LibrePCB is a powerful and user-friendly open-source EDA (Electronic Design Automation) tool that allows users to design schematics and printed circuit boards (PCBs) with ease. For electronics enthusiasts, hobbyists, and professionals using FunOS, installing LibrePCB is simple and can be done without needing root privileges or system-wide changes. This guide provides a detailed, step-by-step tutorial on how to install and uninstall LibrePCB on FunOS.
What is LibrePCB?
LibrePCB is a cross-platform, open-source EDA software designed to create electronic schematics and PCB layouts. It is developed with a modern, clean interface and is suitable for both beginners and experienced engineers. Unlike many other EDA tools, LibrePCB does not rely on a database server and avoids complex setup procedures. Key features include:
- Integrated schematic and PCB layout editor
- Centralized library management
- Real-time design rule checks
- 3D viewer for PCB designs
- Portable project format suitable for version control
LibrePCB runs on Linux, Windows, and macOS, making it an ideal choice for users seeking a free and open solution for electronics design.



How to Install LibrePCB on FunOS
Step 1: Download the LibrePCB tarball (.tar.gz) File
1. Visit the LibrePCB official download page: https://librepcb.org/download/
2. Click on the text that says “Portable Archive”

3. Save the .tar.gz
file to your Downloads directory
Step 2: Open a Terminal
You can open the terminal in three different ways:
- Click the Menu in the lower-left corner, then click Terminal
- Click the Terminal icon in the Tray
- Press Ctrl + Alt + T on your keyboard
Step 3: Navigate to the Downloads Directory
cd ~/Downloads
Step 4: Extract the .tar.gz File
tar -xvzf librepcb-*.tar.gz -C ~/
mv ~/librepcb-* ~/.librepcb
Step 5: Navigate to the Home Directory
cd
Step 6: Create a Symbolic Link to the LibrePCB Executable
mkdir -p ~/.local/bin
ln -sf ~/.librepcb/bin/librepcb ~/.local/bin/librepcb
ln -sf ~/.librepcb/bin/librepcb-cli ~/.local/bin/librepcb-cli
Step 7: Create a Desktop Entry for LibrePCB
mkdir -p ~/.local/share/applications
cp ~/.librepcb/share/applications/org.librepcb.LibrePCB.desktop ~/.local/share/applications/org.librepcb.LibrePCB.desktop
sed -i "s|^Exec=.*|Exec=$HOME/.librepcb/bin/librepcb %U|" ~/.local/share/applications/org.librepcb.LibrePCB.desktop
Step 8: Copy the LibrePCB Icon Theme to the Local Icons Directory
mkdir -p ~/.local/share/icons
cp -r ~/.librepcb/share/icons/hicolor ~/.local/share/icons
Step 9: Register LibrePCB MIME Types in the System
mkdir -p ~/.local/share/mime/packages
cp ~/.librepcb/share/mime/packages/org.librepcb.LibrePCB.xml ~/.local/share/mime/packages/org.librepcb.LibrePCB.xml
update-mime-database ~/.local/share/mime
Step 10: Remove the Downloaded .tar.gz File
rm -f ~/Downloads/librepcb-*.tar.gz
Step 11: Reload the Menu
- Click the Menu button in the lower-left corner
- Click Reload menu
Launching LibrePCB
To launch LibrePCB:
- Click the Menu button in the lower-left corner
- Look in the Development category
- Click LibrePCB to open the application
How to Uninstall LibrePCB on FunOS
Step 1: Open a Terminal
Open the terminal using one of the three methods mentioned earlier.
Step 2: Remove the LibrePCB Directory
rm -rf ~/.librepcb
Step 3: Remove the Symbolic Link
rm -f ~/.local/bin/librepcb
rm -f ~/.local/bin/librepcb-cli
Step 4: Remove the Desktop Entry
rm -f ~/.local/share/applications/org.librepcb.LibrePCB.desktop
Step 5: Remove the LibrePCB Icon Theme
rm -f ~/.local/share/icons/hicolor/128x128/apps/org.librepcb.LibrePCB.png
rm -f ~/.local/share/icons/hicolor/16x16/apps/org.librepcb.LibrePCB.png
rm -f ~/.local/share/icons/hicolor/24x24/apps/org.librepcb.LibrePCB.png
rm -f ~/.local/share/icons/hicolor/32x32/apps/org.librepcb.LibrePCB.png
rm -f ~/.local/share/icons/hicolor/48x48/apps/org.librepcb.LibrePCB.png
rm -f ~/.local/share/icons/hicolor/64x64/apps/org.librepcb.LibrePCB.png
rm -f ~/.local/share/icons/hicolor/scalable/apps/org.librepcb.LibrePCB.svg
rm -f ~/.local/share/icons/hicolor/scalable/mimetypes/org.librepcb.LibrePCB-archive.svg
rm -f ~/.local/share/icons/hicolor/scalable/mimetypes/org.librepcb.LibrePCB-file.svg
rm -f ~/.local/share/icons/hicolor/scalable/mimetypes/org.librepcb.LibrePCB-project.svg
Step 6: Unregister LibrePCB MIME Types from the System
rm -f ~/.local/share/mime/packages/org.librepcb.LibrePCB.xml
update-mime-database ~/.local/share/mime
Step 7: Remove User Data (Optional)
rm -rf ~/.cache/LibrePCB
rm -rf ~/.config/LibrePCB
rm -rf ~/.local/share/librepcb
rm -rf ~/LibrePCB-Workspace
Step 8: Reload the Menu
- Click the Menu button in the lower-left corner
- Click Reload menu
Conclusion
LibrePCB is a feature-rich, modern EDA tool that fits well into the FunOS ecosystem. By following the detailed steps in this guide, you can easily install and start using LibrePCB without needing administrator privileges. If you ever decide to remove it, the uninstallation steps ensure a clean removal from your system. Happy PCB designing!
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