KiCad, the open-source electronics CAD software, is growing in popularity. KiCad 8 features several improvements over KiCad 7, particularly in the PCB editor and the built-in simulator. Here, we explore some of the updates and enhancements!

KiCad 8: The Next Step

The KiCad team introduced KiCad 8 in early 2024, almost exactly one year after KiCad 7. After the project reached a refreshing level of maturity with versions 5 and 6, new major releases of KiCad are almost always shipped with new features and improvements, designed to enhance productivity and close the gap with its commercial competitors.

KiCad 8 is no exception. The new version represents the next step in KiCad’s evolution, with several improvements and additions over KiCad 7. As with KiCad 7, KiCad 8 will not break your older projects. There are no new and radically different features, as was the new file format introduced in KiCad 5. The features introduced in KiCad 8 will not require you to spend hours or days le...