EDA Tools - Schematic Capture & Layout

Est. read time: 1 minute | Last updated: April 13, 2025 by John Gentile

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Contents

• Altium
• KiCad
  • 3rd Party Libraries
    • Useful Libraries
  • Customization
  • Other Tools for KiCad
• Open-Source Hardware Repos
• Board Houses
• References

Altium

Altium and Altium - YouTube.

KiCad

KiCad EDA

3rd Party Libraries

User/3rd party made symbol libraries & footprints can be easily added to a KiCad project by going to the Preferences of the Symbol Editor and the Footprint Editor, then Manage Symbol/Footprint Libraries…->Project Specific Libraries->Add existing library to table (for more info see Digi-Key’s tutorial on importing libraries).

Useful Libraries

• Electronic Parts by Category - Octopart

• [SnapEDA

  Free PCB Footprints and Schematic Symbols](https://www.snapeda.com/)

• JLCPCB Component Library
  • NOTE: JLCPCB also does PCB manufacture and assembly
• Digi-Key Parts Library
• SparkFun Parts Library
• Electronic Components Online - Arrow.com
• FindChips: Electronic Components, Distributor Inventories, Datasheets
• Ultra Librarian - PCB Component Data

Customization

• KiCad Color Schemes

Other Tools for KiCad

• KiCanvas is an interactive, browser-based viewer for KiCAD schematics and boards
• xesscorp/KiCost: Build cost spreadsheet for a KiCad project.

Open-Source Hardware Repos

NOTE: not all repos listed are KiCAD based, but are great open-source references.

• Open Hardware Repository
• Antmicro Open Hardware Library
• Dongle Hider
• Beagley-AI
• 6 Real World Embedded Projects to Learn From
• 4-Channel RF Front End
• short stack - smallest Nintendo Wii board
• waywardgeek/infnoise USB based TRNG
• Kitspace

Board Houses

• Advanced PCB
• OSH Park ~

References

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