kernelCAD

Name: kernelCAD
Author: w1ne

by w1neversion 0.17.1i★ –iRuns in the cloud

Registry namecom.kernelcad/kernelcad

Install

Overview

Description from the maker (original English)

CAD in ChatGPT and Claude: editable parts, STEP/STL/drawings, in-chat 3D, automatic checks.

PopNx MCP’s three pillars

These three are never merged into one score: opinions, measurements and popularity are different things.

User voiceiNo reviews yetReviews open together with accounts in a later step
Our basic checksi1 of 1 passedChecked from public information; code not scanned yet
UsageiNot measured yet★ –

What you can do with it

We have not written a plain-language summary for this one yet. Below are the facts we read from the registry.

Connection: Runs in the cloud
Transport: Streamable HTTP
Category: Chat & email

Install

Pick the AI app you use, then copy the settings.

Before you install

Basic checks: 1 of 1 passed
Runs on the maker’s server: what you ask it goes through their server.
The registry lists no key to fill in.

You need

Runs in the cloudNothing to install; it connects over the internet

Which app do you use?

ClaudeClaude CodeCursorVS CodeChatGPT

Pick your app above. We remember it, so next time the button says “Install in …”.

Works in Claude on the web, desktop and mobile:

Open Settings → Connectors
Press Add custom connector
Paste the address below and press Add
If it asks you to sign in, sign in with the maker

https://mcp.kernelcad.com/mcp

Run this in your terminal

claude mcp add --transport http kernelcad https://mcp.kernelcad.com/mcp

Open in Cursor

Or copy the settings yourself

Paste into .cursor/mcp.json in your project, or ~/.cursor/mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "kernelcad": {
      "url": "https://mcp.kernelcad.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Your browser asks to open the app, then the app shows the settings and asks you to confirm. Key values are left empty for you to fill in.

Open in VS Code

Or copy the settings yourself

Paste into .vscode/mcp.json in your project

{
  "servers": {
    "kernelcad": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://mcp.kernelcad.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Your browser asks to open the app, then the app shows the settings and asks you to confirm. Key values are left empty for you to fill in.

ChatGPT connects only to servers on the internet:

Open ChatGPT on the web → Settings → Connectors (Apps)
Press Create or Add (some plans need Developer mode under Advanced first)
Paste the address below, give it a name and save
If it asks you to sign in, sign in with the maker

https://mcp.kernelcad.com/mcp

Menu names can differ slightly by plan and over time.

Your choice stays on this device in a cookie; no account needed.

These settings are generated from the maker’s registry entry. If the README says otherwise, follow the README.

What it can do

We have not read this server’s tool list yet; we check endpoints in rotation.

Basic checksi

We check information anyone can see; we have not read the code. Checks that do not apply are left out of the count. · Checked Nov 6, 2026

✓ Pass
Maker matches the repo
The registry name was verified against the domain kernelcad.com (the registry checks domain ownership)
… Not checked yet
Still maintained
We have not read this repo from GitHub yet
… Not checked yet
Has a licence
We have not read this repo from GitHub yet
… Not checked yet
Endpoint responds
Not checked yet; we check endpoints in rotation
… Not checked yet
Sign-in with OAuth
Not checked yet; we check endpoints in rotation
… Not checked yet
No hidden instructions in tool descriptions
Not checked yet; we read the tool list when we check the endpoint

Compared with others in Chat & emaili

More stars than 0% of the other 1765 servers in this category
Published to the registry more recently than 72% of the other 1765 servers in this category
Basic checks equal to or better than 100% of the other 1765 servers in this category

Compared with every active server in this category in the registry. Stars count only when the publisher owns the repo.

Common questions

Is kernelCAD safe?

It passed 1 of 1 applicable basic checks. We have not read the code. Before adding a key or token, see what access the server asks for and use a key with only the permissions you need.

What keys or codes does it need?

The registry does not list a required key, though some servers ask you to sign in on first use.

Does it run on my computer or in the cloud?

It runs in the maker’s cloud. Connect over the internet with nothing to install, but what you send passes through the maker’s servers.

Is it still maintained?

The GitHub repo last changed –, and the latest version (0.17.1) reached the registry 10 days ago.

Which apps can use it?

Apps that support MCP, such as Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor and VS Code. It connects by URL, so apps that accept remote MCP servers work too, such as ChatGPT in developer mode.

What can I use instead?

In the same category: Vexa, emailmd, MCP WhatsApp Cloud

Alternatives

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Reading a card:★ GitHub starsiThree pillars: reviews · checks · usageiUpdated = latest version published to the registryi

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README from the maker

Open the README

Copied from the maker’s repo as written. PopNx MCP has not reviewed or endorsed it. HTML, images and scripts are removed. Links lead off this site.

kernelCAD — CAD for coding agents, with editable source and checks

Describe a mechanical part in ChatGPT, Claude, Codex, Cursor, or the browser. kernelCAD turns the brief into editable parametric CAD, lets you inspect and revise the geometry, and exports STEP, STL, and drawings.

Start here: Open Studio · Connect your agent · Watch real tool workflows · Read the prompt-to-STEP guide

Why not just generate an image? Your design remains .kcad.ts source: named features, editable dimensions and assembly structure. Agents can evaluate it, check constraints and clearances, revise the source, and export files for an engineer to inspect. Reproducible example source and documented checks are public. Geometry checks are not material-strength or manufacturing certification.

Connect a hosted MCP client: https://mcp.kernelcad.com/mcp (no local CAD install). Run locally: npx -y kernelcad mcp (Node.js 22.12+).

Source scope: this repository contains the reusable CAD runtime, CLI, MCP

tools and headless renderer. Hosted UI and commercial services are maintained

separately. Build the reusable tools with npm run build; use npm run dev

for the standalone renderer.

The workflow is: brief → editable .kcad.ts → evaluated B-rep → validation → guided revision → STEP/STL/drawing. OpenCASCADE is the geometry kernel; kernelCAD supplies the agent-first modeling and review workflow.

Manufacturing design use cases

Describe a part, refine its editable CAD source, and export the geometry or drawing needed for the next step. These examples are starting points for designing parts for different processes:

Process	Example	Reusable CAD reference
3D printing	An electronics enclosure with locating lid and PCB posts	Enclosure
CNC milling	A bearing block with mounting holes and a stepped seat	Bearing block
Sheet metal	A four-hole bent bracket with a flat pattern	Bent bracket
Laser or waterjet cutting	A motor mounting plate with pilot and hole patterns	Motor plate
Turning	A shouldered spacer with an axial bore	Shoulder spacer
Assemblies	A bearing, housing, shaft and retainer	Bearing assembly
Injection molding	A drafted housing with board-screw bosses and structural ribs	Moulded housing

The output is CAD for review, not a manufacturing certification. Check dimensions, fit, material and process requirements, and prototype or obtain engineering review as appropriate for the part. The case notes describe what has been checked and what remains open for each model.

Install

Already in ChatGPT and Claude: no install

kernelCAD runs as a connected app in ChatGPT (Apps SDK, with the Studio viewer and paint review inside the chat) and in Claude / claude.ai (custom connector). Add it from the chat settings and sign in:

ChatGPT: connect guide or ChatGPT → Settings → Connectors
Claude: connect guide or claude.ai → Settings → Connectors, URL https://mcp.kernelcad.com/mcp

One account everywhere. The coding-agent plugins below use the same hosted server (https://mcp.kernelcad.com/mcp) and the same kernelCAD sign-in. A model saved from Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Gemini or Grok opens at the same Studio share link (/p/ ) you see in ChatGPT or Claude. Sign in with the same account in each client.

Ask your agent: “look at kernelcad.com and install the mcp”. Agent-readable installation instructions cover hosted setup, local CLI setup, and connection verification.

Local MCP server: one line

Run the MCP server over stdio with no install (Node.js 22.12 or newer):

npx -y kernelcad mcp

Claude Code: claude mcp add kernelcad -- npx -y kernelcad mcp

Local CLI

To keep the kernelcad command on your PATH:

npm install --global kernelcad

For a self-contained install that includes Node.js, Linux and macOS users can run:

curl -fsSL https://kernelcad.com/install.sh | sh

On Windows PowerShell, run:

irm https://kernelcad.com/install.ps1 | iex

The direct installers download a platform archive, verify its SHA-256 checksum, and install it under the user's home directory. Pin a release with KERNELCAD_VERSION=vX.Y.Z on Linux/macOS or $env:KERNELCAD_VERSION='vX.Y.Z' in PowerShell. Builds are available for Linux x64/ARM64, macOS Intel/Apple Silicon, and Windows x64. Direct installs do not require a separately installed Node.js.

For regulated or air-gapped machines, kernelcad --sandbox … and kernelcad mcp --sandbox --workspace (or KERNELCAD_SANDBOX=1) keep all file access inside one workspace directory and refuse outbound network at runtime, including telemetry. See docs/sandbox.md.

Coding agents: one command

One command connects your agent to the hosted kernelCAD MCP server (https://mcp.kernelcad.com/mcp) and adds the kernelCAD skills. Nothing runs locally and no OpenCASCADE install is needed. Anonymous use works; sign in through your client's OAuth prompt for account features.

Agent	One-liner
Claude Code	`claude plugin install kernelcad --marketplace w1ne/kernelCAD-web`
Codex	`codex plugin marketplace add w1ne/kernelCAD-web && codex plugin add kernelcad@kernelcad`
Cursor	Add kernelCAD MCP to Cursor (MCP only)
Gemini CLI	`gemini extensions install https://github.com/w1ne/kernelCAD-web --consent --auto-update`
Grok Build	`grok plugin marketplace add w1ne/kernelCAD-web && grok plugin install kernelcad --trust`
VS Code / Copilot	`code --add-mcp '{"name":"kernelcad","type":"http","url":"https://mcp.kernelcad.com/mcp"}'`
Skills only (any agent)	`npx skills add w1ne/kernelCAD-web`

Inside Claude Code you can also type /plugin marketplace add w1ne/kernelCAD-web then /plugin install kernelcad@kernelcad. Restart the app after installing. Claude Desktop, ChatGPT, Windsurf, Cline, Zed, Continue, update, uninstall and the Cursor skills install are in docs/usage/agent-plugin-install.md.

Showcase

Each model below started from the plain-language prompt shown. An AI agent wrote it through kernelCAD's own authoring loop (CLI / MCP): it wrote .kcad.ts source, ran evaluate, rendered the seven-view inspection sheet, read the renders, fixed what was wrong, and repeated. None of these is a one-shot generation. Each folder in showcase/ holds the parametric source, the turntable GIF (kernelcad animate --turntable, publish look), and a short note on what to look at and which checks were run.

Model	Prompt	Params
Twisted hex vase	Hollow shell ~150 mm tall, tapers 70 → 50 mm, hex section twisting 120°, 2 mm wall, closed bottom	`height` `baseDia` `mouthDia` `twistDeg` `wall`
Knurled control knob	Ø40 × 22 mm, diamond-knurled grip, raised pointer, 6 mm D-shaft bore, M3 set-screw hole	`diameter` `height` `knurlDepth` `knurlTwistDeg` `knurlTeeth` `shaftDia` `dFlatDepth` `boreDepth` `skirtHeight`
Honeycomb bracket	Filleted L-bracket with a generative hex lattice	`thickness` `innerFillet` `cellSize` `web`
NACA 2412 wing	True airfoil from the NACA equations, tapered loft	`semiSpan` `rootChord` `tipChord` `leSweep` `dihedralRise` `washoutDeg`
Bevel gear drive	Meshing bevel gear pair at 90°	`gearDeg` `pinionTeeth` `gearTeeth`
Centrifugal impeller	7 swept backward-curved blades	`bladeCount` `wrapDeg` `backplateThickness` `boreDia` `keyWidth`
Planetary gear stage	Sun, planets, ring, carrier	`carrierDeg` `sunTeeth` `planetTeeth` `planetCount`
9-cylinder radial engine	Round crankcase, nine finned cylinders in a star, domed heads, prop hub	`cylinderCount` `barrelLength`

Some checks go past the picture:

Mechanisms that are checked, not just drawn. The planetary stage and the bevel drive are assemblies with revolute mates, gear ratios coupled from the tooth counts, and declared gear-pair transmissions. kernelCAD's mechanism-truth check (evaluate_script → mechanism: "real") turns each mechanism through its limits with the couplings applied and looks for overlapping teeth. kernelcad validate --include-interference reports both assemblies clean.
Manufacturing evidence. The honeycomb bracket declares an FDM print gate. kernelcad dfm passes it (thinnest wall 2.0 mm, no unsupported overhang), and kernelcad export step writes a B-rep whose holes read back with kernelcad inspect step.

Philosophy

Agent-First: The primary interface is .kcad.ts, CLI, and MCP. The UI reviews and steers generated designs.
Editable Source: Geometry is deterministic source code with explicit feature history, params, assemblies, and diagnostics.
Validation-Centered: Useful CAD output needs deterministic review for constraints, hardware fit, clearances, and exportability.
Workflow Over Primitives: Product progress is measured by intent-level workflows, not by copying every traditional CAD button.

Reference-parts accuracy

The headless OCCT gate checks 27 native .kcad.ts reference parts against analytic or recorded OCCT volume, surface-area, and bounding-box values. The current headline is 27/27 reference parts match; the expected-pass gate is 27/27, with the analytic inputs and tolerances listed in the scorecard. See the reference-parts scorecard and its local validation demo.

The SolidCraft oracle ledger vendors that project's public reference cases (Apache-2.0) and checks the kernelCAD parts that have been mod

Only the beginning is shown; read the rest in the repo

kernelCAD

Overview

PopNx MCP’s three pillars

What you can do with it

Install

Before you install

What it can do

Basic checksi

Maker matches the repo

Still maintained

Has a licence

Endpoint responds

Sign-in with OAuth

No hidden instructions in tool descriptions

Compared with others in Chat & emaili

Common questions

Alternatives

Vexa

emailmd

MCP WhatsApp Cloud

README from the maker

kernelCAD — CAD for coding agents, with editable source and checks

Manufacturing design use cases

Install

Already in ChatGPT and Claude: no install

Local MCP server: one line

Local CLI

Coding agents: one command

Showcase

Philosophy

Reference-parts accuracy