Open source PCB designs you can simulate
6,828 boards
Every public KiCad project we can find on GitHub, with its processor, full parts list and a render of the board. Any of them can be brought up in simulation: open one and run firmware on it before you order a single PCB.
Core
shmoergh
215 × 100 mm285 parts2LNo license123
MICRO-OX Main VCO board
JordanAceto
133.9 × 165.1 mm280 parts4LCC-BY-4.08
TI MSP430/CCProjet Sound Bar DIY
HodearS
165.7 × 85 mm799 parts4LNo license2
DMH Output PCB 1
DeMarco
48 × 175 mm263 parts2LCC0-1.02
AVR/ArduinoDigital synth
giacomogramaglia
165 × 90.1 mm135 parts2LNo license0
STM32MICRO-OX Modulation Board
111.8 × 165.1 mm231 parts4LCC-BY-4.08
DMH Output PCB Mezanine
49 × 164.5 mm105 parts2LCC0-1.02
HacKeys
velvia-fifty
100 × 100 mm151 parts2LCC-BY-NC-4.01
DMH Output PCB Main
49 × 175 mm91 parts2LCC0-1.02
Utils output core
58 × 65 mm70 parts2LNo license214
About these open source PCB designs
Every board here is a published hardware project: a public GitHub repository with KiCad design files and a bill of materials. HardLabs reads those files directly — the board outline for its size, the copper layers, every footprint for the parts list — and draws the render from the layout itself, so what you see is the design as committed rather than a product photo.
Boards are indexed by the microcontroller they are built around, by what they are for, and by every IC and module on them. That makes the gallery a quick way to find a reference design: look up a part number to see how other engineers power, decouple and connect it.
Using an open source board as a reference design
- Find boards built on your chip or with the part you are designing around.
- Compare their size, layer count and bill of materials, and open the KiCad files on GitHub.
- Check the license before reusing any of the design.
- Simulate the firmware on HardLabs to test your changes before you order a PCB.
Open source PCB designs: common questions
What is an open source PCB?
A printed circuit board whose design files — schematic, layout and bill of materials — are published for anyone to study and, depending on the license, to modify and manufacture.
Are these PCB designs free to use?
It depends on each project's license. Open hardware licenses such as CERN-OHL and CC BY-SA, and software licenses such as MIT, allow reuse on their terms; a repository with no license keeps all rights with its author. Every board page shows its license.
What design files do the boards come with?
They are KiCad projects: the .kicad_pcb layout and the schematic (or a netlist from older KiCad versions), plus a bill of materials, usually a CSV. Each board page links to those files in the original GitHub repository.
How do I find boards that use a specific part?
Search for the part number, or open the part's page from the list of parts. It shows every board built with that part and the parts most often used alongside it.
How many boards are there, and how often is the list updated?
6,828 boards from 3,344 repositories today. New projects are found and added every night.
Can I test a board's firmware before ordering the PCB?
Yes. HardLabs builds a simulation of a board from its netlist and BOM, so you can boot and debug firmware against it with no hardware on your desk.