KiCad workflow

Scope and companion skill

This skill owns KiCad operations and CAD evidence. For circuit architecture, component selection, electrical constraints, placement strategy, engineering review, or manufacturing cost decisions, also use electronics-design when available. That skill owns the design sequence; this one implements the resulting constraints and checks. If it is unavailable, establish the necessary engineering inputs from project requirements and authoritative component documentation before making design changes.

An export, render, or file-format task does not require a new engineering review. A request to design a board in KiCad normally uses both skills. Do not treat successful CAD checks as proof of electrical performance or safety.

Default approach

Treat .kicad_pro, .kicad_sch, and .kicad_pcb files as the source of truth. Preserve existing user work rather than rebuilding it to make it script-generated.

Prefer structured schematic editing, the official IPC API for supported PCB operations, and the real KiCad CLI for independent checks and exports. Keep substantial transformations in durable scripts. Use MCP for useful live-session inspection or small changes, and GUI control when a reliable structured operation is unavailable. Avoid turning one coherent edit into hundreds of opaque micro-calls.

Find and use the latest local KiCad before choosing an API

Check all KiCad installations on PATH, system installation locations, and system/user package managers. Always search the entire home directory recursively for AppImages and portable installations, including hidden and ignored folders, even after finding a working installation. On Linux: