KiCad 9.0.3

KiCad, developed by Jean Pierre Charras, is a robust and versatile open-source software suite designed for electronic design automation (EDA). It is a comprehensive tool that caters to the needs of both hobbyists and professional engineers, offering a seamless experience in creating complex electronic schematics and printed circuit boards (PCBs).

One of the standout features of KiCad is its intuitive and user-friendly interface, which allows users to navigate through its extensive functionalities with ease. The software supports schematic capture, PCB layout, and even 3D rendering, providing a holistic environment for electronic design. The schematic editor is particularly powerful, enabling users to create multi-sheet designs and manage large projects efficiently. It includes a rich library of components, which can be easily customized to suit specific project requirements.

The PCB layout tool in KiCad is equally impressive, offering advanced features such as interactive routing, differential pair routing, and a push-and-shove router. These tools ensure that users can create highly optimized and reliable PCB designs. The software also supports DRC (Design Rule Checking) and ERC (Electrical Rule Checking), which are essential for verifying the integrity of the design before manufacturing.

KiCad's 3D viewer is another noteworthy feature, allowing designers to visualize their PCB in three dimensions. This helps in identifying potential issues related to component placement and mechanical fit, thereby reducing the chances of errors in the final product. The 3D models can be exported in various formats, facilitating seamless integration with other mechanical CAD software.

One of the key advantages of KiCad is its open-source nature, which means that it is constantly evolving with contributions from a vibrant community of developers and users. This collaborative approach ensures that the software remains up-to-date with the latest advancements in EDA technology. Additionally, being open-source makes KiCad a cost-effective solution, eliminating the need for expensive licensing fees associated with proprietary EDA tools.

KiCad also boasts excellent documentation and a wealth of tutorials, making it accessible to users of all skill levels. Whether you are a novice just starting out in electronics design or a seasoned professional, you will find ample resources to help you get the most out of the software.

In summary, KiCad by Jean Pierre Charras is a powerful, flexible, and cost-effective EDA solution that stands out in the crowded field of electronic design tools. Its comprehensive feature set, combined with an intuitive interface and strong community support, makes it an excellent choice for anyone involved in electronic design, from hobbyists to professional engineers.

Release notes:

New Release
General:
Implement Altium project importer#2117
Show [read-only in the title bar based on the project’s state].
Don’t bypass empty visibility recovery due to migration.
Protect against concurrent wxPlatformInfo access at startup#21002
Unset PCM button to avoid crash on close.
Prevent single-line Scintilla text edit control scrolling bug#19708
Prevent crash when zooming to preset in footprint chooser#21203
Schematic Editor:
Support URLs in symbol chooser information panel#20811
Set single units symbols correctly when importing Altium schematics#20663
Show nets in net navigator panel after enabling for first time#20648
Fix broken select connection (Ctrl-4) behavior#19790
Test for hierarchical labels in root sheet when running ERC#20810
Update search dialog#12156 and #17102
Allow multiple label input for bulk assignment of net labels#10950
Add ability to quickly move through nets in net navigator#10911
Fix hidden fields remain visible after search and cannot be hidden again#20865
Make directive label text color behave like other labels.
Prevent table and rule areas from being swapped in schematic file after save#20918
Fix crash opening schematic with missing library symbol#20986
Fix crash running "Increment Annotations From…?" tool#20948
Add automatic completion for operating point ":power"20984
Fix crash when defining nonsensical operating point labels#20990
Print correct units in power operating point#20982
Fix text disappearing in value field properties dialog#14379
Prevent assertion when deleting field row from schematic sheet properties dialog#20747
Add field options for "Update PCB from Schematic"#21021
Read Altium’s "showName" property for fields#20985
Improve Altium import performance.
Treat stacked pins as a single item in 4-way connection test#20532
Honor escape key policy for sheet pin synchronization dialog.
Unable to load schematic created with previous KiCad version containing | character in string#21065
Fix
[ KiCad full changelog ]