open_board

Open a specific .kicad_pcb board file and refresh the MCP in-memory board state.

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/open-board.md

WHAT IT DOES

What open_board does on KiCAD-MCP-Server

AI agents call open_board 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 open_board is rated Low

The tool opens a file and loads it into memory for inspection/use. It reads a file from disk into an in-memory state without creating, modifying, or deleting any data. The operation is non-destructive and has no side effects beyond updating the server's internal state.

From the tool's definition Open a specific .kicad_pcb board file and refresh the MCP in-memory board state

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

RECOMMENDED RULE

The rule that runs open_board 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 open_board, this is the rule to start with:

open_board Allowed

open_board 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": {
    "open_board": {}
  }
}

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 open_board call is checked against it from then on.

FAQ

Questions about open_board

What does the open_board tool do? +

Open a specific .kicad_pcb board file and refresh the MCP in-memory board state. 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 open_board? +

Register the KiCAD-MCP-Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for open_board: 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 open_board? +

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

Can I rate-limit open_board? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the open_board 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 open_board completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for open_board. 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 open_board? +

open_board 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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