Introducing KiCad

The KiCad suite installs a set of applications that perform the following functions:

• Schematic entry: Schematic entry is the process of describing an electrical circuit using a diagram that shows the circuit components and the connections between them. In KiCad, you select from a palette-based set of tools to choose electrical components, arrange them on the drawing canvas, and connect them together with lines that represent wires.
• Component definition: KiCad includes a large set of definitions for common electrical components. Additional libraries are available for free from a variety of online sources. Despite the availability of a large set of predefined devices, you will occasionally need to define a component that isn't in the library. KiCad provides tools to describe the electrical connections of a device in terms of pins and their functions, and to define a footprint for the device. The footprint of an electrical component describes the connections...