quickstart.md

Quick Start

Three-minute path from pip install to your first impedance answer.

Install

pip install lineforge

You'll need a Rust toolchain (rustup.rs) only if installing from source — the wheels on PyPI are pre-built.

Pick your surface

=== "Python"

```python
import lineforge

r = lineforge.microstrip(W="6mil", H="4mil", T="1.4mil", er=4.4)
print(f"Z0 = {r.z0:.2f} Ω, εeff = {r.eps_eff:.3f}")
```

=== "CLI"

```bash
lineforge solve --type microstrip --W 6mil --H 4mil --T 1.4mil --er 4.4
```

=== "MCP (Claude Desktop)"

Add to your `claude_desktop_config.json`:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "lineforge": { "command": "lineforge", "args": ["mcp-serve"] }
  }
}
```

Then in Claude:

> What's the impedance of a 6 mil microstrip on 4 mil FR4?

Length suffixes

Anywhere lineforge expects a length, you can pass:

• a raw number in meters (1.5e-4)
• a string with a unit suffix: "6mil", "4mm", "0.05in", "0.1m"
• an AWG wire spec: "30AWG", "30 AWG"

Frequency suffixes

Anywhere lineforge expects a frequency, you can pass a number in Hz or a string like "1GHz", "100MHz", "2.4GHz".

What's next?

• Geometry reference — every supported geometry and its dimensional fields.
• Python tutorial — full API walkthrough.
• Analytical theory — what's actually being computed.