Introduction

GoatCAD is a schematic, PCB, symbol and footprint editor in one application. It works on KiCad files in place, on your own disk.

• Installation: builds for macOS, Windows, and Linux.
• Getting started: open a project and find your way around.
• KiCad compatibility: which KiCad versions it reads and writes.
• Connecting an agent: Claude Code or Codex, working on the open design.
• Part search: DigiKey and Mouser API keys.
• Git: commits, pushes and visual diffs.

The file model

A project is a folder of KiCad files:

my-board/
├── my-board.kicad_pro   # project settings
├── my-board.kicad_prl   # local view state: visible layers, active layer
├── my-board.kicad_sch   # schematic (a hierarchy adds more sheets)
├── my-board.kicad_pcb   # board
├── sym-lib-table        # project symbol libraries
├── fp-lib-table         # project footprint libraries
├── my-parts.kicad_sym   # a symbol library
└── my-parts.pretty/     # a footprint library, one .kicad_mod per footprint

GoatCAD reads and writes those files directly and adds none of its own. The same folder opens in KiCad, and git sees ordinary text diffs.