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Toolset Profiles

KiCad MCP has a 377-tool expert catalog. General agents should use the bounded workflow toolsets below instead of loading the complete catalog.

integrations/common/toolsets.json is generated from the router profile source of truth (src/kicad_mcp/tools/router.py) by scripts/build_toolsets.py; each toolset resolves to a router profile (and operating mode). Do not edit it by hand — run pnpm run toolsets:build. CI enforces it never drifts (pnpm run toolsets:check) and that every listed tool is really registered.

Available Toolsets

Profile Router profile / mode Tools Use Case
default default / readonly 24 Safe general-agent review
review review / readonly 24 DRC/ERC/DFM and visual review
build build / write 24 Plan/apply/verify/rollback workflows
release release / manufacturing 24 Human-gated manufacturing handoff
expert expert / experimental 377 Complete trusted-client catalog
readonly review / readonly 24 Backward-compatible review alias
schematic schematic / experimental 213 Schematic design, library, export
pcb_layout pcb_only / experimental 120 PCB layout and routing
manufacturing manufacturing / experimental 124 Broad manufacturing surface
simulation simulation / experimental 187 SPICE simulation
high_speed high_speed / experimental 310 High-speed design review
full_write expert / experimental 377 Backward-compatible expert alias

Counts are generated from toolsets.json. The default/review/build/release surfaces are also checked by pnpm run profiles:check; see Progressive-Disclosure Profiles.

Using Toolsets

Codex CLI

[mcp_servers.kicad]
enabled_tools = ["kicad_get_project_info", "project_quality_gate", "run_erc", "run_drc"]

Gemini CLI

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "kicad": {
      "includeTools": ["kicad_get_project_info", "project_quality_gate"]
    }
  }
}

OpenCode

{
  "agent": {
    "pcb-review": {
      "tools": { "kicad_*": true }
    }
  }
}

VS Code

{
  "sandbox": {
    "filesystem": { "allowWrite": ["${workspaceFolder}"] }
  }
}

Why Use Toolsets?

  • Reduces context token usage by MCP server tool registration
  • Prevents accidental destructive operations
  • Keeps agent focused on the task at hand
  • Improves discovery latency (fewer tools to list)

References

  • integrations/common/toolsets.json — machine-readable toolset definitions
  • integrations/common/profiles.md — deployment profiles