# Protoboard Editor

> Free, open-source layout editor for prototyping boards: stripboard, dot board
> (perfboard), tripad board and breadboard PCB. Draw a schematic, place the
> parts on a virtual board, or let the automatic layouter place them and lay
> the strip cuts or solder runs. This is the markdown version of https://sadmanbishal.com/Protoboard-Editor.

Plan a circuit on the board you will really solder: stripboard, dot board, tripad board or a breadboard-style PCB. Draw the schematic once. Then place the parts by hand, with every net in its own colour, or let auto-layout place them and lay the cuts or solder runs for you.

The editor is free and open source (GPL-3.0). Use it in the browser or host it on your own server. There are no ads.

## Board kinds

Each kind opens a new project from the home page; the editor can change it later.

- **Stripboard:** copper strips along every row. Cut them where two nets must part. Auto-layout works here.
- **Dot board:** a lone pad per hole. Solder runs join the pads you choose. Auto-layout works here.
- **Tripad board:** pads joined in threes along each row. Bridge the groups with solder. Hand layout.
- **Breadboard PCB:** the breadboard pattern in copper: power rails and joined columns. Hand layout.

The home page shows a demo: a 555 LED flasher that auto-layout put on a 7 x 18 dot board, each net in its own colour and joined by solder runs.

## From idea to board

1. **Draw.** Build the schematic from the symbol library or your own parts. The wires make the nets.
2. **Choose the board.** Pick the kind of board on your bench and its size. Presets cover the common perfboard sizes.
3. **Lay it out.** Drag the parts onto the board. Every net gets its own colour, and a short or an open connection shows at once. Or use auto-layout: on stripboard and dot board the router places every part and lays the cuts or solder runs.
4. **Print and solder.** Print the 1:1 sheets, push the parts through the paper, then follow the cut or run sheet. When the prototype works, export a KiCad netlist and draw the real PCB.

## What you get

Design:

- Schematic editor with a standard symbol library and automatic net detection
- IC pinouts from the KiCad symbol library, plus your own custom parts
- Parts drawn as real packages at true size: choose the body you have
- Editable footprints and flexible leads for passives

Lay out:

- Four board kinds: stripboard, dot board, tripad board, breadboard PCB
- Auto-layout for stripboard and dot board: placement, board size, cuts and runs
- Lock the board size or single parts, and the router works around them
- Off-board parts such as pots and jacks get pads or a connector

Build and share:

- 1:1 print: placement sheet, mirrored cut or run sheet, parts list
- KiCad-compatible netlist export
- JSON export and import, full undo history
- Edit and view-only links when you host it yourself

## Print and build

The printout is a true-scale build guide: a placement sheet for the component side, a mirrored cut sheet (stripboard) or solder-run sheet (dot board) for the copper side, and a parts list.

## Where to go next

- Guide: https://sadmanbishal.com/Protoboard-Editor/guide.md
- How the automatic layouter works: https://sadmanbishal.com/Protoboard-Editor/how-auto-layout-works.md
- Changelog: https://sadmanbishal.com/Protoboard-Editor/updates.md
- Privacy policy: https://sadmanbishal.com/Protoboard-Editor/privacy.md

Protoboard Editor is a project by the-clrsky (https://github.com/the-clrsky), a fork of Stripboard Editor that adds dot boards, tripad boards and breadboard PCBs.