find_component

Search for a PCB component by reference designator or value and return its position and properties.

SERVERKiCAD-MCP-Server SOURCEmixelpixx/kicad-mcp-server

Low RISK CLASS

Category Read

Parameters 00 required

Recommended Allowedsee the rule below

Registry record Grade F, identity unverified Pull the record →

This record as markdown: /tools/mixelpixx-kicad-mcp-server/find-component.md

WHAT IT DOES

What find_component does on KiCAD-MCP-Server

AI agents call find_component to retrieve information from KiCAD-MCP-Server without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.

RISK

Why find_component is rated Low

This tool retrieves information about components (their position and properties) without creating, modifying, deleting, or executing any operations. It is a read-only search function typical of data retrieval operations.

From the tool's definition Tool name 'find_component' and description states it 'Search for a PCB component' and 'return its position and properties' — purely a query/search operation with no modification.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

RECOMMENDED RULE

The rule that runs find_component safely

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and KiCAD-MCP-Server, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For find_component, this is the rule to start with:

find_component Allowed

find_component is read-only, so it stays allowed. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

View as policy code

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "find_component": {}
  }
}

ALLOW ONLY THIS TOOL → Instant setup, no code required.

The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect KiCAD-MCP-Server, apply this rule, and every find_component call is checked against it from then on.

FAQ

Questions about find_component

What does the find_component tool do? +

Search for a PCB component by reference designator or value and return its position and properties. It is categorised as a Read tool in the KiCAD-MCP-Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on find_component? +

Register the KiCAD-MCP-Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for find_component: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches KiCAD-MCP-Server. Nothing to install.

What risk level is find_component? +

find_component is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.

Can I rate-limit find_component? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the find_component rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.

How do I block find_component completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for find_component. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.

What MCP server provides find_component? +

find_component is provided by the KiCAD-MCP-Server MCP server (mixelpixx/kicad-mcp-server). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

KEEP EXPLORING

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