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The Future of Circuit Boards: Code, Constraints, and LLMs

Why circuit design is moving beyond schematics, and how AI, constraints, and code are powering the next generation of electronics tools.

In this episode of electronics.dev, Seve (founder of tscircuit) and Matt (founder of atopile) break down a quiet revolution in electronics: designing circuit boards with code and compiler-like workflows, not traditional schematics.

They dive into:

  • Why traditional EDA tools limit innovation

  • How constraints, templates, and AI are unlocking more expressive, testable circuit design

  • The surprising overlap between web layout (CSS) and PCB layout

  • How tools like atopile let you think in relationships, not in traces

  • What “spatial reasoning” really means for engineers, and why half of us may be bad at it

  • Why autonomous layout and reference design matching will change everything

Along the way, the duo shares reflections on:

  • The enduring power of sketching in engineering

  • Using AI as a design partner (and critique engine)

  • How mechanical and electronics design differ, and what each can learn from the other

  • Why circuit fabrication is standardized, but placement logic is still tribal knowledge

If you’ve ever written hardware configuration code, fought with schematic tools, or dreamt of a world where hardware is as programmable and composable as software, this episode is for you.

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