ADR-0005 — KiCad IPC API Detection

Status: Accepted Date: 2026-05-18

Context

KiCad 10 exposes an API server that can support deeper board inspection in later releases.

Decision

BoardReadyOps includes a small IPC capability detector but does not make rule execution depend on the API server.

Consequences

• Current CI remains compatible with file-based fixtures.
• Future rules can add IPC queries behind explicit guards.
• The CLI does not start or manage long-running KiCad API server processes.

Alternatives Considered

• Require the API server for all KiCad 10 checks; rejected because it would make CI setup heavier.
• Omit IPC awareness entirely; rejected because support detection is a low-risk foundation for future analysis.