Streamlining Version Control in KiCad Projects with KiCad.gitignore
KiCad is a popular open-source software suite used for electronic design automation (EDA). It includes tools for schematic capture, PCB layout, and 3D visualization of electronic components. When working on a project using KiCad, it is important to properly manage the version control of the project files to ensure smooth collaboration and efficient workflow. This is where the KiCad.gitignore file comes into play.
The KiCad.gitignore file is a template file that tells Git which files and directories to ignore when committing changes to a repository. This is important because not all files in a KiCad project need to be tracked in version control. For example, some files may be auto-generated, or contain local configuration data that is not necessary for the rest of the team to see.
The KiCad.gitignore file can be found on the GitHub Gitignore repository. This file contains a list of files and directories that should be ignored by Git, including:
*.net
*.xml
*.bak
*.swp
*.kicad_pcb-bak
*.sch-bak
/backup/
/cache/
/sym-lib-table
/fp-lib-table
/project-cache.lib
These entries tell Git to ignore files with the specified extensions or in the specified directories. For example, the *.net entry tells Git to ignore any file with a .net extension. The /backup/ entry tells Git to ignore the entire backup directory.
Using the KiCad.gitignore file is simple. Just download the file from the GitHub repository and place it in the root directory of your KiCad project. When you run git status, Git will ignore any files or directories specified in the KiCad.gitignore file.
In conclusion, the KiCad.gitignore file is an essential tool for managing version control in KiCad projects. By ignoring unnecessary files and directories, you can ensure that your repository stays clean and organized, and that everyone on the team has access to the files they need. If you are working on a KiCad project, be sure to use the KiCad.gitignore file to streamline your workflow and make collaboration a breeze. Follow the KiCad.gitignore below:
