Project ideas from Hacker News discussions.

Show HN: KiCad in the Browser

Original Article

Hacker News Discussion

📝 Discussion Summary (Click to expand)

3 prevalent themes in the discussion

Theme	Summary & supporting quotes
1. LCSC part‑number auto‑fill for JLCPCB assembly	Users want the web app to automatically pull LCSC part numbers so JLCPCB can place components. “My selfish suggestion would be to add support to populate the part numbers for all the components from LCSC's database.” – JKCalhoun
2. Mobile / Safari compatibility problems	The demo works poorly on iOS Safari, with users reporting page‑load errors and memory‑related crashes. “Yeah, this is not optimized to mobile yet. My iPhone 13 pro did open once, didn't check further. Sometimes it works if you open it on a new tab ( memory issues ).” – ViktorEE
3. Marketing copy perception & need for proper wording	Several commenters note the landing page looks like AI‑generated copy and stress the importance of hand‑written, polished messaging for a project aiming to be taken seriously. “I was just very impatient and wanted to push this out… In hindsight I should've taken a day or two for writing a good copy.” – ViktorEE

The themes are distilled from the most‑repeated concerns and suggestions, each illustrated with a direct user quote.

🚀 Project Ideas

LCSC Part‑Number Auto‑Fill Plugin for KiCad Web

Summary

Auto‑populate LCSC component part numbers directly in the web editor to satisfy JLCPCB assembly requirements.
Streamline the workflow for users who currently rely on external KiCad plugins.

Details

Key	Value
Target Audience	PCB designers using KiCad Web and JLCPCB for manufacturing
Core Feature	Real‑time LCSC part‑number lookup & auto‑fill, export ready JLCPCB CSV
Tech Stack	JavaScript/TypeScript, LCSC REST API, KiCad Web overlay, optional Node backend
Difficulty	Medium
Monetization	Revenue-ready: Subscription ($5/mo per user)

Notes

HN comment: “I like all the utility you have already built in.” and “Add support to populate part numbers for all components from LCSC's database.” – addressing a clear pain point.
Potential for deeper integration with JLCPCB ordering pipelines and community‑driven part libraries, sparking discussion on automation.

KiCad Web Collab Hub – Real‑Time Editing, Git Sync & Community Sessions

Summary

Multi‑user real‑time collaborative KiCad editor with built‑in Git commit/push functionality.
Library sharing (private/public) and seamless upstream KiCad repository tracking for educators and hobbyists.

Details

Key	Value
Target Audience	Teachers, students, collaborative design teams, open‑source contributors
Core Feature	Live multi‑user editing, one‑click Git commit/push, shareable symbol/footprint libraries, upstream sync
Tech Stack	WebSockets/CRDT, React, Rust (for Git backend), Service Workers for asset caching
Difficulty	High
Monetization	Revenue-ready: Subscription ($10/mo per active user)

Notes

Directly echoes user desire: “would be a major boon to reduce setup requirements for student computers.” and “I would love to experiment with kicad… watch other sessions.”
Enables community learning, aligns with educators’ need for shared sessions and discussion, creating a platform for ongoing dialogue and utility.

KiCad Mobile Light – Mobile‑First, Low‑Bandwidth Web Editor

Summary

A stripped‑down KiCad Web edition optimized for mobile browsers and metered connections.
Shows download size progress and reduces initial bundle size to improve accessibility on Safari and other mobile platforms.

Details

Key	Value
Target Audience	Mobile‑only users, Safari users, hobbyists on limited bandwidth
Core Feature	Mobile‑responsive UI, real‑time download progress indicator, ~10 MB initial bundle with lazy loading
Tech Stack	WebAssembly, Vite, Service Workers, progressive Web App manifest
Difficulty	Medium
Monetization	Hobby

Notes

Addresses explicit complaints: “iOS 18.6.2 returns ‘there was a repeated problem with the page…’” and “Safari browser … Not good :)”.
Adds a progress bar for the ~30 MB initial load, improving UX for metered connections and encouraging broader mobile adoption.