Runs the KiCAD Electrical Rules Check (ERC) on a schematic and returns all violations. Use after wiring to verify the schematic before generating a netlist.
AI agents invoke run_erc to trigger actions in KiCAD-MCP-Server. What it does depends on the arguments the agent supplies, and its effects often reach beyond the immediate call — builds kicked off, notifications sent, workflows started.
The tool actively executes a validation process (ERC) on a schematic file. While it is primarily read-like in that it returns results without modifying data, it 'runs' an external operation whose effects depend on the schematic state. No data is deleted or modified, but it triggers an external tool execution rather than simply querying stored data, placing it in the Execute category.
From the tool's definition 'Runs the KiCAD Electrical Rules Check (ERC) on a schematic and returns all violations'
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access run_erc gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and KiCAD-MCP-Server, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for run_erc:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"run_erc": {
"limits": [
{
"counter": "run_erc_rate",
"window": "minute",
"max": 10,
"scope": "grant"
}
]
}
}
}run_erc stays usable, but rate-capped — a runaway agent can't fire it dozens of times a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
Free to start. No card required.
Runs the KiCAD Electrical Rules Check (ERC) on a schematic and returns all violations. Use after wiring to verify the schematic before generating a netlist. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the KiCAD-MCP-Server MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.
Register the KiCAD-MCP-Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for run_erc: 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.
run_erc is a Execute tool with high risk. Execute tools should be rate-limited and have argument validation enabled.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the run_erc 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.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for run_erc. 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.
run_erc 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.
Start from KiCAD-MCP-Server, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
Free to start. No card required.
157 KiCAD-MCP-Server tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.