Fritzing

Last updated
Fritzing Software
Developer(s) Interaction Design Lab Potsdam
Stable release
1.0.5 [1]   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg / 14 April 2025;4 months ago (14 April 2025)
Repository
Written in C++
Operating system Microsoft Windows, Windows 8 and later, Windows 11 ARM; macOS, macOS Big Sur and later; Linux
Available in
Type EDA
License GPL 3.0 or later (software)
CC BY-SA 3.0 (component images) [2]
Website fritzing.org

Fritzing is an open-source initiative [3] to develop amateur or hobby CAD software for the design of electronics hardware, intended to allow designers and artists to build more permanent circuits from prototypes. It was developed at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam. [4] Fritzing is free software under the GPL 3.0 or later license, with the source code available on GitHub and the binaries at a monetary cost, which is allowed by the GPL. [5]

Contents

Goals

Fritzing's schematic view Fritzing schematic view.jpg
Fritzing's schematic view

The software was created with inspiration from the Processing programming language and the Arduino microcontroller [6] and allows a designer, artist, researcher, or hobbyist to document their Arduino-based prototype and create a PCB layout for manufacturing. The associated website helps users share and discuss drafts and experiences as well as to reduce manufacturing costs.

Fritzing can be seen as an electronic design automation (EDA) tool for non-engineers: the input metaphor is inspired by the environment of designers (the breadboard-based prototype), while the output is focused on accessible means of production. As of December 2, 2014 Fritzing has made a code view option, where one can modify code and upload it directly to an Arduino device. [7]

Component images are distributed under CC BY-SA 3.0, which will also be the license for any generated breadboard views.

Breadboard view of a simple circuit, drawn with Fritzing. Button LED bb.svg
Breadboard view of a simple circuit, drawn with Fritzing.
Circuit diagram of the same circuit. Button LED schem.svg
Circuit diagram of the same circuit.

Maker

Fritzing allows for creation of printed circuit boards. Fritzing provides access to a commercial service known as ‘FritzingFab’ to order PCBs created with designs made on the Fritzing software.

2016-2019 Fritzing Development Stall

From 2016-2019, development for version 0.9.4 stopped, mainly because Fritzing’s revenue declined. [8] Before 2016, when Fritzing 0.9.3b was released, donations were not mandatory,[ citation needed ] so only a few users who downloaded Fritzing donated. Some users wanted development to continue.[ citation needed ]

Finally, in 2019, Aisler arranged a development team for Fritzing, [9] started an initiative to find a Maintainer for Fritzing, to which Kjell Mogenstern responded [10] , and version 0.9.4 was released. Since then, donations were compulsory, with options to donate either 8€ or 25€. [11]

Simulator

Breadboard view of an LED (Simulated with Fritzing's Simulator on v0.9.10) LED Sim bb.png
Breadboard view of an LED (Simulated with Fritzing's Simulator on v0.9.10)
555 IC Astable Circuit (Simulated with the Transitory Simulator on v1.0.5) Fritzing breadboard 555 IC astable.gif
555 IC Astable Circuit (Simulated with the Transitory Simulator on v1.0.5)

Since version 0.9.10, Fritzing incorporates a basic simulator, [12] which became non-beta in version 1.0.0. The main aim of the simulator is to teach electronics to beginners, and Fritzing version 0.9.10 only supports analysis of DC circuits. The simulator works on the breadboard and schematic views. In addition, it checks that the parts are working within their specifications (otherwise, a smoke symbol appears). The simulator provides multimeters to read voltages and currents and it attempts to recreate a realistic laboratory session.

The simulator was officially supported in Fritzing 1.0.0, and improvements have been made since.

Transient mode for simulation (or Transitory Simulation) was also released,[ when? ] but it is still a beta feature and is only enabled for Fritzing in debug mode.

Friends of Fritzing e.V.

Friends of Fritzing e.V. Batch Friend of fritzing.jpg
Friends of Fritzing e.V. Batch

Friends of Fritzing e.V. was a non-profit association established in 2012 to support the development and sustainability of the Fritzing project. Fritzing itself began in 2007 as a publicly funded research initiative at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam, Germany, and later transitioned to community-driven development.

The foundation played a crucial role in maintaining the Fritzing software and its ecosystem. However, due to administrative overhead, Friends of Fritzing e.V. ceased operations in 2018.

Following the closure, the Fritzing team sought alternative methods to sustain the project. In 2019, they transitioned to using Open Collective, a platform that facilitates transparent financial contributions to open-source projects.

Release history

VersionRelease dateNotable features, changes
0.6.x
0.6.2b13 July 2011Support for SMD parts, 70 SparkFun Parts, stripboards and perfboards; cleaned up parts Inspector, text/graphics on copper layers, bug fixes
0.7.x
0.7.02 July 2012More accurate export for PCB manufacturing, better Gerber file generation, improved copper fill, refinements in board shape generation
0.7.1Early 2012 (unannounced)Minor improvements and bug fixes
0.7.2Early 2012 (unannounced)Minor improvements and bug fixes
0.7.310 April 2012Minor improvements and bug fixes [13]
0.7.4 [14] April-May (unannounced)Minor improvements and bug fixes
0.7.52 July 2012Added ability to add multiple PCBs in one sketch, new arduino shield layout, new generic double row headers
0.7.5b [15] 3 July 2012Added ability to add multiple PCBs in one sketch, new arduino shield layout, new generic double row headers
0.8.x
0.8.5b17 December 2013Styling changes, ICSP and no ICSP Arduino parts, bug fixes
0.8.623 January 2014Changed grid size from 0.7mm to 0.1in, bug fixes
0.8.7b24 January 2014Fixed battery parts with inverted schematics
0.9.x
0.9.1b2 December 2014New code view, new parts, bug fixes, updated translations
0.9.2b3 April 2015New parts, added Romanian translation
0.9.3b2 June 2016Continuously updated parts library, critical PCB‑trace bug fix, high‑DPI support, improved part tools, load/save .fz, icons, new parts
0.9.41 December 2019Critical autorouter fix, color‑coded wires, TLS, fixed parts‑search bug, updated translations
0.9.5dDevelopment version; skipped
0.9.622 February 2021Windows/Mac signed builds, bug fixes
0.9.721 July 2021Linux AppImage, .fzp support, 249 issues closed
0.9.89 August 2021Fixed broken Generic IC
0.9.924 September 2021Fab upload memory, keyboard shortcuts, search & part fixes
0.9.1022 May 2022Japanese translation, simulator, hi‑res export, new parts
1.0.x
1.0.019 June 2023Official simulator, OCR‑Fritzing font, IPC‑D‑356 export, UI improvements
1.0.16 September 2023Minor improvements and bug fixes
1.0.22 January 2024Schematic subparts, swap improvements, bug fixes
1.0.326 June 2024Minor improvements and bug fixes
1.0.410 October 2024QFN support, PCB UX improvements, alpha‑channel board images
1.0.514 April 2025Arduino CLI v2+, NotoSans font, hardware acceleration, ARM64 installer, bug fixes
1.0.6 [16] TBAMinor improvements and bug fixes [17]
1.1.x
1.1.0 [18] TBAMigrate framework from Qt 6.5 to Qt 6.7 [19]
Legend
  Pre-Beta version
  Beta version
  Supported version
  Latest version
  Upcoming/Development version
  Unknown/Unconfirmed
  To Be Announced (TBA)

See also

References

  1. https://fritzing.org/releases/1-0-5.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. What license is Fritzing released under? Archived 2017-12-21 at the Wayback Machine FAQ
  3. McRoberts, Michael (2010). Beginning Arduino . APress. pp. xx. ISBN   978-1-4302-3240-7.
  4. Brühlmann, Thomas (2010). Arduino: Praxiseinstieg. Hüthig Jehle Rehm. p. 270. ISBN   978-3-8266-5605-7.
  5. "Frequently Asked Questions about the GNU Licenses". Archived from the original on 2022-03-18. Retrieved 2021-08-21.
  6. Gläser, Thomas; Markus Jaritz; Philipp Sackl (13 September 2009). "Hardware-Hacking: So baut man einen Tentakel-Roboter für 100 Euro". Der Spiegel . Archived from the original on 30 April 2011. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
  7. http://blog.fritzing.org/2014/12/02/its-fritzmas-new-fritzing-code-view-release-and-a-little-present. Archived 2021-05-06 at the Wayback Machine
  8. "...but also, no income. In 2016, development on Fritzing ceased." https://forum.fritzing.org/t/can-t-find-source-code/19723/7
  9. "...thanks to the folks at Aisler (the Fritzing fab.) Their CTO arranged for a development team to get started..." https://forum.fritzing.org/t/0-9-4-released/7840/3
  10. By Kjell Mogenstern: "In 2019, Aisler started an initiative to find a Maintainer for Fritzing, to which I responded." https://forum.fritzing.org/t/can-t-find-source-code/19723/7
  11. By Kjell Morgenstern: "For Fritzing, the advantage is the direct contact with users. Lots of users. Fritzing is used by teachers and students, makers, curious people, professionals who majored in other disciplines than electronics. This is why an 8 Euro service fee works." https://forum.fritzing.org/t/can-t-find-source-code/19723/7
  12. Faíña, Andrés (27 June 2022). "Simulating Circuits with Fritzing". Fritzing. Archived from the original on 22 October 2022. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  13. release information not found
  14. publicly distributed via Linux distros (e.g. Ubuntu), not formally announced by the Fritzing team.
  15. Note: A bugfix update to 0.7.5, despite having the "b" which usually implies "beta". In this case, it represents a post-release patch rather than a pre-release.
  16. By Kjell Mogenstern: https://forum.fritzing.org/t/fritzing-on-apple-silicon-macos-sequoia/29724
  17. https://github.com/fritzing/fritzing-app/milestone/15
  18. By Kjell Mogenstern: https://forum.fritzing.org/t/fritzing-on-apple-silicon-macos-sequoia/29724
  19. It was merely stated that way. Exact version that this will take effect currently unknown. https://forum.fritzing.org/t/fritzing-on-apple-silicon-macos-sequoia/29724