Open source PCB designs you can simulate
22,817 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.
NXPNuclone LPC845M301BD48 small
Squantor
50 × 50 mm67 parts2LMIT1
NXPNuclone LPC844M201BD64
48.3 × 76.2 mm56 parts2LMIT1
Nuclone devboard small 4 layer
50 × 50 mm37 parts4LMIT24
RP2040/RP2350Nuclone RP2040 SOIC
50 × 50 mm56 parts4LMIT1
Nuclone devboard small 2 layer USB-C data
50 × 50 mm36 parts2LMIT24
RP2040/RP2350Nuclone RP2040 SON
50 × 50 mm56 parts4LMIT1
RP2040/RP2350Nuclone RP2040 WSON
50 × 50 mm56 parts4LMIT1
Nuclone devboard small 2 layer USB-C PD
50 × 50 mm34 parts2LMIT24
NXPNuclone LPC1125JBD48
48.3 × 76.2 mm46 parts2LMIT1
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?
22,817 boards from 11,492 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.