BoardRepo vs GitHub for KiCad projects
Short version: GitHub is where code review happens; BoardRepo is where the board is viewed, versioned, and shared. Import a GitHub repo and BoardRepo turns it into a board page with rendered schematics, PCB views, 3D, BOM, and fabrication files, and keeps it current from the default branch. The same applies to Altium projects and any other EDA files you upload directly.
| Capability | GitHub | BoardRepo |
|---|---|---|
| View a schematic in the browser | No. .kicad_sch files show as s-expression text. Third party viewers like KiCanvas exist for some versions. | Yes. Every project page renders the full schematic as SVG, no install or account needed. |
| View the PCB layout | No native rendering. | Yes. PCB rendered as SVG on the project page. |
| Fabrication outputs (gerbers, drill files) | Only if the author commits them or wires up CI such as KiBot. | Generated server side for every project: gerbers and drill zip, schematic PDF, BOM CSV. |
| Bill of materials | Only if committed by the author. | Extracted from the source and downloadable as CSV. Components are indexed and searchable. |
| Find projects by component | Code search over text. A part number in a library file is hard to query. | Built in. Filter by component family, for example all boards using an ESP32 or an RP2040. |
| 3D view | Only if the author exports and commits a model, opened in a separate viewer. | Interactive 3D model rendered from the sources on the project page. |
| Diffs between versions | Text diffs of s-expressions, which are hard to read for schematics. Visual diff needs external tools such as kicad-diff or CADLAB. | Numbered version history with per version files, and a visual compare of any two versions that highlights the changes on the schematic and PCB. |
| Who can see the board | Public repo, or a private repo with named collaborators. | Public, unlisted link, password, or an organization whose admins decide board by board. |
| Issues, pull requests, CI | Yes, the best in class. | No issues or pull requests. Comments on the board, automated checks against fab limits, and an AI review; keep code review in git. |
| Cost | Free for public repos. | Free for public boards, private links, and organizations. |
When GitHub alone is enough
If your audience is other KiCad users who will clone the repo and open it locally, GitHub alone works. You get issues, pull requests, and CI. The gap appears the moment you share the design with someone who does not have KiCad installed: a text diff of a schematic tells them nothing, and there is nothing to look at without cloning.
Using both together
BoardRepo imports public GitHub repos directly, and private ones through the BoardRepo GitHub App. The board page links back to the source repo and keeps the project license attached. With the App installed, the board follows your default branch, so every merge becomes a new version, and a pull request can add a View on BoardRepo badge to the README. Your repo keeps the code and the review; BoardRepo gives the board a face: schematic, PCB and 3D renders, a downloadable BOM, gerbers generated from the actual sources, and a visual compare between versions.
Browse rendered projects or upload a project zip to see the output for your own board. Not on GitHub? See how BoardRepo compares to Altium 365 and Hackaday.io.