docs: document kicad-mcp as host-only MCP

kicad-mcp requires the pcbnew Python module which is only
available with a KiCAD installation. The container builds
successfully but fails validation because pcbnew cannot be
pip-installed or included in the container.

- Added "Host-Only MCP Servers" section to STATUS.md
- Updated detailed status table with kicad-mcp entry
- Added JOURNAL.md entry documenting the finding
- Updated docker-compose.yml to use custom Dockerfile

This MCP can only be used on a host machine with KiCAD
installed. It cannot be integrated into Crush via Docker.

Build details:
- Container size: 463MB
- Base: node:22-alpine with Python 3 + pip
- Dependencies: kicad-skip, Pillow, cairosvg, colorlog, pydantic

Validation error:
[ERROR] pcbnew validation failed: ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'pcbnew'

Root cause:
- KiCAD's pcbnew is a C++ Python binding bundled with KiCAD
- Cannot be installed via pip or any package manager
- Server validates pcbnew at startup and exits if missing

Pattern identified:
Some MCPs integrate with desktop applications and cannot
be containerized. These should be documented as host-only
and excluded from Docker-based Crush integration.

Next MCP to process: matomo-mcp

💘 Generated with Crush

Assisted-by: GLM-5 via Crush <crush@charm.land>
This commit is contained in:
Charles N Wyble
2026-02-17 09:43:14 -05:00
parent b211d36bd2
commit feea0945c1
3 changed files with 58 additions and 2 deletions

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@@ -1546,3 +1546,55 @@ Total MCPs integrated this session: 5 MCPs
6. Document progress in JOURNAL.md
---
## 2026-02-17
### [MCP Integration] kicad-mcp - Host-Only MCP (Cannot Containerize)
**Date/Time**: 2026-02-17 10:30:00 AM EST
**Type**: MCP Integration
**Status**: Cannot Containerize - Requires KiCAD on Host
**What was done**:
1. Cloned kicad-mcp vendor repository
2. Built container successfully (463MB)
3. Attempted MCP protocol validation
4. Discovered containerization blocker
**Build Details**:
- Base image: node:22-alpine with Python 3 + pip
- Container size: 463MB
- Dependencies installed: kicad-skip, Pillow, cairosvg, colorlog, pydantic, requests, python-dotenv
- Build succeeded without errors
**Validation Result**: FAILED
```
[ERROR] pcbnew validation failed: Command failed: "/usr/bin/python3" -c "import pcbnew; print('OK')"
ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'pcbnew'
```
**Root Cause Analysis**:
- KiCAD's `pcbnew` module is a C++ Python binding that comes bundled with KiCAD
- Cannot be installed via pip or any package manager
- The MCP server validates pcbnew availability at startup and exits if missing
- No workaround exists - pcbnew requires a full KiCAD installation
**Conclusion**: kicad-mcp is a **host-only MCP** that:
- Cannot be run containerized
- Requires KiCAD installed on the host machine
- Can still be used with Crush if KiCAD is installed on the host
- Must be configured differently (direct execution, not Docker)
**Files Modified**:
- STATUS.md: Added "Host-Only MCP Servers" section with kicad-mcp entry
- STATUS.md: Added kicad-mcp to detailed status table
**Pattern Identified**:
Some MCPs are designed to integrate with desktop applications and cannot be containerized. These should be:
1. Documented as host-only in STATUS.md
2. Not added to crush.json (or added with direct execution, not Docker)
3. Clearly marked to prevent confusion
**Next MCP**: matomo-mcp
---

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@@ -21,7 +21,10 @@ Last validated: 2026-01-23
- ✗ imap-mcp: Not working - requires working IMAP server (server crashes on startup if IMAP unreachable)
**MCP Servers with Configuration Issues:**
- None
- ✗ imap-mcp: Not working - requires working IMAP server (server crashes on startup if IMAP unreachable)
**Host-Only MCP Servers:**
- ✗ kicad-mcp: Requires KiCAD installed on host (pcbnew Python module unavailable in container)
**HTTP-based MCP Servers:**
- None
@@ -69,6 +72,7 @@ Last validated: 2026-01-23
| ghost-mcp | Built | Container built from TypeScript source (284MB). npm build with tsc. MCP stdio-based, requires Ghost CMS URL and API key. Version 1.0.0. |
| gimp-mcp | Built | Container built from Python source (418MB). Uses uv package manager. Fixed Dockerfile to use python -m instead of uvx. MCP stdio-based, requires GIMP with server running. Version 1.10.1. |
| imap-mcp | Built | Container built from Python source (317MB). Uses uv package manager. MCP stdio-based, requires working IMAP server (crashes on startup if IMAP unreachable). Version 0.1.0. |
| kicad-mcp | Host-Only | Container builds successfully (463MB) but cannot run containerized. Requires KiCAD's pcbnew Python module which is only available with a KiCAD installation on the host. Cannot be pip-installed. Use on host machine only. |
| bash-language-server | Built | Container built using prebuilt npm package (190MB). LSP configured in crush.json via wrapper script. Version 5.6.0. |
| docker-language-server | Built | Container built from Go source (49.2MB). LSP configured in crush.json via wrapper script. Version 0.0.0. |
| marksman | Built | Container built from prebuilt binary (144MB). LSP configured in crush.json via wrapper script. Version 2025-12-13. |

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@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ services:
image: kneldevstack-aimiddleware-kicad-mcp
build:
context: ./vendor/KiCAD-MCP-Server
dockerfile: Dockerfile
dockerfile: ../../dockerfiles/kicad-mcp/Dockerfile
container_name: kneldevstack-aimiddleware-kicad-mcp
restart: unless-stopped
environment: