← all parity reports
Electronics
Kerf vs Cadence Allegro X
High-end constraint-driven PCB design — compared honestly against MIT open-core EDA.
13/13in Kerf today
12/13in Cadence Allegro X (included)
0behind a paid tier
2026-06-05last reviewed
Grouped by discipline (D1–D14), same as Kerf's own capability list. Click a section to expand it.
D1 Geometry & core CAD
| Capability | Kerf | Cadence Allegro X |
|---|---|---|
| Open-source core / chat-native |
yes
packages/kerf-sdk/src/kerf/
|
no source ↗ |
D6 Electronics / EDA / silicon
| Capability | Kerf | Cadence Allegro X |
|---|---|---|
| Constraint-driven design rules (net classes, clearances) |
yes
packages/kerf-electronics/src/kerf_electronics/tools/net_classes.py
|
yes source ↗ |
| Interactive routing + real-time DRC |
yes
packages/kerf-electronics/src/kerf_electronics/routing/push_shove.py
|
yes source ↗ |
| Signal integrity (impedance / crosstalk / eye / IBIS) |
yes
packages/kerf-electronics/src/kerf_electronics/si_eye_wizard.py
|
yes source ↗ |
| Power integrity (PDN / IR-drop / decoupling) |
yes
packages/kerf-electronics/src/kerf_electronics/pdn_wizard.py
|
yes source ↗ |
| Controlled-impedance stackup |
yes
packages/kerf-electronics/src/kerf_electronics/stackup/impedance.py
|
yes source ↗ |
| Rigid-flex PCB design |
yes
packages/kerf-electronics/src/kerf_electronics/flex/stackup.py
|
yes source ↗ |
| 3D canvas + MCAD co-design (STEP) |
yes
packages/kerf-electronics/src/kerf_electronics/pcb_3d_clearance.py
|
yes source ↗ |
| DRC / DFM checks |
yes
packages/kerf-electronics/src/kerf_electronics/netlist_drc.py
|
yes source ↗ |
| Fabrication output (Gerber / ODB++ / IPC-2581) |
yes
packages/kerf-electronics/src/kerf_electronics/fab/ipc2581.py
|
yes source ↗ |
| Multi-board / system design |
yes
packages/kerf-electronics/src/kerf_electronics/multi_board/workspace.py
|
yes source ↗ |
| Constraint Manager spreadsheet UI |
yes
packages/kerf-electronics/src/kerf_electronics/constraint_manager/tools.py
|
yes source ↗ |
| IC package / substrate design (APD) |
yes
packages/kerf-electronics/src/kerf_electronics/ic_package/tools.py
|
yes source ↗ |
- yes shipped
- partial works with limits
- paid tier present, but behind an add-on or meter
- no not available
Corrections welcome. These rows are read off published documentation on the date shown and go stale as products ship. If a row is wrong, open an issue — the source file is public/compare/allegro.md and every claim in it carries a link.