oaslananka

oaslananka / kicad-studio

Public

The complete KiCad development environment for VS Code: open schematics and PCBs, run DRC/ERC, export production files, inspect BOMs, search components, compare design revisions, and optionally get AI-powered design guidance.

marketplace.visualstudio.comitems?itemName=Oaslananka.kicadstudio bo drc eda electronics gerber
14
1
100% credibility
Found Apr 15, 2026 at 14 stars -- GitGems finds repos before they trend. Get early access to the next one.
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AI Analysis
TypeScript
AI Summary

KiCad Studio is a VS Code extension providing interactive viewers, design rule checks, manufacturing exports, BOM tools, component search, Git diffs, and optional AI assistance for KiCad schematics and PCBs.

How It Works

1
🔍 Discover KiCad Studio

You find this helpful tool in the VS Code marketplace while looking for ways to view and work on your circuit designs without switching apps.

2
⬇️ Add it to VS Code

Search for KiCad Studio and install it with one click, just like any other helpful extension.

3
📁 Open your circuit project

Open the folder containing your schematic or board files, and the tool automatically recognizes your project.

4
👀 View designs interactively

Click on a schematic or board file to see a beautiful, zoomable preview right inside VS Code, with easy controls to explore every detail.

5
Check for issues or prepare files
✅
Spot and fix errors

See a list of issues like spacing problems, get explanations, and fix them fast.

📤
Export manufacturing files

Create Gerber files, bills of parts, and packages with one command, all organized in a folder.

6
🤖 Get smart help if needed

Optionally chat with an AI helper for advice on tricky parts or design tips, keeping everything smooth.

🎉 Ready to build

Your circuit design is checked, files are exported, and you're set to send everything to a manufacturer with confidence.

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Star Growth

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AI-Generated Review

What is kicad-studio?

KiCad Studio is a TypeScript VS Code extension that builds a full KiCad workflow inside your editor: interactive schematic and PCB viewers via bundled KiCanvas, one-click DRC/ERC checks in the Problems panel, production exports like Gerbers/drill/BOMs/IPC-2581, component searches on Octopart/LCSC, visual Git diffs, and optional AI guidance from Claude or OpenAI. It solves the pain of context-switching between KiCad's native apps and VS Code for editing S-expressions, scripting, or Git workflows—think complete KiCad reference manual functionality without leaving your IDE, ideal for kicad visual studio setups or Seeed Studio XIAO projects.

Why is it gaining traction?

It stands out by embedding KiCad CLI deeply—run exports (Gerber ZIPs for JLCPCB/PCBWay, 3D models, netlists) and library searches directly from VS Code commands, with auto-refresh viewers and secure API keys for AI/part lookups. No more manual kicad-cli terminal juggling or browser tabs for BOMs/diffs; the project tree, status bar summaries, and jobset support make it feel like a kicad complete course from beginner to pro, outpacing basic syntax highlighters.

Who should use this?

Hardware engineers iterating KiCad schematics/PCBs in VS Code daily, especially those ditching standalone KiCad for integrated editing, or comparing kicad vs Circuit Studio alternatives. Perfect for fab prep (export manufacturing packages, inspect BOMs) or teams using qucs studio kicad libraries and needing quick AI error analysis.

Verdict

Grab it if you're in the KiCad + VS Code overlap—solid docs, Marketplace-ready, with Jest tests and Azure CI—but at 14 stars and 1.0% credibility score, it's early-stage; test on real projects before production. Promising for streamlining exports over kicad complete tutorials.

(198 words)

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