Hobbyist/DIY guy in a garage. I use Linux. I have briefly tested Eagle and a couple circuit design apps but didn’t like anything about any of them, did not spend sufficient time with them either, though. Eagle is going away? Any recommended apps for designing pcb and/or services? I am also open to more artisinal methods. What direction should I point my momentum? Not afraid to try things out but also not wanting to waste time. I have been breadboarding for a minute, learned to solder, benn making some pcb gadgets and think I am ready. Thank you. (Pic is audio mixer with two NE5532 and LM386)
Eagle is dead. KiCAD is certainly the choice, both from starting hobbyists and for high level professionals. Order you PCBs somewhere, order stencil. Buy components yourself, solder yourself, make stencil holder from cardboard. Do not mess with assembly orders unless you’ve learned how it works at home. Get a fan and soldering iron, relly good tweezers (I recommend Tweezerman not made in China, absolutely best gear even though it’s made for other purpose, works for electronics and electron microscopy sample handling).
Really weird fact: AI is useful for converting datasheets into kicad models, sometimes even 3D. Finally some dumb menial task worth of AI - format conversion. That’s that those damn things should be used for.