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Digilent WaveForms MCP Server

Official registry Other

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

Source code Documentation

Install

Add this to your client's MCP configuration (Claude Desktop: claude_desktop_config.json; Cursor: .cursor/mcp.json; VS Code and others use the same "mcpServers" shape).

OCI package ghcr.io/kenosinc/dwf-mcp-server:0.2.1
Claude Code 
claude mcp add digilent-waveforms-mcp-server -- docker run -i --rm ghcr.io/kenosinc/dwf-mcp-server:0.2.1
JSON configuration (Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code) 
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "digilent-waveforms-mcp-server": {
            "command": "docker",
            "args": [
                "run",
                "-i",
                "--rm",
                "ghcr.io/kenosinc/dwf-mcp-server:0.2.1"
            ]
        }
    }
}

Documentation

From the project's README on GitHub, refreshed weekly. Links open on GitHub.

Contents
  1. dwf-mcp-server
  2. Supported Devices
  3. Prerequisites
  4. Installation
  5. Available MCP Tools
  6. Development
  7. License

dwf-mcp-server

MCP Server for Digilent WaveForms instruments — oscilloscope, arbitrary waveform generator (AWG), and logic analyzer. Built on 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).

  • 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:

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
docker build -f Dockerfile.dwf -t dwf-mcp-server .
3. Configure your MCP client
Claude Code
claude mcp add dwf -- docker run -i --rm --privileged dwf-mcp-server
Claude Desktop

Add to claude_desktop_config.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:

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

ToolDescription
list_devicesList all connected Digilent WaveForms devices
device_infoGet detailed information about a specific device
analog_captureCapture analog waveform samples (oscilloscope); supports action="single" / "start" / "read" / "stop" for continuous capture across tool calls
generate_waveformGenerate an analog signal (AWG): sine, square, triangle, ...; supports action="pulse" / "start" / "stop" for persistent output
measureMeasure DC voltage, RMS, frequency, period, or peak-to-peak
power_supplyControl the programmable power supply (V+ / V-)
digital_captureCapture digital logic signals (logic analyzer); supports action="single" / "start" / "read" / "stop" for continuous capture across tool calls
gpio_readRead the logic level of a digital I/O pin
gpio_writeSet the logic level of a digital I/O pin
spi_transferSend and receive data over SPI using the digital protocol interface
device_stateReport per-sub-instrument running/idle status (AWG, scope, LA, power supply)
close_deviceClose the persistent device session and stop all outputs
device_session_statusCheck whether the persistent device session is currently open

Development

See CLAUDE.md for development setup, coding conventions, and release procedures.

License

MIT

Frequently asked questions

What is Digilent WaveForms MCP Server?

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

How do I install Digilent WaveForms MCP Server?

It runs on your machine. In Claude Code: claude mcp add digilent-waveforms-mcp-server -- docker run -i --rm ghcr.io/kenosinc/dwf-mcp-server:0.2.1. For other clients, paste the JSON configuration from this page into their MCP settings.

Does Digilent WaveForms MCP Server need an API key?

Its registry entry lists no required key or secret. Some features may still need an account with the service it connects to.

Is Digilent WaveForms MCP Server open source?

Yes. Its code is on GitHub under the MIT license.

Who maintains Digilent WaveForms MCP Server?

It is published by KenosInc. AI.tn lists it but does not maintain or endorse it.

From the official MCP Registry. Listing is not an endorsement: review a server's code and permissions before giving it access to your data.