TraceDocs
Get Trace

Documentation / Start

Introduction

Choose your Trace workflow, open a design, and work with AI assistance.

What is Trace?

Trace combines visual electronics design tools with AI assistance. Ask about a circuit, research components, make a targeted edit, or review a plan before building a larger design.

You remain responsible for checking component choices, connections, board rules, and manufacturing outputs.

Choose your product

Trace desktop

Use Trace desktop when you want schematic and PCB editors alongside the assistant. It builds on KiCad's design tools and uses native Trace design files.

In compatible builds, the workbench brings project files, document tabs, and a shared assistant into one window. Keep your native schematic, board, and paired .xo drawing files together; see Projects.

Trace Plugin for Altium and KiCad

Use Trace Plugin when you want assistance while continuing to work in an installed Altium Designer or KiCad host. Supported actions, setup, and save/reload behavior depend on that host.

Trace Plugin is a separate companion application, not the coding-agent plugin or MCP integration.

Start with one useful task

  1. Install your chosen product and open a project.
  2. Use Ask to understand the design without authoring changes.
  3. Use Agent for a bounded edit, or Plan to review an approach first.
  4. Inspect the saved result and run the relevant electrical or board checks.

The Quick Start walks through that sequence. For a complete schematic-to-board exercise, follow Your First PCB.

Explore the design workflow

  • Components and Component Editor: find parts and review generated symbols, footprints, and 3D models.
  • Schematic drawing: amend an existing drawing or request an intentional redraw.
  • Placement and routing: prepare a board and use manual tools or Trace's advanced layout engine.
  • Simulation: inspect supported saved-design results without confusing a completed run with engineering approval.
  • Artifacts: reuse reference documents in the appropriate shelf.
  • Workspaces: manage supported cloud and team project workflows.

Access and data

AI use is subject to account access and usage limits; Billing explains where to check them. Hosted assistance can transmit design context, attachments, and tool results. Cloud layout, reusable-file uploads, and project publication have their own sharing scope. A local project is not automatically a published team project.

Accessibility

See Accessibility for supported controls, known limitations, and how to report a barrier.