This fork of Arduino IDE 2.x includes an embedded Model Context Protocol (MCP) server, enabling AI assistants like Claude Code to programmatically interact with the IDE. Write code, compile, upload, and debug Arduino projects through natural language conversation.

The MCP extension embeds a server directly into the Arduino IDE, providing AI assistants with complete access to the Arduino development workflow. No external processes, no complex setup - the IDE itself becomes the MCP server.

+------------------+        HTTP/SSE         +------------------+
|   Claude Code    |<----------------------->|   Arduino IDE    |
|   (MCP Client)   |   http://127.0.0.1:3847 |   (MCP Server)   |
+------------------+                         +------------------+
                                                      |
                                             Arduino Services
                                            (Sketches, Boards,
                                             Libraries, Serial,
                                             Compiler, Config)

When the AI assistant modifies code through MCP:

• The IDE immediately opens and focuses the changed file
• A notification appears showing what was created or modified
• The editor auto-reloads content without manual refresh

This provides a seamless pair-programming experience where you see changes as the AI makes them.

To minimize context window usage, the MCP server uses a router pattern by default. Instead of exposing 11+ individual tools (which would consume significant context), it exposes 4 meta-tools:

This allows the AI to discover and use tools on-demand without loading all definitions upfront.

1. Launch Arduino IDE - The MCP server starts automatically on http://127.0.0.1:3847

2. Configure Claude Code - Add to your MCP settings:

   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "arduino": {
         "url": "http://127.0.0.1:3847/sse"
       }
     }
   }

3. Restart Claude Code and start interacting:

   • "Create a new sketch from the Blink example"
   • "What boards are connected?"
   • "Compile the current sketch and explain any errors"
   • "Upload to the Arduino Uno on /dev/ttyUSB0"

Access via File > Preferences and click the MCP tab:

The MCP tab also displays the connection URL for easy copy/paste into Claude Code.

curl http://127.0.0.1:3847/health

Returns server status including available services.

The extension includes enhancements for educational use:

• Built-in Example Browser: Access all Arduino examples with descriptions
• Hardware Reference Data: Query board specs, pin capabilities, PWM/I2C/SPI pins
• Beginner-Friendly Errors: Get compilation errors with explanations and fix suggestions

See arduino-mcp-extension/README.md for complete documentation including:

• Full tool reference with all actions and parameters
• Example interactions and use cases
• Tool safety annotations
• Troubleshooting guide

This fork includes visual enhancements that give the IDE a more polished, professional appearance while maintaining full compatibility with the Arduino brand identity.

A comprehensive CSS variable system provides consistent styling:

• Spacing: Standardized spacing scale (4px, 8px, 12px, 16px, 24px)
• Border Radius: Consistent rounding (4px, 6px, 8px, 14px pill)
• Shadows: Subtle depth with light/dark theme variants
• Transitions: Smooth 150-200ms animations

All styling respects both light and dark themes automatically.

This repository contains the source code of the Arduino IDE 2.x. If you're looking for the old IDE, go to the repository of the 1.x version.

The Arduino IDE 2.x is a major rewrite, sharing no code with the IDE 1.x. It is based on the Theia IDE framework and built with Electron. The backend operations such as compilation and uploading are offloaded to an arduino-cli instance running in daemon mode. This new IDE was developed with the goal of preserving the same interface and user experience of the previous major version in order to provide a frictionless upgrade.

You can download the latest release version and nightly builds from the software download page on the Arduino website.

• Node.js 18 or later
• Yarn 4.x
• Git

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/mixelpixx/arduino-ide.git
cd arduino-ide

# Install dependencies
yarn install

# Build all packages including MCP extension
yarn build:dev

# Start the IDE
cd electron-app
yarn start

The MCP server will be available at http://127.0.0.1:3847 when the IDE launches.

If you need assistance, see the Help Center and browse the forum.

If you want to report an issue, you can submit it to the issue tracker of this repository.

If you think you found a vulnerability or other security-related bug in this project, please read our security policy and report the bug to the Security Team.

e-mail contact: security@arduino.cc

Contributions are welcome. See the contributor guide and development guide for more information.

The code contained in this repository and the executable distributions are licensed under the terms of the GNU AGPLv3. The executable distributions contain third-party code licensed under other compatible licenses such as GPLv2, MIT and BSD-3. If you have questions about licensing please contact us at license@arduino.cc.