Overview of a KiCad project folder: files, board size and counts, schematic sheets. Start here.

Board overview: outline, layers, footprint/net/track/via counts, zones, design rules and netclasses.

List footprints on the board with position (mm), rotation, side. Filters are case-insensitive substrings, or globs if they contain * ? [ (e.g. ref="C*", value="10k", footprint="0402", side="F").

Full detail for one footprint by reference: position, bbox, courtyard, fields, 3D model, every pad with net.

Distance between two items. Each of a/b is a footprint ref ("U7"), a pad ("U7.3" or "J1:A6"), or a point in mm ("120.5,44"). Returns dx/dy, centre distance, compass direction, and edge-to-edge gap (courtyard-to-courtyard for footprints, copper-to-copper for pads).

Footprints within radius mm of a footprint, nearest first, with courtyard gap and direction.

Everything on one net: pads (with pin names), track length per layer, widths, vias, zones, netclass rules. Net name may be exact, case-insensitive, or a unique substring.

Nets on the board with pad count, routed length and via count. sort = pads | length | name.

What lies inside a rectangle (mm corners): footprints, tracks per net/layer, vias, zones, text. Optional layer name (e.g. "F.Cu", "B.Silkscreen") restricts the answer.

Find where a string occurs on the board: references, values, footprint names, fields, net names, silkscreen text.

Run DRC (cached until the board changes). Without type: counts per violation type. With type: individual findings with positions. severity = error | warning. parity=true also checks against the schematic.

Render the board to a PNG (raytraced-lite) and return its path so you can view it. side = top | bottom | left | right | front | back. zoom > 1 magnifies the centre.

2D plot of chosen layers (comma-separated, e.g. "F.Cu,F.Silkscreen,Edge.Cuts") fitted to the board. Returns the SVG path and, on macOS, a PNG path you can view. mirror=true for looking at the bottom.

Schematic overview from the exported netlist: sheets, symbol counts by prefix, nets, power nets, DNP parts.

List schematic symbols with value, footprint, sheet and DNP flag. Filters are substrings or globs.

One schematic symbol: fields, library part, sheet, and every pin with the net it is on (blank = unconnected).

All pins on a schematic net (exact, case-insensitive, or unique-substring name).

Schematic nets with pin counts, largest first. filter is a case-insensitive substring.

Bill of materials grouped by value (and footprint): quantity, references, and part-number fields.

Run ERC on the schematic (cached until it changes). Without type: counts per type. With type: individual findings with sheet and position. severity = error | warning.

Is KiCad running with its API enabled, and which boards/schematics are open? Call before any editing tool. Editing tools work on the board open in the KiCad PCB editor.

Move/rotate/flip one footprint in the open board (one undo step). x/y set an absolute position in mm; dx/dy nudge relative to it; rotation sets degrees, rotate_by adds; flip moves it to the other side.

Move several footprints as one undo step. moves is a JSON list of objects with keys ref (required) and any of x, y, dx, dy, rotation, rotate_by, flip, locked. Example: [{"ref":"C1","x":120.5,"y":44,"rotation":90},{"ref":"R2","dx":-1.27}]

Set DNP / exclude-from-BOM / exclude-from-position-files / locked flags on a footprint.

Set the value, datasheet or description text of a footprint on the board (not the schematic).

Draw track segments through points (JSON list of [x, y] in mm) on layer for net. Width defaults to the net's netclass. No DRC is run; check with drc after saving.

Place a through via at (x, y) mm on net. Diameter/drill default to the netclass.

Delete all tracks (and vias unless vias=false) of a net, optionally only on one layer. Undoable in the editor.

What the user currently has selected in the PCB editor (footprints, tracks, vias...). Useful when they say "this part" or "these tracks".

Select footprints in the PCB editor so the user can see which ones you mean. refs is a JSON list of references. add=true keeps the existing selection.

Refill all copper zones in the open board (needed after moving parts or routing near zones).

Save the open board to disk so file-based tools (measure, drc, render...) see the edits.

Current position/rotation/side of a footprint as shown in the editor (including unsaved edits).