PCB Design Software On Linux

Since Linux Operating System becomes more and more popular, many software specially release the Linux-based version or make them could run on different platforms. We could easily found that many PCB design software are also designed to run on Linux OS to meet the need of Linux users and engineers. Here we are listing you a collection of best Linux supported PCB design software which are simple, easy to use to access or download.

EasyEDA

EasyEDA is a free PCB design software which support Linux OS. The Linux operation system works fine on the software. EasyEDA also runs on windows, mac, or android platform, as long as there is one browser on the OS and connecting to network. It’s a cross-platform EDA tool aiming to bring an easier EDA Experience to electronic engineers, educators, engineering students and electronics hobbyists. It is a great circuit simulator and fast PCB designer that helps you complete the design from schematics to the finished PCB in the easiest way.

What does EasyEDA provides you?

1. Schematic capture

Schematic capture is the basic entrance of understanding the circuit you design. You could draw schematics quickly using the available libraries on browser.

2. Spice simulation

EasyEDA provides many simulation models and the quick way to building models for Integrated circuits. EasyEDA provides Waveform viewer to preview the simulation results.

3. Fast PCB layout

In some small PCB projects, maybe you don’t need a schematic. EasyEDA allows you to layout the PCB directly from the PCB Editor. Start a new PCB, you can add footprints directly from the PCB Libs. With multiple layers, thousands of pads, you could still operate quickly and layout smoothly.

4. Import and Export file

EasyEDA can import files from the third-party EDA tool like Altium Designer, LTspice, Eagle, Kicad and can export EasyEDA source, SVG source, SVG file, Image(png), and Pdf files.

5. Convert your shcematics to PCB easily

When you complete the design of schematic diagram, you could just click the top icon "Convert project to PCB" then it’s easy to realized the layout of your PCB.

6. Free Gerber viewer

EasyEDA support gerber files from any other EDA tool and on the Gerber viewer page you will get a overview of common msitakes that we may commit while generating the gerber files.

7. $2 PCB Prototyping Service

EasyEDA provides online PCB order service which improve your effiency to make PCB. When complete PCB design, you could order your PCB directly on EasyEDA at best price. Only $2 for 10pcs, 2-layer, PCB sizes <= 10cmx10cm
The cheapest PCBs can be find here: https://easyeda.com/order
All PCBs are 100% E-tested. Any problem in PCBs, EasyEDA could refund full of money you paid.

8. Open source modules

Users could access abundant hardware projects, resourceful schematic libs and PCB libs created and shared by many electronic engineers.

DipTrace

Another popular PCB design software running on Linux I would like to share is DipTrace. DipTrace is an EDA software for designing schematic and PCB boards. You can run it on Linux, Mac and Window operation system.

What are the main modules of DipTrace:

1. Schematic captrue editor

Advanced circuit design tool with support of multi-sheet and multi-level hierarchical schematics that delivers a number of features for visual and logical pin connections. DipTrace Schematic has ERC Verification and Spice export for external simulation.

2. PCB layout editor

Engineering tool for board design with smart manual routing, differential pairs, shape-based autorouter, advanced verification, and wide import/export capabilities.

3. 3D PCB preview & export

This module includes real-time 3D preview & export feature. It shows the model of manufactured printed circuit board with all components installed.

4. Component editor

Manage component libraries and create single- or multi-part components by selecting a template and its dimensions, defining visual and electrical pin parameters, setting up a Spice model, and attaching pattern with a 3D model to finalize component creation.

5. Pattern editor

Creation of pattern is basically selecting a template, entering a couple of vital parameters, drawing the silkscreen, and launching automatic pad renumbering.

gEDA

gEDA is a free, open-source, Linux-based PCB design tool. Because one of the gEDA Project's longstanding goals is to provide a suite of EDA applications for Linux, all applications in the gEDA Suite compile and run on Linux. gEDA Suite also runs on different platforms, like Unix, Mac, Windows.

gEDA has produced tools which are used for electrical circuit design, schematic capture, simulation, prototyping, and production. Currently, the gEDA project offers a mature suite of free software applications for electronics design, including schematic capture, attribute management, bill of materials (BOM) generation, netlisting into over 20 netlist formats, analog and digital simulation, and printed circuit board (PCB) design layout.

What are main functions of gEDA:

1. gEDA provides schematic capture

2. gEDA provides PCB editor

3. gEDA provides gerber file viewer

gEDA tools are suitable for use by students, educators, hobbyists, consultants, small businesses, and even in large corporations where an engineer might need to crank out a quick PC board (e.g. for a test stand) in a hurry.

KiCad

KiCad is an open source PCB design software for Linux, Windows, FreeBSD and Mac OS X. KiCad is an open source (GPL) software for the creation of electronic schematic diagrams and printed circuit board artwork. It is useful for everybody working in electronic design (schematic diagrams and Printed Board up to 16 layers).You could reate PCB circuits with KiCad for free. With the schematic editor you can create your design without limit; there are no paywalls to unlock features.

KiCad uses an integrated environment for all of the stages of the design process:

1. Schematic capture

2. PCB layout editor

3. Gerber file generation/visualization

4. Library editing.

Fritzing

Fritzing is a new open source PCB designer that supports Linux systems. Fritzing is an open source initiative to develop amateur or hobby CAD software for the design of electronics hardware, to support designers and artists ready to move from experimenting with a prototype to building a more permanent circuit.

There are three views/design modes which are the Breadboard, the Schematic, and the PCB mode. You may choose what suits your particular design needs best and start designing.

Hope you will like these Linux supported PCB design software.