shieldyguy/stm32-mcp

MCP server that lets Claude Code build, flash, and communicate with STM32 hardware.
stm32-mcp is pretty specific to how I tend to approach hardware development, but it is likely useful to others, too! It could be massaged to fit lots of workflows, but this is laser focused on mine (stlink-v3 mini, VCP on that header, STM32 microcontroller).
You can do things like:
> me: hey who is plugged in right now?
> claude: two unnamed probes connected to two unnamed PCBs
> me: k ask them who they are and give them a nickname based on their response
> claude: got it, do you want to nickname the probes too? your boards are 'doorbell A' and 'synthesizer B'
> me: yep, I put paint marker on those probes. call doorbell's 'blue' and the synth's 'red'
> claude: done. what's next?
> me: give them both VCP commands so they can talk to each other, then have the doorbell ask the synth on a date
> claude: thinking... done, synth declined. plenty of fish in the sea, doorbell!
MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open standard that lets AI assistants like Claude use external tools. This server gives Claude the ability to compile your firmware, flash it to a board, talk to it over serial, and read memory via SWD. It is flexible and conversational.
> [!WARNING]
> This server gives an AI direct access to your compiler, debug probe, and serial ports. It can flash firmware, overwrite memory, and send arbitrary data to your hardware. This is powerful and useful, but it is not a sandbox. Know what's connected before you let it rip.
## Prerequisites
STM32CubeIDE installed at /Applications/STM32CubeIDE.app (macOS) or /opt/st/stm32cubeide (Linux)
Python 3.10+
OpenOCD (brew install open-ocd) — for flash, memory read/write, and live monitoring
open-source stlink tools (brew install stlink) — for probe enumeration
ST-Link connected via USB (for flash/board info)
Serial port available (ST-Link VCP or USB-UART adapter)
## Installation
bash
git clone https://github.com/shieldyguy/stm32-mcp.git
cd stm32-mcp
python3 -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate
pip install -e .
## Register with Claude Code
### Option A: CLI
bash
claude mcp add stm32 -- /path/to/stm32-mcp/.venv/bin/python -m stm32mcp.server
### Option B: Project config
Add to your project's .claude/settings.json or .claude.json:
json
"mcpServers": {
"stm32": {
"command": "/path/to/stm32-mcp/.venv/bin/python",
"args": ["-m", "stm32mcp.server"]
## Self-serve CLI
bin/ contains four thin wrappers over the same code the MCP
tools use
| Command | Usage |
| stm32-list | List connected probes + boards with nicknames |
| stm32-flash | stm32-flash [--noverify] [--noreset] |
| stm32-build | stm32-build [Debug\|Release] [--clean] |
| stm32-bf | stm32-bf [Debug\|Release] [--clean] |
| stm32-help | List these commands with their usage (auto-generated from the scripts) |
Add bin/ to your PATH:
bash
export PATH="/path/to/stm32-mcp/bin:$PATH"
Probe nicknames and board nicknames resolve.
Builds share the MCP's headless CubeIDE workspace lock, so a
stm32-build/stm32-bf racing an agent-driven build will queue behind it.
## Available Tools
### Build & Flash
| Tool | Description |
| stm32build | Compile firmware using CubeIDE headless builder |