kicad-source-mirror

This is an active mirror of the KiCad development branch, which is hosted at GitLab (updated every time something is pushed). Pull requests on GitHub are not accepted or watched.

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LibrePCB

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A powerful, innovative and intuitive EDA suite for everyone!

Quick Overview

KiCad is an open-source Electronic Design Automation (EDA) software suite for creating schematics and printed circuit board (PCB) layouts. It provides a comprehensive set of tools for electronic engineers and hobbyists to design, simulate, and prepare electronic circuits for manufacturing.

Pros

Free and open-source, with a large and active community
Cross-platform compatibility (Windows, macOS, Linux)
Extensive library of components and footprints
Powerful 3D visualization capabilities for PCB designs

Cons

Steeper learning curve compared to some commercial alternatives
Limited built-in simulation capabilities
Occasional stability issues, especially with large and complex designs
Some advanced features may require third-party plugins

Getting Started

To get started with KiCad:

Download and install KiCad from the official website: https://www.kicad.org/download/
Launch KiCad and create a new project
Start with the schematic editor (Eeschema) to design your circuit
Use the PCB editor (Pcbnew) to create your board layout
Utilize the 3D viewer to visualize your design
Export Gerber files for manufacturing

For detailed tutorials and documentation, visit the official KiCad documentation: https://docs.kicad.org/

Competitor Comparisons

horizon

1,177

Horizon is a free EDA package

Pros of Horizon

Integrated library management system with version control
Faster rendering and more responsive UI for large designs
Built-in 3D viewer with real-time updates

Cons of Horizon

Smaller user community and fewer available resources
Less mature and potentially less stable than KiCad
Limited cross-platform support (primarily Linux-focused)

Code Comparison

KiCad (C++):

void SCH_EDIT_FRAME::OnOpenLibrary( wxCommandEvent& event )
{
    wxString libName = SelectLibraryFromList();
    if( !libName.IsEmpty() )
        LoadLibrary( libName );
}

Horizon (C++):

void Core::open_library(const UUID &uu)
{
    auto lib = pool->get_library(uu);
    if (lib)
        open_library_window(lib);
}

Both projects use C++ for their core functionality. KiCad's codebase is larger and more complex, reflecting its longer development history and broader feature set. Horizon's code tends to be more modern and streamlined, with a focus on performance and efficiency.

LibrePCB

2,583

A powerful, innovative and intuitive EDA suite for everyone!

Pros of LibrePCB

Modern, user-friendly interface with a focus on ease of use
Built-in library management system for efficient component organization
Cross-platform compatibility with native builds for Windows, macOS, and Linux

Cons of LibrePCB

Smaller community and fewer resources compared to KiCad
Limited advanced features and customization options
Fewer third-party libraries and plugins available

Code Comparison

KiCad (C++):

void SCH_EDIT_FRAME::OnOpenLibraryViewer( wxCommandEvent& event )
{
    LIB_VIEW_FRAME* viewlibframe = LIB_VIEW_FRAME::ShowLibraryViewer( this );
    viewlibframe->Raise();
}

LibrePCB (C++):

void SchematicEditor::openLibraryEditor() noexcept
{
    LibraryEditor* editor = new LibraryEditor(mWorkspace, mProject);
    editor->show();
}

Both projects use C++ for their core functionality. KiCad's codebase is more extensive and complex, reflecting its longer development history and broader feature set. LibrePCB's code tends to be more modern and streamlined, focusing on simplicity and maintainability. However, KiCad offers more advanced capabilities and customization options due to its larger codebase and community contributions.

fritzing-app

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Fritzing desktop application

Pros of Fritzing

More beginner-friendly with an intuitive interface
Excellent for prototyping and breadboard visualization
Includes a PCB fabrication service directly from the app

Cons of Fritzing

Limited advanced features for complex PCB design
Smaller component library compared to KiCad
Less suitable for professional or large-scale projects

Code Comparison

KiCad (C++):

void SCH_EDIT_FRAME::OnOpenPcbnew( wxCommandEvent& event )
{
    PROJECT* project = &Prj();
    wxFileName fn = Prj().AbsolutePath( m_CurrentSheet->GetScreen()->GetFileName() );
    fn.SetExt( PCB_FILE_EXT );
    wxString path = fn.GetFullPath();

Fritzing (C++/Qt):

void MainWindow::createZoomControls(SketchAreaWidget* parent) {
    ZoomControls * zoomControls = new ZoomControls(parent);
    connect(zoomControls, SIGNAL(zoomInSignal()), this, SLOT(zoomIn()));
    connect(zoomControls, SIGNAL(zoomOutSignal()), this, SLOT(zoomOut()));
    connect(zoomControls, SIGNAL(fitInWindowSignal()), this, SLOT(fitInWindow()));

Both projects use C++, with Fritzing leveraging Qt for its GUI. KiCad's code focuses on file handling and project management, while Fritzing's example shows GUI control implementation.

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README

KiCad README

For specific documentation about building KiCad, policies and guidelines, and source code documentation see the Developer Documentation website.

You may also take a look into the Wiki, the contribution guide.

For general information about KiCad and information about contributing to the documentation and libraries, see our Website and our Forum.

Build state

KiCad uses a host of CI resources.

GitLab CI pipeline status can be viewed for Linux and Windows builds of the latest commits.

Release status

Files

AUTHORS.txt - The authors, contributors, document writers and translators list
CMakeLists.txt - Main CMAKE build tool script
copyright.h - A very short copy of the GNU General Public License to be included in new source files
Doxyfile - Doxygen config file for KiCad
INSTALL.txt - The release (binary) installation instructions
uncrustify.cfg - Uncrustify config file for uncrustify sources formatting tool
_clang-format - clang config file for clang-format sources formatting tool

Subdirectories

3d-viewer - Sourcecode of the 3D viewer
bitmap2component - Sourcecode of the bitmap to PCB artwork converter
cmake - Modules for the CMAKE build tool
common - Sourcecode of the common library
cvpcb - Sourcecode of the CvPCB tool
demos - Some demo examples
doxygen - Configuration for generating pretty doxygen manual of the codebase
eeschema - Sourcecode of the schematic editor
gerbview - Sourcecode of the gerber viewer
include - Interfaces to the common library
kicad - Sourcecode of the project manager
libs - Sourcecode of KiCad utilities (geometry and others)
pagelayout_editor - Sourcecode of the pagelayout editor
patches - Collection of patches for external dependencies
pcbnew - Sourcecode of the printed circuit board editor
plugins - Sourcecode for the 3D viewer plugins
qa - Unit testing framework for KiCad
resources - Packaging resources such as bitmaps and operating system specific files
- bitmaps_png - Menu and program icons
- project_template - Project template
scripting - Python integration for KiCad
thirdparty - Sourcecode of external libraries used in KiCad but not written by the KiCad team
tools - Helpers for developing, testing and building
translation - Translation data files (managed through Weblate for most languages)
utils - Small utils for KiCad, e.g. IDF, STEP, and OGL tools and converters

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