kicad-evaltor

kicad-evaltor is a Python library for validating KiCad designs programmatically. Describe the properties a design is supposed to have (reference designators, values, connectivity, footprint assignment, ERC and DRC results, routing, placement, copper and fabrication outputs, sheet readability) and run them as a test suite. It also exposes measurements and queries that work directly in the user's own pytest tests, without a runner.

It works against KiCad 10 and later. Most checks need nothing but the file itself: the schematic reader parses .kicad_sch directly and the board reader does the same for .kicad_pcb. Where KiCad already has the answer, the library asks KiCad instead of guessing: kicad-cli for netlist, ERC, DRC and fab exports, and pcbnew under KiCad's bundled Python for trace length, via rules, pour coverage, thermal vias and similar. Without those tools, the affected checks report an error and the rest of the suite still runs. It does not need the KiCad IPC API server, which KiCad 10 removed, or a running KiCad.

Install is pip install kicad-evaltor. A quick start in the README builds a DesignContext around a .kicad_pro, runs component value, ERC and text-overlap checks through a TestRunner, and prints a summary. On Windows and macOS, KiCad is not put on PATH; DesignContext finds kicad-cli and KiCad's Python in the standard install folders.