BoardRepo vs GitHub for KiCad projects
Short version: keep your source on GitHub, use BoardRepo as the view layer. BoardRepo imports a GitHub repo and turns it into a browsable board page with rendered schematics, PCB views, BOM, and fabrication files.
| 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. |
| 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. | Linear version history with per version file access today. Visual diff is on the roadmap. |
| Issues, pull requests, CI | Yes, the best in class. | No. BoardRepo is a sharing and viewing layer, not a replacement for git collaboration. |
| Cost | Free for public repos. | Free for public and private link sharing. |
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. The board page links back to the source repo, shows the commit it was imported from, and keeps the project license attached. Your repo stays the single source of truth; BoardRepo gives it a face: schematic and PCB renders, a downloadable BOM, and gerbers generated from the actual sources.
Browse rendered projects or upload a KiCad zip to see the output for your own board.