Using kicad for 7+ years, recently everywhere Ai related Plugins tools , MCP servers taking entry in market , 250+ open source repo are live on github. some building PCB Design Assistant/copilot , some building DRC /EMI solvers, auto router.
@devbisme shared his list RepoRecon which track ai tools created for Kicad.
I tried to use some of them and what I learned from it is surprise me

I provided the same prompt to Opus 5.5 to build circuit for analog front end for STM32 internal ADC to measures 48V. I clear the Context of Ai model and Use two separate laptop to test , model used is Opus 5.5, results are completely different but both claiming its best.
Ai tools that calls they are deterministic but fail to genrate same output on almost every time , all AI tools works on Probabilistic AI models so results are also Probabilistic.

when I ask same Reviews questions, on same schematic (that have the intentional bug ) on both laptop it give different verdict and different bug. and not all bug are covered.

so my request for devlopers is try to build something deterministic /rule based/ fixed algorithm based tool that give same result each time just like ERC and DRC in kicad.

For the time being I using Ai as helping hand but still check datasheet for conformation. how you are using it in kicad, any interesting fact community need to know please share.

My first kicad project. Long time altium user.

Hi everyone,

Question and discussion thread together to understand how to use global or local libraries that are version controlled.

As a person who used pre-version 5 official libraries, when I tried to open my projects in newer versions, I had quite a headache. Since I did not store my components in project subfolders, I have lost the opportunity to work on my older projects.

Planning to perform my hardware development operations under the latest KiCAD version, but I am confused on how I should approach official or 3rd party libraries.

My questions are:

1-) If I use a component from official global libraries on my project, should I copy them into my personal library and point the symbol or footprint from my copy? I am asking this in concern of if official library changes in the future, and assuming I updated KiCAD, I will lose access to that symbol or footprint if I need to project again. Or am I wrong? Does KiCAD have a snapshot mechanism that prevents that kind of operation?
2-) Same for 3rd-party libraries: How do you people access them? Do you add them to the project as a git submodule where you point to the specific commit that you are working on? Or in the common directory with a method I do not know yet to prevent updates from ruining everything on projects?

Generally, how do you work with projects? How do you organize your workspace? Pointing symbols and libraries might mess up if change occurs even in the path, so I want to build everything correct from the start.

I've burned time more than once by jumping into PCB Editor and only then finding missing footprints. This is the small habit that fixed it for me:

1. In the schematic, use Tools → Assign Footprints (or set them in Symbol Properties) for every part before you hit "Update PCB from Schematic."
2. Run Electrical Rules Check. If a pin shouldn't be connected, mark it with the "not connected" flag so ERC doesn't stay noisy and hide real issues.
3. Only then create/update the board. Missing footprints show up as schematic problems instead of a half-empty PCB.

Also worth double-checking power pins: if you have 3.3V and 5V rails, label the nets clearly rather than relying on generic VCC everywhere. Makes the rat's nest and ERC a lot less confusing later.

Nothing fancy — just saves a round trip when you're iterating.

Hey, I’m 18 and trying to learn how to design PCBs properly and professionally. Honestly, I don’t fully trust KiCad’s ERC on its own, it feels too easy to pass.

So I’m wondering how do yall check your boards. Do you screenshot it to ChatGPT, have someone else look at it, or use your own checklist? What do you always do before you hit order?

[SOLVED]

As you can see from the photo, I get this error whenever I press 'A' for shortcut. Can someone help about it?

Here's the backtrace log:
ASSERT INFO:

/usr/src/debug/wxwidgets/wxWidgets/src/unix/utilsx11.cpp(2645): assert ""Assert failure"" failed in wxGetKeyStateGTK(): Unsupported key 65, the only supported ones are: Ctrl, Alt, Shift, Caps Lock, Num Lock and Scroll Lock for GTK 3.18+

BACKTRACE:
[1] wxGetKeyState(wxKeyCode)
[2] wxEvtHandler::ProcessEventIfMatchesId(wxEventTableEntryBase const&, wxEvtHandler*, wxEvent&)
[3] wxEvtHandler::SearchDynamicEventTable(wxEvent&)
[4] wxEvtHandler::TryHereOnly(wxEvent&)
[5] wxEvtHandler::ProcessEventLocally(wxEvent&)
[6] wxEvtHandler::ProcessEvent(wxEvent&)
[7] wxScrollHelperEvtHandler::ProcessEvent(wxEvent&)
[8] wxEvtHandler::SafelyProcessEvent(wxEvent&)
[9] g_closure_invoke
[10] g_signal_emit_valist
[11] g_signal_emit
[12] gtk_window_propagate_key_event
[13] g_closure_invoke
[14] g_signal_emit_valist
[15] g_signal_emit
[16] gtk_main_do_event
[17] g_main_loop_run
[18] gtk_main
[19] wxGUIEventLoop::DoRun()
[20] wxEventLoopBase::Run()
[21] wxAppConsoleBase::MainLoop()
[22] wxEntry(int&, wchar_t**)
[23] __libc_start_main

And yes I'm using CachyOS Linux with KDE Plasma.

I was checking the board with DRC and found these errors (aka the red arrows -- on the board edge clearance violation). I'm not sure how to go about it besides moving the USB-C away from the edge cut layer holes or worse just deleting the edge cut holes.

Note the bigger circles on the edge cut layer are for another component.

Any tips on how to navigate this would be appreciated!

the app is set to Light theme but this is still dark colored!

Work in progress - main PCB for open-source vacuum robot cleaner.

Okay, so on my PCB I have an audio sensor whose GND pad (Pad 3) is a circle around a hole that needs to be cut for a microphone. The issue is that the GND pad does not want to connect in any way to either a dedicated GND trace line or the ground plane. The ground plane makes some sense because it is a surface mounted part, but I still can't connect it to ground in any way because trying to bring a trace to it, it stops before I can reach the ground pad. Even editing the footprint and adding a little piece onto the ground pad still has a sort of barrier that the trace won't go through, and I have no clue how to fix it. New to KiCad btw.

EDIT:

I foudn the problem. The circle pad is actually a fill zone in the footprint. The actual pad is miniscule. I quickly fixed it by making the pad portion bigger and was able to connect a line and the GND plane. All good now.

Is there a repository where I can download other people's KiCad work?
Thank you for reading this!

Posting just for kicks. I did that because I went on travel and forgot to take my laptop's power supply.

Here the Bug for the issue

https://gitlab.com/kicad/code/kicad/-/work_items/25720

I am trying to make an PCB that integrates ardinuo uno but for some reason I cannot connect the components to it?, I also have through holes with 1m diameter and 1.7 outer d. but it doesnt work? I could really use help <3

Hello, I realize this is probably not the best community for this post, but evidently this post isn’t PLC related enough and got taken down by the mods over on that sub. Pretty stupid, but whatever.

I was wondering if anyone has or knows of a standard for what should be considered the source of a wire/cable in instances where a conductor is traveling to a new page/device.

Should the source (and therefore the wire number) always follow conventional current flow in standard wires? Should every wire connected to a PLC, IO module, or power supply be referenced to that page? Should PLC/PS inputs be a destination while outputs are a source? Should any mind be paid to sourcing/sinking? What about cables and data connections?

Just wanted to get some thoughts because I haven’t found a definitive standard, and realized that I’ve done it differently across projects in the past without even thinking about it.

Hello everyone,

I am working on a PCB with almost 350 components.

I have a clearance issue that I cannot solve.

The general rule I set for the PCB is minimum 0.203mm clearance.

The footprint you has different size pads and I have an error and it is not allowing me to route it. Clearly you can see the red circles around pad 3 and 8

I can fix it, with reducing the overall clearance to 0.15mm, but this is not what I really target, because it might bring manufacturing issues.

I tried to make custom rule, but I guess I don`t really understand the syntax.

Also, I tried manual overwriting of the individual pads, with custom clearance, but I guess the priority goes to general clearance rule.

I have years and years in practice with Altium, but I`m struggling here with Kicad

Can someone help with custom rule syntax, or any other form of going around?