PIO Agent is the open-source, agent-first hardware execution layer for embedded development, built on the PlatformIO MCP runtime.
Release status
The canonical 3.1.0 runtime is published. The 3.2.0 candidate makes the
pio-agent CLI the primary adapter (nothing stays running unless asked), and
adds a native Codex panel and public plugin listing metadata. See the
, ,
and for implemented
behavior and the publication status of each package name.
PIO Agent: a PlatformIO MCP server and visual control plane for AI-assisted embedded development across 1000+ boards.
PIO Agent is the product and Codex Plugin name. PlatformIO MCP is the underlying MCP runtime and the compatibility identity used by existing installations. The Codex plugin ID, marketplace ID, configuration keys, and skill namespace remain platformio-mcp. On npm, platformio-mcp is the canonical package while pio-mcp and pio-agent are thin compatibility packages that delegate to it. The canonical package also installs both platformio-mcp and pio-agent executable names. This lets existing consumers upgrade without migration while new users see PIO Agent throughout the interface.
It exposes PlatformIO workflows for board discovery, project setup, build, flash, monitor, diagnostics, and task orchestration through:
an MCP server adapter
a first-class CLI adapter (platformio-mcp / pio-agent)
an optional local dashboard for visibility and control
MCP is one adapter. PlatformIO is the first backend.
The PIO Agent Codex Plugin adds the bundled MCP runtime, focused embedded skills, secure in-app dashboard flow, and monitoring-automation guidance. Codex requires one stable plugin identifier, so install selectors and skill namespaces remain platformio-mcp; the installed product is shown as PIO Agent. From a clone:
npm install
npm --prefix web install
npm run plugin:build
node build/cli.js install --codex-plugin
From npm:
npx -y platformio-mcp install --codex-plugin
Start a new Codex task after installation. The legacy install --codex command remains available for MCP-only configuration. See the full Codex Plugin guide for update, uninstall, browser fallback, policy, automation, and rollback details.
The plugin release gates run on Windows, macOS, and Linux, exercise the authenticated dashboard in Chromium, validate the bundled runtime and public tool registry, and keep physical-board evidence in a separate manual workflow. That workflow uploads only bounded, sanitized evidence; raw hardware logs stay on the self-hosted runner. See the release and validation guide.
For headless verification and status inspection, the same CLI also provides plugin validate, target-resolve, monitor-status, monitor-health, task-history, approval-status, and pending-approvals. Run platformio-mcp --help for bounded options and JSON output support.
git clone https://github.com/jl-codes/platformio-mcp.git
cd platformio-mcp
npm install
npm run build
npm run test
npm run smoke-test
CI/CD test tiers:
npm run test:ci:unit runs unit/component coverage used in cross-platform CI.
npm run test:e2e:ci runs CI-safe end-to-end tests for agent workflows and CLI wiring.
.github/workflows/ci.yml runs typecheck, tests, and package smoke checks on pull requests/pushes.
.github/workflows/hardware-e2e.yml is a manual self-hosted-runner workflow for one explicitly confirmed physical-board write, bundled-plugin protocol checks, post-flash identity/serial assertions, cleanup proof, and sanitized evidence.
The MCP tools decode_backtrace and size_report analyze an explicitly selected project/environment using its registered GNU toolchain. Metadata and memory checks require build permission because they can execute project scripts. Reports identify the exact ELF, retain unresolved crash addresses, and distinguish PlatformIO memory usage from GNU estimates. They do not prove which firmware is on a device. See firmware analysis for inputs, approval behavior, evidence and current limits.