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KiCad

Open-source electronics design automation suite

★ Stars3k3,048 on GitHub
Last commit18 Oct 2026
LicenceGPL-3.0SPDX, from the repository
View on GitHub ↗

From GitHub, fetched 19 Oct 2026.

Visit kicad.org ↗

KiCad covers schematic capture, PCB layout with a push-and-shove router, 3D board viewing, SPICE simulation and Gerber output. It is backed by CERN and the Linux Foundation and used for both hobby and professional boards. Development happens on GitLab; GitHub hosts a mirror.

GitHub stars shown are for the read-only mirror; KiCad development happens on GitLab.

Who it suits

  • From beginners to professional work: KiCad's docs say it is “suitable for creating designs of all complexities”, supports PCBs with up to 32 copper layers, and aims to be “suitable for professional designers.”

From docs.kicad.org/9.0/en/kicad/kicad.html, checked 19 Oct 2026. Quotes are the project's own words.

Switching from Altium Designer

Your data: KiCad imports Altium boards (.PcbDoc) and schematics (.SchDoc) as standalone documents. Import the board first, save the project, then bring in each schematic sheet.

  1. Open the PCB Editor on its own: Start KiCad's PCB Editor standalone, without opening the project manager first.
  2. Import the board: Choose File → Import → Non-KiCad Board File and select your .PcbDoc file (Altium Designer). Circuit Maker (.CMPcbDoc) and Circuit Studio (.CSPcbDoc) boards work the same way.
  3. Save the project: Save the resulting KiCad project.
  4. Import each schematic sheet: Start the Schematic Editor standalone, choose File → Import → Non-KiCad Schematic and select a .SchDoc sheet.
  5. Copy the sheets into the project: Copy each imported schematic sheet into the project you saved in step 3.

Watch out for:

  • KiCad doesn't support schematics with multiple top-level sheets, so import each sheet and place them as hierarchical sheets in the project.

Full step-by-step guide →

Sources: docs.kicad.org/9.0/en/kicad/kicad.html, checked 19 Oct 2026.

Switching from Eagle

Your data: KiCad imports Eagle 6.x and newer projects (XML .sch and .brd files) as a complete KiCad project, from File → Import Non-KiCad Project.

  1. Open the importer: In the KiCad project manager, open the File menu, then the Import Non-KiCad Project submenu, and choose the Eagle option.
  2. Select a schematic or board file: In the file browser, pick the .sch or .brd file. KiCad expects both to share the same base name.
  3. Choose where to save: Pick a directory for the new KiCad project. KiCad writes the converted schematic and board there.
  4. Open the new project: The result is a normal KiCad project (.kicad_pro, .kicad_sch, .kicad_pcb), which you open and edit like any other.

Watch out for:

  • KiCad doesn't support schematics with multiple top-level sheets. Designs that use them have to be imported sheet by sheet and placed as hierarchical sheets.
  • Older Eagle files that aren't in XML format can't be imported; they need to be saved from Eagle 6.x or newer first.

Full step-by-step guide →

Sources: docs.kicad.org/9.0/en/kicad/kicad.html, checked 19 Oct 2026.

Fit: files and licence

Runs onWindows, macOS, Linux
OpensEagle (6.x+ XML), Altium Designer, CADSTAR, EasyEDA, P-CAD, Fabmaster
Eagle, CADSTAR and EasyEDA import as whole projects; Altium, P-CAD and Fabmaster files import as standalone schematics or boards.
SavesGerber, DXF, IPC-2581, ODB++, PDF
Commercial useAllowed
Open-source licence (GPL-3.0): the Open Source Definition rules out restrictions on fields of use, including business use.

Sources: docs.kicad.org/9.0/en/kicad/kicad.html · opensource.org/osd, checked 19 Oct 2026. “Runs on” is from this listing. Blank means we haven't found it in official docs yet, not that it's unsupported.

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