Kicad/Introduction

Introduction

The KiCAD suite is a group of programs for schematics and PCBs that is available for the following operating systems:

• FreeBSD
• GNU/Linux
• Mac OS X -- Installing on Mac OS
• Most unix-like operating systems
• Microsoft Windows

Programs

The following programs are delivered with the Kicad EDA Suite:

The software package includes:

• KiCad - the project manager program that facilitates the use of all the other programs.
• Eeschema - Schematic editor used to draw schematics
• Pcbnew - PCB editor used to layout PCBs; generates the production files (Gerber files)
• Cvpcb - Associate schematic components with physical modules (packages/padlayout) for placement on the PCB.
• Gerbview - Visualize Gerber files.
• Bitmap2Component - Convert bitmaps into symbols or footprints.
• PCB Calculator - Calculator around PCB issues.

Further reading

• Official site: http://www.kicad.org/
• "KiCad Documentation"

• KiCad discussion forum: http://forum.kicad.info/

• KiCad source code on Launchpad. Mirror site: KiCad source code on GitHub.
• KiCad as used by RepRap
• "KiCad tutorial: Creating Gerber Files" as used by Opendous Inc.
• KiCad tutorial: generating Gerber and Drill files" by Qi Hardware
• KiCadHowTo wiki : Tutorials and help with using KiCad
• Transtronics wiki: Kicad: a tutorial for re-building from source, and some ideas for improvements.
• "Curious Inventor: Tutorials for KiCad - A Free Open Source Schematic and PCB Layout Editor"
  • "Curious Inventor: KiCad Overview and Schematic Tutorial"
  • "Curious Inventor: Designing PCBs in Kicad and PcbNew"
• "Wayne and Layne: Kicad Tutorial: PCB edges"
• Blacklisted site, but very good libraries. Lain Walter - elettronica - "KiCad Electronic CAD libraries".
• foss-pcb: ideas for improving KiCad into a state-of-the-art PCB design tool
• "KiCad Development"
• "Numato KiCad Library Archive"
• "Dangerous Prototypes: Our KiCad EDA experience with ATX breakout v2"
• "KiCad Librarian" is a utility to manage and maintain KiCad libraries with schematic symbols and footprints.
• "image to Kicad module converter" -- how to put a QR code on your PCB.
• "Installing the latest KiCAD on Ubuntu 14.04LTS".