{
 "schemaVersion": 1,
 "generated": "2026-10-30",
 "dataLicense": "CC BY-SA 4.0",
 "license": "CC BY-SA 4.0",
 "notice": "Data from Open Source Everything (https://opensourceeverything.org), licensed CC BY-SA 4.0: use it freely, credit the site, link to the page, and share changes under the same license. Listings were drafted with AI assistance and are managed by the r/TrueOpenSource moderators; check a project's own page before relying on a fact.",
 "id": "electronics",
 "name": "Circuits, boards and chips",
 "page": "https://opensourceeverything.org/g/electronics/",
 "category": "hw-makers",
 "categoryName": "Making things: 3D printing, electronics, radio",
 "job": "Designing and simulating circuits, circuit boards and chips",
 "closedApps": [
  "Altium Designer",
  "Proteus",
  "NI Multisim",
  "Cadence"
 ],
 "coverage": "one-full",
 "alternatives": [
  {
   "id": "qucs-s",
   "name": "Qucs-S",
   "page": "https://opensourceeverything.org/p/qucs-s/",
   "summary": "Qucs-S is a desktop program for drawing electronic circuits and running computer simulations to check how they will behave before building them. It is aimed at electronics students, hobbyists and engineers.",
   "kind": "app",
   "setup": "easy",
   "setupWhy": "Install it like a normal app, or use it in your browser.",
   "platforms": [
    "windows",
    "mac",
    "linux"
   ],
   "license": "GPL-2.0",
   "licenseClass": "open",
   "licenseNeedsCheck": false,
   "stars": 1426,
   "forks": null,
   "status": "active",
   "verified": false,
   "latestRelease": null,
   "code": "https://github.com/ra3xdh/qucs_s",
   "website": "https://ra3xdh.github.io",
   "download": null,
   "release": null,
   "family": null,
   "familyChildren": [],
   "howToHelp": null,
   "project": "qucs-s",
   "rank": 1,
   "fit": "full",
   "note": null,
   "why": "Does the whole job · Easy setup",
   "score": 68.5
  },
  {
   "id": "librepcb",
   "name": "LibrePCB",
   "page": "https://opensourceeverything.org/p/librepcb/",
   "summary": "LibrePCB is a free program for designing printed circuit boards, the green boards that hold electronic parts together. It is meant for electronics designers and hobbyists who want to lay out their own boards on Windows, Linux or macOS.",
   "kind": "app",
   "setup": "easy",
   "setupWhy": "Install it like a normal app, or use it in your browser.",
   "platforms": [
    "windows",
    "mac",
    "linux",
    "server"
   ],
   "license": "GPL-3.0",
   "licenseClass": "open",
   "licenseNeedsCheck": false,
   "stars": 3033,
   "forks": null,
   "status": "active",
   "verified": false,
   "latestRelease": null,
   "code": "https://github.com/LibrePCB/LibrePCB",
   "website": "https://librepcb.org",
   "download": null,
   "release": null,
   "family": null,
   "familyChildren": [],
   "howToHelp": null,
   "project": "librepcb",
   "rank": 2,
   "fit": "partial",
   "note": "Covers circuit board design; simulation of circuits is not described in the README.",
   "why": "Does part of the job · Easy setup",
   "score": 41.4
  },
  {
   "id": "yosys",
   "name": "Yosys",
   "page": "https://opensourceeverything.org/p/yosys/",
   "summary": "Yosys is a free tool that turns hardware design descriptions written in Verilog or SystemVerilog into circuit netlists that can be built into computer chips. It is intended for chip designers, engineers and researchers who work on digital hardware.",
   "kind": "developer_tool",
   "setup": "advanced",
   "setupWhy": "Made for developers: you use it from code or the command line.",
   "platforms": [
    "windows",
    "mac",
    "linux"
   ],
   "license": "ISC",
   "licenseClass": "open",
   "licenseNeedsCheck": false,
   "stars": 4851,
   "forks": null,
   "status": "active",
   "verified": false,
   "latestRelease": null,
   "code": "https://github.com/YosysHQ/yosys",
   "website": "https://yosyshq.net/yosys",
   "download": null,
   "release": null,
   "family": null,
   "familyChildren": [],
   "howToHelp": null,
   "project": "yosys",
   "rank": 3,
   "fit": "partial",
   "note": "Covers chip logic synthesis only, not circuit board or analog circuit design or simulation.",
   "why": "Does part of the job · Advanced setup",
   "score": 33.1
  },
  {
   "id": "verilator",
   "name": "Verilator",
   "page": "https://opensourceeverything.org/p/verilator/",
   "summary": "Verilator is a tool that runs computer simulations of digital chip designs written in hardware description languages. It is aimed at hardware engineers and programmers rather than everyday users.",
   "kind": "developer_tool",
   "setup": "advanced",
   "setupWhy": "Made for developers: you use it from code or the command line.",
   "platforms": [],
   "license": "LGPL-3.0",
   "licenseClass": "open",
   "licenseNeedsCheck": false,
   "stars": 46,
   "forks": null,
   "status": "active",
   "verified": false,
   "latestRelease": null,
   "code": "https://github.com/verilator/verilator-announce",
   "website": "https://www.veripool.org/verilator",
   "download": null,
   "release": null,
   "family": null,
   "familyChildren": [],
   "howToHelp": null,
   "project": "verilator",
   "rank": 4,
   "fit": "partial",
   "note": "Simulates chip designs only; no circuit boards or schematics.",
   "why": "Does part of the job · Advanced setup",
   "score": 26
  }
 ],
 "source": "https://opensourceeverything.org/g/electronics/",
 "group": "Circuits, boards and chips",
 "replaces": [
  "Altium Designer",
  "Proteus",
  "NI Multisim",
  "Cadence"
 ]
}