Autonomous PCB design (eda-agent)
Drive a full spec-to-board design by looping the server-side state machine.
The server owns sequencing, gates, and durable state, so you never memorize
the workflow: you call design_next_action, do what it says, log the
result, and repeat. A weaker model produces a plainer board, never a broken
pipeline, because the integrity lives server-side.
Before you start
- Confirm the editor is actually answering, with
app_ping on Altium or
easyeda_ping on EasyEDA. Ping, not app_get_status: status reports
that the process exists and that something once called attach, and
neither of those proves the bridge replies. If it does not answer, tell
the user how to start it; don't guess.
- Read
design_get_discipline once: the hard rules and the DesignPlan
schema. Or call design_autonomy_guide for the full protocol + the 13
stages with their tools and exit gates.
The loop
design_session_start(requirement) opens the durable journal. Keep the
returned session_id; every later call takes it.- If a project is open or will be modified, checkpoint first so the whole
run is revertible in one step:
app_checkpoint("before autonomous run")
on Altium, easyeda_checkpoint on EasyEDA.
- Loop:
design_next_action(session_id) and act on status:
- proceed / retry: do the stage using its
suggested_tools until the
exit_gate is met, then
design_session_log(event="stage_result", stage=<stage>, status="ok").
If you cannot finish without the user, log status="blocked" with a
question and stop.
- blocked: put
open_question to the user; when answered,
design_session_log(event="resolved", text=<answer>) and continue.
- complete: the 13 stages are done; review outputs with the user.
- Checkpoint again before each high-risk mutating stage:
sch_to_pcb,
routing, pours_tuning.
- Long engine runs (routing a dense board) can exceed the tool timeout;
start them with
design_job_start and poll design_job_status /
design_job_result.
Bounded retries: a stage that fails 3 times escalates to a human question
automatically. Don't loop past it; surface it.
Resuming
A run survives context loss. In a fresh session, call
design_session_resume(session_id) (or design_next_action) and pick up
from recorded state: the journal, not the chat history, is the source of
truth.
Hard constraints (non-negotiable)
- Datasheet-first: every device fact fetched and cited from the
manufacturer datasheet; never fabricated. Use WebSearch/WebFetch.
- NDA isolation: never mine or reference other client designs.
- No third-party routing engines or account-gated APIs in the design
loop: the in-house router is the only routing engine.
- Verify render-and-look, not by score alone; the visual rubric is the
shipping bar.
- No unverifiable safety tables: ship only sourced/verified values.
Discovering tools
The surface is 350+ tools. Use tool_catalog(category=, maturity=, interaction=, query=) to find the right one without loading every schema;
interaction="modal" and "partial" flag tools that need a human or leave
work incomplete. Run a discovered tool by name with tool_invoke.
1---2name: autodesign3description: Drive an autonomous spec-to-board PCB design with the eda-agent MCP server (Altium Designer or EasyEDA Pro). Apply when the user asks to design a board/schematic from a requirement, wants an end-to-end autonomous design run, or mentions the design harness, design_next_action, design sessions, or spec-to-board. Requires the eda-agent MCP server connected to a running Altium Designer or EasyEDA Pro; the KiCad backend does not register the design harness.4---56# Autonomous PCB design (eda-agent)78Drive a full spec-to-board design by looping the server-side state machine.9The server owns sequencing, gates, and durable state, so you never memorize10the workflow: you call `design_next_action`, do what it says, log the11result, and repeat. A weaker model produces a plainer board, never a broken12pipeline, because the integrity lives server-side.1314## Before you start1516- Confirm the editor is actually answering, with `app_ping` on Altium or17 `easyeda_ping` on EasyEDA. Ping, not `app_get_status`: status reports18 that the process exists and that something once called attach, and19 neither of those proves the bridge replies. If it does not answer, tell20 the user how to start it; don't guess.21- Read `design_get_discipline` once: the hard rules and the DesignPlan22 schema. Or call `design_autonomy_guide` for the full protocol + the 1323 stages with their tools and exit gates.2425## The loop26271. `design_session_start(requirement)` opens the durable journal. Keep the28 returned `session_id`; every later call takes it.292. If a project is open or will be modified, checkpoint first so the whole30 run is revertible in one step: `app_checkpoint("before autonomous run")`31 on Altium, `easyeda_checkpoint` on EasyEDA.323. Loop: `design_next_action(session_id)` and act on `status`:33 - **proceed / retry**: do the stage using its `suggested_tools` until the34 `exit_gate` is met, then35 `design_session_log(event="stage_result", stage=<stage>, status="ok")`.36 If you cannot finish without the user, log `status="blocked"` with a37 question and stop.38 - **blocked**: put `open_question` to the user; when answered,39 `design_session_log(event="resolved", text=<answer>)` and continue.40 - **complete**: the 13 stages are done; review outputs with the user.414. Checkpoint again before each high-risk mutating stage: `sch_to_pcb`,42 `routing`, `pours_tuning`.435. Long engine runs (routing a dense board) can exceed the tool timeout;44 start them with `design_job_start` and poll `design_job_status` /45 `design_job_result`.4647Bounded retries: a stage that fails 3 times escalates to a human question48automatically. Don't loop past it; surface it.4950## Resuming5152A run survives context loss. In a fresh session, call53`design_session_resume(session_id)` (or `design_next_action`) and pick up54from recorded state: the journal, not the chat history, is the source of55truth.5657## Hard constraints (non-negotiable)5859- **Datasheet-first**: every device fact fetched and cited from the60 manufacturer datasheet; never fabricated. Use WebSearch/WebFetch.61- **NDA isolation**: never mine or reference other client designs.62- **No third-party routing engines or account-gated APIs** in the design63 loop: the in-house router is the only routing engine.64- **Verify render-and-look**, not by score alone; the visual rubric is the65 shipping bar.66- **No unverifiable safety tables**: ship only sourced/verified values.6768## Discovering tools6970The surface is 350+ tools. Use `tool_catalog(category=, maturity=,71interaction=, query=)` to find the right one without loading every schema;72`interaction="modal"` and `"partial"` flag tools that need a human or leave73work incomplete. Run a discovered tool by name with `tool_invoke`.
salitronic