Importing from KiCad
Overview
You can import KiCad components or projects into tscircuit.
To import from KiCad, you should understand the different file formats KiCad uses:
- Files for KiCad components
kicad_mod
- PCB footprint file for a single componentkicad_sym
- Schematic symbol file for a single component
- Files for KiCad projects
kicad_pro
- KiCad project filekicad_pcb
- KiCad PCB board filekicad_sch
- KiCad Schematic board file
info
We're still building KiCad import directly into tscircuit.com, stay tuned for when that's available!
Importing KiCad Components
Currently the easiest way to import KiCad components is to go to kicad-component.tscircuit.com
and upload your kicad_mod
and/or kicad_sym
file.
Importing KiCad Components using the CLI
Using tscircuit's open-source KiCad component converter, we can convert KiCad files on the command line.
First install the component converter:
npm install -g kicad-mod-converter
Next, run the following command to convert your KiCad files:
# Convert a directory ./my-footprints.pretty to a tscircuit project
kicad-mod-converter convert-kicad-directory --input-dir ./my-footprints.pretty --output-dir ./my-tscircuit-footprints
Importing KiCad Components Programmatically
bun add kicad-mod-converter
import { parseKicadModToCircuitJson } from "kicad-component-converter"
import { readFileSync } from "node:fs"
const fileContent = readFileSync("SW_SP3T_PCM13.kicad_mod")
const circuitJson = await parseKicadModToCircuitJson(fileContent)
/* [
* {
* "type": "pcb_smtpad",
* "x": 0.345,
* ...
*/
Circuit JSON can then be converted into regular tscircuit modules using circuit-json-to-tscircuit