← User guide · 3/10

Your first board in 10 steps

From an empty project to boards in your letterbox: schematic, update PCB, place, route, pour, check and order.

A PCB starts as a drawing of the circuit (the schematic) and becomes a board drawing (the layout). Here is the whole path. The built-in tutorial (“Start the tutorial” on an empty project) walks you through a small macropad the same way.

The schematic of the climate sensor
A finished schematic: a sensor, its pull-up resistors, a capacitor and a connector.
  1. Start a project. On the projects screen tap New project, or a template such as “I²C sensor breakout” to start from a working circuit.
  2. Place the parts. In Schematic mode tap a row under Components (Resistor, Capacitor, LED…) and tap the canvas. Library… (P) finds anything else by name. Choose the exact part later with Change part… in the inspector.
  3. Connect the pins. Pick Wire (W) and draw from pin to pin. For pins far apart, give both the same Label (L): equal names are connected. See net labels.
  4. Check the schematic. Tap Check schematic (⇧⌘R). It finds pins left unconnected, outputs fighting each other and missing power. Fix what it lists.
  5. Update PCB. Switch to PCB (⌘2) and tap Update PCB. The parts appear next to the board, joined by thin lines (the ratsnest) that show what still needs copper.
  6. Shape the board and place. Draw the edge with Outline, or keep the template’s. Drag the parts onto the board: connectors at the edge, decoupling capacitors next to their chip, short paths for anything that carries current.
  7. Route. Draw tracks with Track (X) from pad to pad, or tap Autoroute and look at the result. Change sides with a via (V). Power needs wider tracks: see Net classes and track widths.
  8. Pour ground. Tap GND pour to fill both sides with copper tied to ground. It saves you routing every ground pin. See ground pour.
  9. Check the rules. Tap Check rules (⇧⌘D). It compares the board with what the factory can make: gaps, track widths, holes, the board edge. Tap a problem to see it; fix until it says all good.
  10. Order. Tap the export button in the top right pill (⇧⌘E). The order review shows the board exactly as the factory will see it, with the parts and prices. See Ordering at JLCPCB.
The routed board with its ground pour
The same project as a board: routed, with the ground pour.

Every step can be undone (⌘Z or a two-finger tap), so try things. Next: Sketching symbols.