JLCPCB MCP Parts Finder

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for searching the JLCPCB electronic components database in Claude.

Quick Start

1. Install the package:

   npm install -g jlcpcb-mcp-parts-finder

2. Download the database (see Database Setup section below)

3. Add to Claude:

   claude mcp add jlcpcb-mcp-parts-finder "npx jlcpcb-mcp-parts-finder"

4. Restart Claude Code completely

Installation

Option 1: Install from npm (Recommended)

npm install -g jlcpcb-mcp-parts-finder

Option 2: Install from source

git clone https://github.com/takazudo/jlcpcb-parts-find-mcp.git
cd jlcpcb-parts-find-mcp
npm install
npm run build
npm link

Database Setup

The server requires the JLCPCB database file (cache.sqlite3, ~11GB).

Download the database

1. Visit https://yaqwsx.github.io/jlcparts/
2. Download all database parts:
   • cache.zip
   • cache.z01 through cache.z18
3. Combine and extract:

   # Combine all parts
   cat cache.z* > cache_combined.zip
      
   # Extract the database
   unzip cache_combined.zip
      
   # Install to default location
   mkdir -p ~/.jlcpcb-mcp
   mv cache.sqlite3 ~/.jlcpcb-mcp/

The database will be placed at ~/.jlcpcb-mcp/cache.sqlite3.

Claude Configuration

After installing, add the MCP server to Claude:

For npm installation:

claude mcp add jlcpcb-mcp-parts-finder "npx jlcpcb-mcp-parts-finder"

For source installation:

claude mcp add jlcpcb-mcp-parts-finder "node /path/to/jlcpcb-parts-find-mcp/dist/index.js"

Important: After adding the MCP server, you must completely restart Claude Code for the tools to become available.

Troubleshooting

MCP tools not showing up in Claude

If the JLCPCB MCP tools don't appear after installation:

1. Verify installation:

   # Check if MCP is listed
   claude mcp list
      
   # Should show:
   # jlcpcb-mcp-parts-finder: npx jlcpcb-mcp-parts-finder

2. If not listed, add it again:

   claude mcp add jlcpcb-mcp-parts-finder "npx jlcpcb-mcp-parts-finder"

3. Restart Claude Code completely:

   • Close all Claude Code windows
   • Wait a few seconds
   • Start Claude Code fresh

4. Verify database exists:

   ls ~/.jlcpcb-mcp/cache.sqlite3

5. Test the server directly:

   npx jlcpcb-mcp-parts-finder
   # Should output: "JLCPCB MCP server started"
   # Press Ctrl+C to stop

Note: Sometimes it takes a few minutes for new MCP servers to be recognized by Claude. If the tools still don't appear, try creating a new conversation.

Usage

Once configured, you can use these commands in Claude:

List all component categories

Use mcp__jlcpcb-mcp-parts-finder__list_categories to find category IDs

Search for parts

Use mcp__jlcpcb-mcp-parts-finder__search_parts with:
- category_id: 512 (for PMIC/Regulators)
- keyword: "12V"
- limit: 10

Available Tools

search_parts

Search for components by category and keyword.

Parameters:

• category_id (number, required) - Category ID from list_categories
• keyword (string, optional) - Search term
• limit (number, optional) - Max results (default: 20)

list_categories

List all available component categories with their IDs.

Examples

Find voltage regulators

1. First, list categories to find the regulator category ID
2. Search for specific parts:

   category_id: 512
   keyword: "LM7812"
   limit: 5

Find audio connectors

category_id: 208
keyword: "3.5mm"
limit: 10

Troubleshooting

Tools not appearing in Claude

• Make sure to restart Claude Code completely (not just create a new session)
• Verify the MCP is configured: claude mcp list
• Check if the server responds: echo '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"tools/list","params":{}}' | npx jlcpcb-mcp-parts-finder

Database not found

• Ensure the database is at ~/.jlcpcb-mcp/cache.sqlite3
• Check file permissions
• Set custom path with: export JLCPCB_DB_PATH=/your/path/cache.sqlite3

No search results

• Use list_categories first to find the correct category_id
• Try broader keywords
• Some categories may have limited parts

License

MIT