Chiplab

What Chiplab MCP server does

Chiplab MCP server connects an AI coding agent to virtual instances of supported real microcontrollers. The agent can build firmware, upload the resulting ELF file, run it on a virtual board, and read the captured UART output. This provides a firmware development loop without requiring a physical development board.

The service currently demonstrates Hello world! on STM32 and Nordic boards. Support is organized around board and framework combinations, with examples for bare-metal Rust and vendor HALs, Embassy Rust, Zephyr RTOS, FreeRTOS, and Eclipse ThreadX. The repository includes a supported-board matrix to show which combinations are available.

How it works

The workflow is framework-agnostic:

1. The coding agent follows the repository’s instructions and builds firmware.
2. The compiled ELF is sent to the hosted service.
3. Chiplab runs the firmware on a virtual instance of the target board.
4. The agent receives the UART output from the run.

Runs complete synchronously and are limited to a fixed amount of virtual time. The repository contains ready-to-run examples grouped by framework, while each framework directory documents its build commands and agent instructions. To use custom firmware, build an ELF for a supported board and ask the agent to upload and execute it.

The Chiplab MCP server also exposes a discovery/help tool that can be called without arguments to verify the connection and inspect available guidance.

Setup and configuration

Create a free account at veecle.ai, then add the hosted HTTP endpoint https://chiplab.veecle.ai/mcp to an MCP-compatible client. Most clients use an mcpServers entry with the server type set to http and the URL set to that endpoint. On first use, the client opens a browser for sign-in.

Claude Code can add the server with its HTTP transport command, while Claude Desktop and Cursor use the standard JSON block. VS Code uses the same server details under a servers key. Codex stores the endpoint in ~/.codex/config.toml and uses its MCP login command for authentication.

After connecting, clone the repository and ask the agent to set up Chiplab and run one of the included examples. The agent reads AGENTS.md, installs the required dependencies, builds the firmware, and reports the virtual board’s UART response.

Tools and capabilities

The Chiplab MCP server supports these workflow capabilities:

• Discovering or requesting help from the service.
• Uploading compiled firmware.
• Running firmware on a virtual target board.
• Reading captured UART output.
• Using example guidance for supported frameworks and boards.

The repository supports examples across bare-metal, Embassy Rust, Zephyr, FreeRTOS, and ThreadX. Board, chip, operating-system, and peripheral support is implemented server-side; an example cannot add support for an otherwise unsupported board.

Limitations and notes

Chiplab is a hosted service rather than a local hardware emulator described as running entirely on the developer’s machine. Its current examples are limited to the boards listed in the supported-board matrix, and the README specifically calls out STM32 and Nordic coverage. Every run is bounded by fixed virtual time, so behavior that requires longer execution may not fit within one run.

The repository is described as early and open development. New chip, OS, or peripheral support must be requested through the project’s issues rather than added solely as a local example. The project is released under the MIT license.