How do I install the Kicad Layout skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add avatarsd/kicad-layout in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

What does the Kicad Layout skill do?

Autoroute a KiCad board headlessly: schematic → staged footprints → placement → freerouting → routed .kicad_pcb, DRC-gated. Use when asked to route a board, do layout from a schematic, or autoroute nets. It is listed under Coding & Dev Tools on SkillMD.

Is Kicad Layout safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Kicad Layout?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Kicad Layout free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Kicad Layout?

AvatarSD (@avatarsd) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Kicad Layout by avatarsd — Agent Skill

Name: Kicad Layout
Author: AvatarSD

File contents

Headless layout / autorouting

Engine: $(kx root)/kicad_lib/layout.py (python API: PYTHONPATH=; any freerouting-*-linux-x64 in .tools is auto-detected, newest wins). Worked end-to-end example: tests/test_layout.py (scratch board with outline + 2 netted footprints → 9 routed segments).

The chain

layout.autoroute(pcb_in, pcb_out, passes=20)
  = dsn_export (pcbnew python in the KiCad flatpak:
                pcbnew.ExportSpecctraDSN — headless, verified 10.0)
  → route      (.tools/freerouting-2.2.4-linux-x64/bin/freerouting,
                BUNDLED JRE — no system java; classic CLI
                -de in.dsn -do out.ses -mp N -da)
  → ses_import (pcbnew.ImportSpecctraSES + SaveBoard)

Returns segment/via counts. Bootstrap if .tools missing: download freerouting-X-linux-x64.zip from github freerouting/freerouting releases, unzip into .tools/ (no root needed).

Preconditions (or DSN export is meaningless)

Edge.Cuts outline present (closed).
Pads carry nets. Update-PCB-from-Schematic normally fills them; when building boards programmatically, append (net "NAME") to each pad — pcb format 20260206 (KiCad 10) keys nets BY NAME, no numeric id (old (net 1 "N1") style is normalized on import, harmless).
Placement matters more than the router: group by schematic function, decoupling caps adjacent, connectors at edges (rule canon).

After routing — never skip

kicad-cli pcb drc --severity-all set-diff vs pre-route baseline.
Render F.Cu/B.Cu/Edge.Cuts → PNG → look (kicad-review pixel diff).
pcbnew rewrites the file wholesale on SES import — commit the pre-route board first, diff after.

Frequently asked questions

Kicad Layout