BoardRepo vs GitHub for KiCad projects
GitHub organizes source development. BoardRepo gives your team a shared workspace for KiCad projects: saved files, inspectable revisions, board access and continuation in the editor. Those benefits also matter when everyone has KiCad installed. Use BoardRepo on its own for a project workspace, or alongside GitHub when you want branches, pull requests and repository automation too.
| Capability | GitHub | BoardRepo |
|---|---|---|
| The work you organize | Source repositories, branches, commits, issues, pull requests and automation for hardware and software. | A shared KiCad workspace with saved source versions, browser design review, board access and a path back into the editor. AI assistants can use approved project context. |
| Work with your own AI assistant | Assistants can work with repository files through their GitHub integration or a local checkout; CAD parsing and previews need suitable tools. | MCP supplies structured board context. Where offered, separately approved personal save permission lets a capable client store a new KiCad board or version. Organization reading, checks and reviews follow the connecting person's board permissions; see Connect AI for current save capabilities. |
| Continue in KiCad | Clone or pull a checkout, open the project in KiCad, then commit and push changes with your Git workflow. | The KiCad plugin adds Push and Pull for saved projects. Version downloads also let you continue locally; it does not merge concurrent CAD edits. |
| View a schematic in the browser | No native KiCad rendering. Authors can publish exported images, PDFs or previews generated by CI, or link a viewer such as KiCanvas. | Available schematic sheets rendered from supported source files. Public boards open without an account; restricted boards require their access proof. |
| View the PCB layout | No native rendering. | Available rendered PCB layers on the project page. A saved version can still be waiting for processing or have a failed preview. |
| Fabrication outputs (gerbers, drill files) | Only if the author commits them or wires up CI such as KiBot. | Generated for supported KiCad designs: Gerbers and drill files, schematic PDF, and BOM CSV. Converted Altium designs do not receive generated fabrication outputs. |
| Bill of materials | Published by the author or generated by CI; committed CSV files have a built-in table viewer. | When extraction succeeds, a filterable BOM with CSV download and indexed public components. |
| Find projects by component | Code search over repository text, including part numbers authors put in source or documentation. | Built in. Filter by component family, for example all boards using an ESP32 or an RP2040. |
| 3D view | A built-in viewer for committed STL models; authors can publish other exported views or link suitable viewers. | An interactive 3D view when processing succeeds and the project has the required models. |
| Diffs between versions | Git source diffs and visual diffs of exported images. Native CAD comparisons need suitable tools or CI integration. | Numbered source versions and visual comparison of supported published pairs. Sign-in, render readiness and compatible design formats are required. |
| Who can see the board | Public repo, or a private repo with named collaborators. | Public, token-bearing unlisted links, password links, personal private boards, or organization board grants. Team setup is through contact. |
| Issues, pull requests, CI | Issues, pull requests, branches and GitHub Actions. | No issues or pull requests. Comments on the board, automated checks against fab limits, and Ask where enabled; keep code review in git. |
| Cost | Free public and private repositories; some review controls and automation allowances depend on the plan. | Personal core features are free. Team organizations use custom pricing and contact-led setup. |
Use GitHub for repository workflows
Use GitHub for source branches, firmware, issues, pull requests and repository automation. Add BoardRepo as the shared hardware workspace: inspect the saved schematic and PCB, compare supported revisions, give an assistant structured design context and continue from that source in KiCad. Engineers who already use KiCad can review the same saved version before opening it locally. Default-branch imports connect the two systems; choose your Git workflow for committing subsequent source changes.
An AI conversation should leave a project you can continue
Connect your assistant to read a real board, then ask focused questions about its components, nets or files. If your connection offers personal saving and your client can upload project files, approve that permission separately. Inspect the saved version and compare it with a baseline before continuing in KiCad. A reading connection does not grant writes, and a saved project is not proof that the circuit works. The Claude and ChatGPT guide walks through the available workflow and its limits.
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; check the project licence before reusing its files. Enable Keep up to date to track the default branch. Changed project content can produce a new version; repeated imports or unchanged content do not imply new design work. README linking is a separate choice. Where the reviewed flow is offered, inspect the exact change and choose a direct commit, a pull request, or no link. A direct commit can change the default branch; a board link never grants private access.
Choose where changes are authored. Default-branch tracking brings GitHub changes into BoardRepo; it does not push assistant or plugin saves back to your repository. Commit continued work to Git yourself, or use your team's chosen automation. Neither service automatically merges simultaneous edits to CAD files.
GitHub capabilities and plan details: GitHub's plans. BoardRepo comparison requirements: compare saved PCB revisions. Read the sharing guide for the files and permissions each route needs.
Continue your work
Save your source and inspect its published revisions. Continue editing in your source design tool.
For KiCad projects, BoardRepo for KiCad lets you Push and Pull versions from the editor. Team workspaces bring shared source and board access together.