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name: circuit-diagram description: Use when the user needs an electrical or electronic schematic showing components, nets, reference designators, power, signal flow, and test points.

Circuit diagram

Select it when

Choose this skill when the reader must understand or build an electrical circuit: signal paths, power rails, component relationships, or measurement points. Use it for conceptual schematics and documentation. Do not call a general block diagram a schematic, and do not imply PCB layout, simulation, safety approval, or manufacturing release without source data.

Story and modeling

Choose the level first: functional block schematic, detailed circuit, or power/control subcircuit. Model standard symbols, reference designators, values/ratings, net names, pin numbers, polarity, power and ground, connectors, test points, and signal direction. Keep wires orthogonal where possible; show a junction only where a connection exists. Use net labels and hierarchical connectors to avoid unreadable wire crossings. Include units and a legend.

A rendered image is not necessarily an authoritative electrical document. It does not establish ERC correctness, component availability, creepage/clearance, safe ratings, SPICE behavior, or PCB connectivity unless those are validated by an integrated EDA source.

Styling and customization

Prefer conventional symbol geometry and a consistent left-to-right signal flow. Use line weight and labels before color; if color marks power domains or warnings, provide a monochrome legend. Keep reference designators visible and values secondary. Use sheet boundaries, title blocks, revision, and source links for engineering audiences. Do not invent a symbol when the standard symbol is unavailable—label the custom graphic and explain it.

Renderer routing

Preserve a renderer explicitly requested by the user. Use diagramsnet for manually positioned schematic-like drawings, svgbob for text-native circuit sketches, or tikz and pikchr for controlled custom geometry. Use plantuml, d2, or graphviz only for functional connectivity abstractions. The catalog does not expose a native SPICE/EDA schematic renderer or IEC symbol-validation pipeline. General renderers cannot guarantee electrical semantics, pin correctness, or standards-compliant symbol libraries.

Review

Check every net endpoint, junction, pin number, polarity mark, power/ground symbol, reference designator, value, unit, and cross-sheet link. Confirm that crossings are unambiguous and that no hidden net is silently assumed. Review ratings, safety boundaries, and revision/source provenance with an electrical engineer. State whether the output is conceptual, review-ready, or a standards-controlled artifact.

References

  • IEC 60617:2026 DB — authoritative symbol database; licensing and symbol-library integration may be required.
  • IEC 61082-1 — preparation of electrotechnical documents; the renderers do not enforce its conventions.
  • IEEE Std 315 — graphic symbols for electrical/electronics diagrams; verify applicability and current organizational practice.

Integration opportunities

Native IEC/IEEE symbol libraries, ERC/netlist checks, SPICE import, EDA interchange, title-block control, and design-rule validation are unsupported integration opportunities. Do not describe a general-renderer output as IEC/IEEE-compliant authoring.