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Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/wtyler2505/ProtoPulse/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

ProtoPulse is a browser-based electronics design platform built for makers who learn by building. Instead of bouncing between TinkerCad, Fritzing, KiCad, and a SPICE tool, you get everything in one workspace — with an AI assistant that doesn’t just answer questions but actually places components, wires connections, and exports your design for manufacturing.

Quick Start

Get ProtoPulse running locally and design your first circuit in minutes.

Workspace Overview

Learn your way around the three-panel workspace before you dive in.

AI Assistant

Discover the 82 tool actions your AI design partner can execute for you.

Export Formats

See all 14+ output formats, from KiCad and Eagle to Gerber and SPICE.

What you can build

ProtoPulse covers the full electronics design journey — from a rough system block diagram to a fully validated PCB ready for manufacturing.

Architecture Editor

Drag-and-drop block diagrams with typed signal edges (SPI, I2C, UART, USB, Power, GPIO).

Schematic Capture

Full circuit editor with Manhattan routing, ERC, net labels, and hierarchical sheets.

Breadboard & PCB

Breadboard visualization and PCB layout with layer management and Gerber export.

SPICE Simulation

AC/frequency analysis with Bode plots across five filter topologies.

BOM Management

Full bill of materials with pricing, snapshot diffing, and lifecycle tracking.

Design Validation

DRC and ERC with manufacturer rule templates for JLCPCB, PCBWay, and OSHPark.

Get started in three steps

1

Install and run locally

Clone the repository, install dependencies, push the database schema, and launch the dev server. See the Quick Start guide for the exact commands.
2

Explore the workspace

ProtoPulse opens to the Dashboard view by default. The left sidebar holds navigation and project history; the center area switches between views; the right panel is your AI assistant. Read the Workspace Overview to get oriented.
3

Design with AI

Type a plain-English description of your circuit in the chat panel — for example, “Design a 3.3V regulated power supply from USB-C input with input protection.” The AI places components, wires them, populates the BOM, runs DRC, and streams every action in real time. See AI Assistant for the full list of what it can do.

For developers

If you want to contribute, run the test suite, or integrate with the REST API, the Developer Reference has you covered.

Developer Setup

Prerequisites, environment variables, and npm scripts for the full dev workflow.

API Overview

50+ REST endpoints covering projects, circuits, BOM, validation, and AI streaming.

System Architecture

React 19 frontend, Express 5 backend, PostgreSQL with Drizzle ORM — how it fits together.

Contributing

Vertical-slice development conventions, test requirements, and PR guidelines.

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