Fritzing

Fritzing is a free, open-source electronics design automation tool designed to help hobbyists and educators document and prototype circuits and design printed circuit boards. It emphasizes accessibility for non-engineers while providing a workflow that covers from breadboarding to PCB layouts.

The software presents three interconnected views: breadboard, schematic, and PCB layout. In breadboard view you place components on a virtual breadboard; in schematic view you draw circuit diagrams; in PCB view you arrange footprints and copper traces for manufacturing. The parts library contains components defined with scalable vector graphics, and users can modify existing parts or create new ones using a parts editor. The library is enriched by community contributions.

Fritzing supports exporting manufacturing and documentation outputs. It can generate Gerber and drill files for fabrication, as well as schematics, BOMs, and printable documentation. A 3D viewer allows users to visualize the assembled board and its components within the software, aiding verification before production.

The program runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. It is distributed as free software, with its source code available to the public. Development is community-driven, with contributions from users who create parts, improve features, and share designs through the Fritzing website and related repositories.

Fritzing is widely used in education and by hobbyists to teach electronics design, document prototypes, and prepare designs for manufacturing. Its approachable approach to transition from breadboard experiments to PCB layouts has contributed to its ongoing popularity in maker and classroom environments.