In this Trace Talks snippet, @seth shares why we’re already at the inflection point for open hardware design collaboration and why KiCad is uniquely positioned to drive it forward.
Unlike proprietary EDA tools, KiCad uses a text-based file format, making it seamless to share, version, and fork PCB projects across GitHub, GitLab, and other text-based version control platforms. This means designs shared under open hardware licenses on these platforms will continue to exist and evolve, enabling the next generation of engineers to build on community contributions.
Seth explains how engineers looking for STM32 reference designs, for example, can find thousands of user-submitted KiCad projects ready to adapt, remix, and improve. As more engineers contribute to this ecosystem, the collective library grows, creating a future where hardware designs are as accessible, searchable, and collaborative as open-source software.
Watch Seth Hillbrand talk KiCad’s design efficiency in Trace Talks EP 5.