Making Your GitHub Repo

Creating Your Repo

Before you start designing, you need a GitHub repo to document your build process, store your files, and submit your project.

1. Go to github.com and sign in (or create an account if you don’t have one).
2. Click the + in the top right and select New repository.
3. Name it something like my-keeb or custom-keyboard.
4. Set it to Public. This is required for submission.
5. Check Add a README file.
6. Click Create repository.

What to Put In It

Your repo should document your entire build. As you work through the guide, keep it updated with:

• README.md: a writeup of your project covering what you built, why, and what you learned
• PCB files: your KiCad project (schematics, layout, Gerbers). To export from KiCad:
  1. Open your project in KiCad and launch PCB Editor
  2. Go to File → Fabrication Outputs → Gerbers (.gbr)
  3. Select all layers (F.Cu, B.Cu, F.Silkscreen, B.Silkscreen, F.Mask, B.Mask, Edge.Cuts) and click Plot
  4. Then click Generate Drill Files to export the .drl file
  5. Zip the output folder and commit it alongside your .kicad_pcb and .kicad_sch files
• bom.csv: your bill of materials, the list of every part you bought with the grant, saved as a CSV file in the repo
• Case files: your Onshape exports for the case and plate. To export from Onshape:
  1. In your Onshape document, right-click the part or assembly you want to export
  2. Select Export
  3. Choose STEP format, set units to mm, and click Export
  4. Commit the exported files to your repo
• Photos: progress shots and your finished build

Journaling

The best way to log hours is journaling! In your repo, add images every 1-4 hours, and describe what you have done for your project!

Journal as you go, every step or at least every other step. Each time you finish a step in this guide (designing the schematic, routing the PCB, exporting Gerbers, modeling the case, soldering, flashing firmware, and so on), commit a photo or two and a short note about what you did and anything you got stuck on. Don’t save it all for the end and try to remember later. Small, frequent entries are far easier to write and make for a much stronger submission.

Every journal entry must have hours attached to it. Each entry needs the amount of time you spent recorded alongside the photos and description. That’s how your hours are logged and verified, and an entry without hours doesn’t count toward your build.

This is one of the most important steps because it allows us to verify that you did your project.

If you want you can also use Lapse. This is optional however helps YOU track your time!

Next Steps

Repo ready? Head to Grants to see what parts are allowed, then move on to Planning Your Keyboard.