KiCad Footprint Reference

How to choose a footprint

A footprint is the copper land pattern and silkscreen that a component solders to. Picking one is a trade between board area, how you plan to assemble the board, and what the part is actually available in. For a hand-soldered prototype, bias toward larger passives (0805 or 1206) and wide-pitch ICs (SOIC at 1.27 mm, or through-hole DIP). For a compact, reflow-assembled board, 0402 passives, TSSOP at 0.65 mm and QFN at 0.5 mm pitch pack far more into the same space, at the cost of needing solder paste, a stencil and hot air or an oven.

Imperial vs metric naming (0603 = 1608)

Chip passive sizes have two names for the same part. The imperial code (0603) encodes the body as 0.06 in by 0.03 in. The metric code (1608) encodes the same body as 1.6 mm by 0.8 mm. They describe an identical part, so 0603 and 1608 are interchangeable names. The trap is the metric 0603, which is the imperial 0201: always confirm which system a datasheet or distributor is using before you order. This table lists the imperial name first with the metric equivalent in the notes column.

Hand-soldering vs reflow

Pitch is the deciding factor for hand assembly. Anything at 1.27 mm (SOIC) or wider is comfortable with a fine iron and flux. At 0.65 mm (TSSOP) the drag-solder technique with plenty of flux still works but takes practice. Leadless packages like QFN put the pads under the body with a central thermal pad, so there is no way to reach them with an iron: those want solder paste and reflow (hot air or an oven). If you are new to surface mount, start with 0805 passives and SOIC or DIP logic, then work down.

Body dimensions here are the nominal component body, not the recommended copper land pattern, which is slightly larger to give the solder fillet room. When you generate the actual footprint, use the KiCad library identifier shown (for example Resistor_SMD:R_0603_1608Metric) so the pads, courtyard and silkscreen match the IPC land-pattern data. Banana Board places these same footprints for you and exports an editable .kicad_pcb.

Frequently asked questions

Is 0603 imperial the same as 0603 metric?

No. The imperial 0603 is a 1.6 mm by 0.8 mm body, also written 1608 in metric. The metric 0603 is a much smaller 0.6 mm by 0.3 mm part, which is the imperial 0201. Always check which naming system a datasheet or distributor uses before you order.

Are the dimensions in this table the land pattern or the component body?

They are the nominal component body, the length and width of the part itself, not the copper land pattern. The recommended pads are slightly larger than the body so the solder fillet has room, so use the KiCad library footprint to get IPC-based pad, courtyard and silkscreen sizes.

Which SMD footprint is easiest to hand solder?

For passives, 0805 and 1206 are the friendliest with a fine iron and flux, while 0402 and smaller really want a stencil and paste. For ICs, any package at 1.27 mm pitch (SOIC) or wider hand solders comfortably.

Can I solder a QFN without hot air or a reflow oven?

Not reliably. QFN and other leadless packages put the pads under the body plus a central thermal pad, so a soldering iron cannot reach them. They need solder paste and reflow, using hot air or an oven. Choose SOIC, TSSOP or a through-hole DIP if you only have an iron.

What does pitch mean and why does it matter?

Pitch is the center-to-center spacing between adjacent pins. It is the main factor in how hard a part is to assemble: 1.27 mm is easy by hand, 0.65 mm takes drag-soldering practice, and 0.5 mm or finer usually needs paste and reflow. Chip passives have no pitch value because they only have two terminals.

What KiCad library are these footprints in?

Each row lists the exact library identifier, such as Resistor_SMD:R_0603_1608Metric for a 0603 resistor or Package_SO:SOIC-8_3.9x4.9mm_P1.27mm for an 8-pin SOIC. Pick that footprint in KiCad so the pads and courtyard match the standard land pattern.