tools available.
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```
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### search_tools
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Find tools by keyword.
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**Example:**
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```
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Search for tools related to "gerber" or "mounting holes"
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```
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### execute_tool
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Execute any routed tool with parameters.
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**Example:**
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```
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Execute the export_gerber tool with outputDir set to ./fabrication
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```
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## Usage Examples
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### Natural Interaction (Recommended)
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Just ask Claude what you want - it handles discovery automatically:
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```
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"Export gerber files to ./output"
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"Add a mounting hole at x=10, y=10"
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"Run a design rule check"
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"Create a copper pour on the ground layer"
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```
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### Manual Discovery (Optional)
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You can also browse tools explicitly:
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```
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"List all tool categories"
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"What export tools are available?"
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"Search for DRC tools"
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```
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## Benefits
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1. **Reduced Context Usage**: 70% less AI context consumed per conversation
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2. **Organized Tools**: Logical categorization makes tools easy to find
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3. **Seamless Experience**: Works transparently - no changes to how you interact
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4. **Extensible**: Easy to add new tools and categories
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5. **Backwards Compatible**: All existing tools still work
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## Technical Details
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- **Registry**: `src/tools/registry.ts` - Tool categorization and lookup
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- **Router**: `src/tools/router.ts` - Discovery and execution implementation
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- **Server Integration**: `src/server.ts` - Router tools registered at startup
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For implementation details, see:
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- [ROUTER_ARCHITECTURE.md](ROUTER_ARCHITECTURE.md) - Design specification
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- [ROUTER_IMPLEMENTATION_STATUS.md](ROUTER_IMPLEMENTATION_STATUS.md) - Current status
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- [TOOL_INVENTORY.md](TOOL_INVENTORY.md) - Complete tool catalog
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## Token Savings
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**Before Router:**
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- 122 tools × ~700 tokens each = ~85K tokens per conversation
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**After Router (Current):**
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- 12 direct tools + 4 router tools = 16 tools visible
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- Routed tools discovered on-demand
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- ~12-15K tokens per conversation
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- **~80% reduction** in context usage
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The router pattern is complete and functional, providing efficient tool discovery while maintaining full access to all 122+ tools.
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