KiCAD Quick-Start Tutorial

This is a short and fast introductory video for those interested in getting started using KiCAD. I wanted to demonstrate a basic work-flow through schematic capture and PCB layout modules, instead of touching on every function or element of the user interface.

Note: KiCAD is currently seeing a lot of activity from the developers, so I'm running a version compiled from source.

Note 2: As Simon Ellwood points out in the comments, the footprint association file (.cmp) should be created before creating the netlist. I made a mistake editing the video, and it shows these steps in the opposite order.

Note 3: My use of global labels in the schematic (the red colored labels) is probably a bad example for a small circuit like this, as global labels are shared by all pages of a schematic project. Using sheet-local net labels would have been a better (at least more idiomatic) approach.

Note 4: As Philip points out in the comments, when exporting gerber files you should confirm that all layers required for your production process are enabled (e.g. solder paste layers).

Note 5: The dark color theme you see here is from patching the KiCad source code to better respect the system theme. My patch was adapted and merged in Git commit 068a29952c96b844cb1c9480a864a61642eeb2d7 (c. 9/2017).

[dougalan]

Not only is this a great tutorial video on KiCad, but an example of how a tutorial video should be made. Unobtrusive background music, good pacing, professional looking edits, and an enthusiastic and clear narration. A cracking experience all'round!

[ShaneDillingham]

This is one of the most well organized and speedy tutorials I have ever seen for Kicad. Thank you!

[Sembiance]

Just have to say that this was the BEST TUTORIAL VIDEO I've ever watched. I was a bit daunted by the multiple-part, multiple hour long Kicad videos others had and thought it would be super hard to learn. Your video zips right through things and was the perfect thing to help me design my first PCB!

THANK YOU!!!!

[groovethaang]

That was really helpful - a quick breeze through before there's a risk of getting bogged down and overwhelmed in the detail of the learning process. Thank you.

[keithjohnson]

Wow, thanks for actually creating a quick tutorial that lives up to the name. Most of the "quick" tutorials I've seen on YouTube play out more along the lines of, "Before I begin... I want... to talk... about... the history... of... KiCAD...."

[uwezimmermann]

Thanks a lot - I successfully ported my first project from Eagle to KiCAD while watching your video!

After more than 20 years it's good-bye Eagle now!

[geoffreygriffiths]

This is not a tutorial it is a demonstration. A tutorial enables the student to be able to complete a task, the pace here is to fast and glosses over the tools being used. Having said that this is a really good demonstration and has been very useful to me in that regard.

[Rob_]

The best tutorial ever!
Instead of skipping forward all the time, I keep skipping backward and re-watching to see what I missed. Also great in that this is excellent for people who are already using other packages (I used ultiboard, protel, eagle and altium) and I was just looking for an introduction how to create a board outline, route, change track width and some more. These 20+ minutes saved me a lot of clicking around.
Thanks!

[Carsndh]

Dude this was the best youtube tutorial I've ever seen. Thank you! I love that you don't waste any time or talk slow so I have to skip around to the useful parts.

[sciencoking]

From downloading the software to ordering my first boards in two hours with only this video. Now that's what I call a tutorial!

[tenani]

Thanks to you I'm now 100% done with 2, 54mm to SMD adapter boards. Great tutorial, I didn't realize what this program is capable of before. Now i can finally make boards for all my circuits.

[cheaterman]

Hahaha, so many years after first watching this video, so much electronics I've done since, yet this is still what I recommend to people wanting to learn KiCAD :-) really excellent tutorial!

[RaigonZelo]

Great pacing. Most tutorials force me to tap the right key to speed up the pace but you were really concise and fast. I hope you do more of these in the future, there needs to be more fast paced tutorials out there.

[shingabiss]

Very well done. I'm a long time Orcad and Pads user and these are strikingly close to both, which is great. This tutorial was presented well for mid level users and above, not needing to cover the already known basics of schematic capture and pcb layout.

[warnerlosh]

I've been reading schematics from the hardware guys for years. Was able to puzzle through creating one of my own for simple project that I had going on, but was at a total loss for how to turn that into something I could send out to a fab to get made so I could make my thing. This tutorial helped me get a nice mental road map for how to get things done. There's still a ton of stuff for me to learn before I have gerbers to send out, but now I know what I don't know and know how to learn it. A wonderful return for 20 minutes of watching...

[benjaminanderson]

this is one of the best tutorials I have ever seen. Please make more tutorials!

[msyrjala]

I just hated video tutorials due to wasting time and not being thought through, but that was until I saw this. Great work, followed the video and got my first board drawn right away!

[FernandoMumbach]

I've been watching some tutorials for kicad, and this is the most speedy yet to-the-point and easy-to-understand one. It even shows some keybinds! That shows you use this tool a lot and really know what you're talking about : )

[hardwareful]

The time is NOW for KiCAD tutorials! "So you're fed up with Eagle - here's how to get started with KiCAD" !!

[AvinashChaure]

The best PCB design tutorial I have seen yet. Very glad because of this I designed my first board (as per instructions.) Thank you.