Fritzing is an open source

Open source

The term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...

 software initiative to support designers and artists ready to move from physical prototyping to actual product. It was developed at the University of Applied Sciences of Potsdam

Potsdam

Potsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. It is situated on the River Havel, southwest of Berlin city centre....

.

Goals

The software is created in the spirit of Processing

Processing (programming language)

Processing is an open source programming language and integrated development environment built for the electronic arts and visual design communities with the purpose of teaching the basics of computer programming in a visual context, and to serve as the foundation for electronic sketchbooks...

 and Arduino

Arduino

Arduino is an open-source single-board microcontroller, descendant of the open-source Wiring platform, designed to make the process of using electronics in multidisciplinary projects more accessible. The hardware consists of a simple open hardware design for the Arduino board with an Atmel AVR...

  and allows a designer, artist, researcher, or hobbyist to document their Arduino-based prototype and create a PCB

Printed circuit board

A printed circuit board, or PCB, is used to mechanically support and electrically connect electronic components using conductive pathways, tracks or signal traces etched from copper sheets laminated onto a non-conductive substrate. It is also referred to as printed wiring board or etched wiring...

 layout for manufacturing. The complementary website helps to share and discuss drafts and experiences as well as to reduce manufacturing costs. In other words, they make electronic items from your design.

Fritzing can be seen as an Electronic design automation

Electronic design automation

Electronic design automation is a category of software tools for designing electronic systems such as printed circuit boards and integrated circuits...

 (EDA) tool for non-engineers: the input metaphor is inspired by the environment of designers (the breadboard

Breadboard

A breadboard is a construction base for prototyping of electronics. The term is commonly used to refer to solderless breadboard ....

-based prototype), the output is offering nearly no options and is focused on accessible means of production.