KiCad

Overview

KiCad is a free, open-source electronic design automation (EDA) software suite used for designing printed circuit boards (PCBs) and schematics. It supports the entire process from concept to manufacturing, including schematic capture, PCB layout, 3D viewing, and Gerber file generation. It is currently one of the most popular open-source PCB design tools, widely used in hobbyist, open-source hardware, education, and small business projects. KiCad was initiated by Jean-Pierre Charras in 1992 and is now maintained by the KiCad development team and CERN contributors. It is hosted on kicad.org and GitHub, licensed under GPL v3, and supports Windows, macOS, and Linux platforms.

History and Development

• Origins:
  • 1992: Jean-Pierre Charras developed KiCad at IUT de Grenoble in France as a teaching tool.
• Key Milestones:
  • 2005: KiCad 2.0 released, supporting multi-layer PCBs.
  • 2013: CERN joined the development, providing funding and manpower, accelerating modernization.
  • 2015: KiCad 4.0 released, rewriting the PCB editor (Pcbnew) and introducing push/shove routing.
  • 2018: KiCad 5.0 released, supporting a 3D viewer and plugin system.
  • 2021: KiCad 6.0 released, introducing custom design rule checking (DRC) and SPICE simulation integration.
  • 2023: KiCad 7.0 released, supporting database libraries and CLI tools.
  • 2024: KiCad 8.0 released, optimizing the routing engine, 3D rendering, and performance.
  • October 2025: KiCad 8.0.6 released, fixing bugs and improving stability.
• Current Status:
  • Active community, over 6k GitHub stars, and continuous contributions from CERN.

Main Features

1. Schematic Editor (Eeschema):
   • Hierarchical schematics, multi-page support, electrical rule checking (ERC).
   • Application: Complex circuit design.
2. PCB Editor (Pcbnew):
   • Push/pull routing, differential pairs, length matching, 3D viewing (Raytracing).
   • Supports 32 copper layers, custom DRC.
   • Application: High-density PCB layout.
3. Symbol and Footprint Libraries:
   • Built-in 10,000+ symbols/footprints, official library continuously updated.
   • Supports third-party libraries (e.g., Digi-Key, SnapEDA).
4. Gerber and Manufacturing Output:
   • One-click generation of Gerber, drill files, BOM, pick-and-place files.
   • Application: Directly send to PCB manufacturers (e.g., JLCPCB).
5. Plugins and Extensions:
   • Plugin system (Python), supports KiBot (automated output), InteractiveHtmlBom.
6. Cross-Platform Compatibility:
   • Windows/macOS/Linux, Flatpak/Snap/AppImage support.
7. Hardware Compatibility:
   • Minimum: 1 GHz CPU, 4 GB RAM (8 GB+ recommended).

Advantages and Limitations

Advantages:

• Completely free and open-source: GPL v3, no subscription.
• Full functionality: From schematic to manufacturing, superior to Eagle free version.
• Strong community: CERN contributions, rich libraries.
• Cross-platform: Consistent experience.
• Education-friendly: Widely used in universities.

Limitations:

• Steep learning curve: Complex interface, tutorials needed for beginners.
• Performance: Slow rendering for very large boards (not as good as Altium).
• Comparison with other software:
  • Altium Designer: Professional paid software.
  • Eagle: Integrated with Fusion 360.
  • EasyEDA: Cloud-based free software.
  • DipTrace: Simple paid software.

Summary

KiCad is a free and open-source EDA software suite. The latest version 8.0.6 (October 2025) supports schematics, PCB layout, 3D viewing, and manufacturing output, suitable for open-source hardware, education, and small projects. Compared to Altium (professional paid), Eagle (integrated), EasyEDA (cloud-based), and DipTrace (simple), KiCad stands out for its completeness and community support, but has a steeper learning curve. Suitable for PCB design ranging from hobbyist to professional levels, and integrates perfectly with FreeCAD/LibreCAD.