# Digilent WaveForms MCP Server

**Category:** 💻 Developer Tools  
**Repository:** https://github.com/KenosInc/dwf-mcp-server  
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**Directory Page:** https://allmcps.com/mcp/digilent-waveforms-mcp-server

## Description
MCP server for Digilent WaveForms instruments (oscilloscope, AWG, logic analyzer).

## Claude Desktop Quick Installation
Heuristic fallback — verify the package name and runner against the repository README before running it. Uses `npx` (confidence: low):

```json
"mcpServers": {
  "digilent-waveforms-mcp-server": {
    "command": "npx",
    "args": ["-y","digilent-waveforms-mcp-server"]
  }
}
```

## Documentation & README

# dwf-mcp-server

MCP Server for [Digilent WaveForms](https://digilent.com/reference/software/waveforms/waveforms-3/start)
instruments — oscilloscope, arbitrary waveform generator (AWG), and logic analyzer.
Built on [dwfpy](https://github.com/mariusgreuel/dwfpy), a Python binding for the
Digilent WaveForms SDK (`libdwf`).

## Supported Devices

- Analog Discovery 2 (AD2)
- Analog Discovery 3 (AD3)
- Digital Discovery (DD)
- Any device supported by the Digilent WaveForms SDK

## Prerequisites

- **Docker** installed on the host machine.
- **No host-side WaveForms SDK installation is required.** The proprietary `libdwf.so` is added
  via a derived Dockerfile layer (see [Installation](#installation)).
- **USB device permissions** — Digilent USB devices default to `root:root 0664`. If the container
  cannot find any devices, add a udev rule on the host:
  ```
  # /etc/udev/rules.d/99-digilent.rules
  SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTRS{idVendor}=="1443", MODE="0666"
  ```
  Then reload: `sudo udevadm control --reload-rules && sudo udevadm trigger`


## Installation

The public Docker image **does not bundle any Digilent proprietary software**
(Adept 2 Runtime, WaveForms SDK / `libdwf.so`). You must create a derived image
that adds them.

### 1. Create a derived Dockerfile

Create a file named `Dockerfile.dwf`:

```dockerfile
FROM ghcr.io/kenosinc/dwf-mcp-server:latest

ARG ADEPT_VERSION=2.27.9
ARG WAVEFORMS_VERSION=3.24.4
RUN ARCH="$(dpkg --print-architecture)" \
    && apt-get update \
    && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends curl \
    && curl -fsSL "https://files.digilent.com/Software/Adept2%20Runtime/${ADEPT_VERSION}/digilent.adept.runtime_${ADEPT_VERSION}-${ARCH}.deb" \
       -o /tmp/adept-runtime.deb \
    && curl -fsSL "https://files.digilent.com/Software/Waveforms/${WAVEFORMS_VERSION}/digilent.waveforms_${WAVEFORMS_VERSION}_${ARCH}.deb" \
       -o /tmp/waveforms.deb \
    && (apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends /tmp/adept-runtime.deb /tmp/waveforms.deb || true) \
    && for cmd in xdg-desktop-menu xdg-icon-resource xdg-mime; do \
         printf '#!/bin/sh\nexit 0\n' > "/usr/bin/$cmd" && chmod +x "/usr/bin/$cmd"; \
       done \
    && dpkg --configure -a \
    && apt-get purge -y curl \
    && apt-get autoremove -y \
    && rm -f /tmp/adept-runtime.deb /tmp/waveforms.deb \
    && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
```

### 2. Build the image

```bash
docker build -f Dockerfile.dwf -t dwf-mcp-server .
```

### 3. Configure your MCP client

#### Claude Code

```bash
claude mcp add dwf -- docker run -i --rm --privileged dwf-mcp-server
```

#### Claude Desktop

Add to `claude_desktop_config.json`:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "dwf": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run", "-i", "--rm",
        "--privileged",
        "dwf-mcp-server"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

Pass `--privileged` so the container can access USB devices.

#### Project-level config (Claude Code)

If you have cloned this repository, copy the bundled example to a project-local
`.mcp.json` (which is gitignored) so Claude Code picks it up automatically when
opened against this directory:

```bash
cp .mcp.example.json .mcp.json
```

Edit the resulting `.mcp.json` to match your local image tag or to add other
servers; the original `.mcp.example.json` stays clean and shareable.

## Available MCP Tools

| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
| `list_devices` | List all connected Digilent WaveForms devices |
| `device_info` | Get detailed information about a specific device |
| `analog_capture` | Capture analog waveform samples (oscilloscope); supports `action="single" / "start" / "read" / "stop"` for continuous capture across tool calls |
| `generate_waveform` | Generate an analog signal (AWG): sine, square, triangle, ...; supports `action="pulse" / "start" / "stop"` for persistent output |
| `measure` | Measure DC voltage, RMS, frequency, period, or peak-to-peak |
| `power_supply` | Control the programmable power supply (V+ / V-) |
| `digital_capture` | Capture digital logic signals (logic analyzer); supports `action="single" / "start" / "read" / "stop"` for continuous capture across tool calls |
| `gpio_read` | Read the logic level of a digital I/O pin |
| `gpio_write` | Set the logic level of a digital I/O pin |
| `spi_transfer` | Send and receive data over SPI using the digital protocol interface |
| `device_state` | Report per-sub-instrument running/idle status (AWG, scope, LA, power supply) |
| `close_device` | Close the persistent device session and stop all outputs |
| `device_session_status` | Check whether the persistent device session is currently open |

## Development

See [CLAUDE.md](CLAUDE.md) for development setup, coding conventions, and release procedures.

## License

[MIT](LICENSE)