Setting up KiCAD

This article will show you how to setup KiCAD and the features we use for it

Step-by-step guide

1. Install KiCAD
2. Go through this git tutorial (ensure that you have your ssh key setup)

Tutorials

Here are the tutorials created in 2022:

Note that these tutorials were created using KiCAD 6, and you should be using KiCAD 7 (as of Jan 2024).

The instructions on how to add the common libraries are outdated, follow this guide on setting up the common libraries 

The 2nd video shows how to edit and create footprints, which we normally don't do. Normally we download files from the Internet, follow this article on how to get those files if you don't know how to.

Useful Extensions

To install plugins go to the "Plugin and Content Manager" from the KiCAD menu. Press Install on any extensions you want then "Apply Pending Changes" to install them.

• IBOM
  • Generates an interactive HTML BOM that is useful when soldering
• Replicate Layout
  • Let's you replicate the layouts between hierarchical sheet
• Any schematic color theme you want
  • You can edit what color you want in the schematic editor via Preferences–>Preferences–>schematicEditor–>Colors

Related articles

• Page:
  How to make PCB 3D Models
• Page:
  Setting up KiCAD
• Page:
  Finding part files for KiCAD
• Page:
  How to use common KiCAD Libraries
• Page:
  How to create a PCB Bill of Materials (BOM)