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I'm trying to create the .gitignore file for a KiCAD project that is versioned with git and stored remotely on GitHub.

What are the minimum files I should I add to my version control system in order for others to replicate the project?

Lundin
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Marmstrong
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  • The .pro and .sch files, and the layout file, but that name eludes me. You don't need the .bak. Also, I keep a note of which version of KiCad. I use KiCad in a VM that only has KiCad in it with the hope that the VM and that version of KiCad can still run in 20 years. – b degnan Mar 10 '16 at 15:36
  • I also added into version control -cache.lib file even is generated because when I lose libraries/modules then I can use as fallback. Bugfixing and modification in general libraries might be also issue. – TMa Mar 10 '16 at 16:05
  • KiCad (5.1.6) has an Archive Project command (File->Archive Project), which creates a zip archive that includes the *.pro, *.kicad_pcb, *.sch, sym-lib-table, and *-cache.lib files, as well as any subfolders in your project directory. I suppose this should be a good indication of the files that need to be version controlled. I also include the manufacturing data (gerbers, etc.), as suggested below. – djvg May 27 '21 at 13:00

2 Answers2

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When archiving a project that is a design based upon some specific CAD tool it is strongly suggested that you save all the produced collaterals (schematic PDFs, Gerber files etc). As designs age can be a problem to expect to be able to access and run the tools that created the collateral.

This is particularly true in environments where a design may use these collaterals for production purposes over multiple decades. PDF files to read schematics and Gerber files to produce raw circuit boards have been in use for nearly 30 years now but on the other hand the CAD package after CAD package has come and gone. And even some that are still around in name may not run on modern platforms or will refuse to read old version files.

Michael Karas
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Although I version control everything as mentioned before. If you have a .sch with all the associated libs and a .kicad_pcb with all the associated modules you can recreate the outputs with Kicad as Kicad exists today.

Matt
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