KLayout Productivity Suite Documentation

Author

Affiliation

Martin Köhler

Johannes Kepler University

Published

April 28, 2026

1 Introduction

1.1 About KLayout Productivity Suite

KLayout is an open source VLSI layout viewer and editor.

The KLayout Productivity Suite is a collection of plugins developed by the Department for Integrated Circuits (ICD), Johannes Kepler University (JKU) to enhance your layout design productivity.

The available plugins are listed in the table below.

Title	Description	Repository URL
Align Tool Plugin	Tool to align layout objects	https://github.com/iic-jku/klayout-align-tool
Automatic Backups	Create automatic backups of edited layouts	https://github.com/iic-jku/klayout-auto-backup
Layer Shortcuts Plugin	Shortcuts to quickly change layer visibility	https://github.com/iic-jku/klayout-layer-shortcuts
Library Manager Plugin	Library manager for hierarchical layouts	https://github.com/iic-jku/klayout-library-manager
Move Quickly Tool Plugin	Tool to quickly move layout objects	https://github.com/iic-jku/klayout-move-tool
Pin Tool Plugin	Efficient placement of pins	https://github.com/iic-jku/klayout-pin-tool
Plugin Utilities Library	Utility library used by various IIC KLayout plugins	https://github.com/iic-jku/klayout-plugin-utils
Vector File Export Plugin	Plugin to export layouts as vector files (PDF, SVG)	https://github.com/iic-jku/klayout-vector-file-export

Tip

The KLayout Productivity Suite source code itself is made publicly available on GitHub and shared under the GPL-3.0 license (see links above in table above).

The KLayout Productivity Suite documentation source code is made publicly available on GitHub (follow this link) and shared under the Apache-2.0 license.

Please feel free to create issues and/or submit pull requests on GitHub to fix errors and omissions!

The production of the tool and this document would be impossible without these (and many more) great open-source software products: KLayout, Quarto, Python, ngspice, Numpy, Scipy, Matplotlib, Git, Docker, Ubuntu, Linux…

1.2 Acknowledgements

This project is funded by the JKU/SAL IWS Lab, a collaboration of Johannes Kepler University and Silicon Austria Labs.

Johannes Kepler University: Institute for Integrated Circuits and Quantum Computing

Silicon Austria Labs

1.3 Installation

Generally, the plugins can be installed using the KLayout Package Manager.

KLayoutProductivitySuite acts as a meta-package that can be installed in KLayout’s Package Manager. Once installed, it automatically pulls in all the plugins as dependencies through the grain.xml
Alternatively, single plugins can be cherry-picked using the plugin title in the above table (without whitespace)

As for the dependencies, there are multiple options available.

1.3.1 Option 1: Using `IIC-OSIC-TOOLS` Docker Image

We provide a comprehensive, low entry barrier Docker image that comes pre-installed with most relevant open source ASIC tools, as well as the open PDKs. This is a pre-compiled Docker image which allows to do circuit design on a virtual machine on virtually any type of computing equipment (personal PC, Raspberry Pi, cloud server) on various operating systems (Windows, macOS, Linux).

For further information please look at the Docker Hub page and for detailed instructions at the IIC-OSIC-TOOLS GitHub page.

Linux

In this document, we assume that users have a basic knowledge of Linux and how to operate it using the terminal (shell). If you are not yet familiar with Linux (which is basically a must when doing integrated circuit design as many tools are only available on Linux), then please check out a Linux introductory course or tutorial online, there are many resources available.

A summary of important Linux shell commands is provided in IIC-JKU Linux Cheatsheet.

1.3.2 Option 2: Standalone Installation

KLayout layout tool:
- get the latest pre-built package version
- or follow the build instructions
Skywater sky130A PDK:
- optional
- pip3 install --upgrade ciel (install PDK package manager)
- ciel ls-remote --pdk sky130A (retrieve available PDK releases
  - for example PRE-RELEASE 0c1df35fd535299ea1ef74d1e9e15dedaeb34c32 (2024.12.11))
- ciel enable --pdk sky130A 0c1df35fd535299ea1ef74d1e9e15dedaeb34c32 (install a PDK version)
- PDK files now have been installed under $HOME/.volare/sky130A
IHP SG13G2 PDK:
- optional
- pip3 install --upgrade ciel (install PDK package manager)
- ciel ls-remote --pdk ihp-sg13g2 (retrieve available PDK releases
  - for example PRE-RELEASE cb7daaa8901016cf7c5d272dfa322c41f024931f (2025.07.18))
- ciel enable --pdk ihp-sg13g2 cb7daaa8901016cf7c5d272dfa322c41f024931f (install a PDK version)
- PDK files now have been installed under $HOME/.volare/ihp-sg13g2

2 Align Tool

2.1 Motivation

Boost your layout productivity with quick alignments of layout elements, such as

cell instances
shapes (e.g. polygons, boxes, paths)

Choose constraints by selecting features, such as

edges (the entire edge)
points (edge end points or the edge middle point)

2.2 Usage

2.2.1 Pre-Selection

You can select instances and shapes (you want to align), prior to invoking the tool, thus making a pre-selection. The selection status will be displayed in the dock setup panel, as seen in Figure 1. If no pre-selection is made, the shape or instance of the source reference point is also the object being aligned.

2.2.2 Selecting Features

Either points or edges can be chosen as the alignment reference.

Select the midpoint or one of the endpoints of an edge of a shape or instance bounding box. The search box is shown as a dashed rectangle
- points must be within the search box
- edges just intersect the search box
Left-click to apply the selection

2.2.3 Example 1: point-to-point alignment

Ensure there is no pre-selection
Click the Align tool (Figure 2)
- or press A to enter the align mode (if you’ve configured the key binding as explained here).
Select feature of the shape to be moved/aligned, the source reference (Figure 3)
Select feature of the other shape that acts as the target reference (Figure 4)
Left-click to apply the alignment (Figure 5)
Alternatively, press Esc to cancel the operation

Figure 3: Select *source reference* point to align

Figure 4: Select *target reference* point to move to

2.2.4 Example 2: edge-to-edge alignment

Notes on aligning edges to edges:

edges must be parallel
if the edge is too short and a point is always marked for selection, zoom in
in edge-to-edge mode, alignment is performed only along the perpendicular axis, so
- for horizontal edges: in the Y direction
- for vertical edges: in the X direction

2.3 Assign key binding `A` to the tool

To configure a key binding:

In the main menu, open the Preferences/Settings in KLayout
Navigate to Application→Customize Menu
Search for ‘Align’
Assign the shortcut A to the path edit_menu.mode_menu.Align

3 Move Quickly Tool

Boost your layout productivity with quick moves of layout elements, such as

cell instances
shapes (e.g. polygons, boxes, paths)

3.1 Usage

3.1.1 Pre-selection

You can select instances and shapes (you want to move), before invoking the tool
- The selection will be displayed in the dock setup panel

3.1.2 Tool activation and deactivation

Click the Move Quickly tool or press M to enter the tool mode (if you’ve configured the key binding as explained here
Press Esc at any time to abort the tool and activate the regular KLayout selection tool.

3.1.3 Example 1: Moving single object (mouse)

Activate the tool
If there is no selection, left-click an object to move it
Otherwise, left-click again to move it
Move the mouse to the destination
Click to move the object

3.1.4 Example 2: Moving single object (keyboard)

Activate the tool
Left-click an object to select it
Press Tab to enter the dock setup widget
Provide either absolute positions or relativ deltas
Press Enter to commit the move operation

3.1.5 Example 3: Extend selection

To keep the current selection, and extend it with additionally selected objects:

Activate the tool
Select an object
Hold Shift and select additional object(s)
Click to start moving
Move the mouse to the desired destination
Commit the move operation with a click or by pressing Enter

3.1.6 Example 4: Drag selection

Activate the tool
Select object(s) by dragging the mouse
Hold Shift and select additional object(s)
Click to start moving
Move the mouse to the desired destination
Commit the move operation with a click or by pressing Enter

3.2 Pro-Tip: assign key binding `M` to the tool

In the main menu, open the Preferences/Settings in KLayout
Navigate to Application→Customize Menu
Search for ‘Move’
Assign the shortcut M to the path edit_menu.mode_menu.Move_quickly

4 Pin Tool

4.1 Motivation

Boost your layout productivity with quick placement of pins.

4.2 Usage

4.2.1 Placing a pin

The Pin Tool will automatically choose the appropriate layer based on the selection in the layer table.

E.g., if currently TopMetal1.drawing is selected (Figure 8), the layer TopMetal1 will be chosen.

Before placing the pin, configure the desired properties in the dock setup panel (Figure 9):

Layer: usually pre-filled with the appropriate layer, but can be changed here
Pin: name of the pin label
Width / Height: dimensions of the pin

To place a pin:

Move the mouse to preview the pin placement (Figure 10)
- A dashed box will indicate the bounds of the pin
- A small circle will indicate the placement position
Left-click to place a pin
Press Esc to quit the tool

4.2.2 Combined usage with the Layer Shortcuts Plugin

Say you want to place the same pin in multiple layers, there is a nice use case combination with the Layer Shortcuts Plugin:

activate the Pin Tool and name the pin label
press key 1 to focus on layer group Metal1
place a pin in layer Metal1
press key 2 to focus on layer group Metal2
place a pin in layer Metal2
press key 3 to show all layers

4.3 JSON tech files for supported PDKs

Note

The JSON tech files are currently available for the PDKs:

IHP SG13G2
Skywater sky130

5 Layer Shortcuts Plugin

Boost your layout productivity with shortcuts to quickly change layer visibility and selection.

5.1 Usage

5.1.1 Tool activation and deactivation

Activate or deactivate the Layer Shortcuts plugin by selecting Tools→Layer Shortcut Plugin in the main menu.

5.1.2 Shortcuts

Shortcuts can be defined as action steps in the JSON configuration file.

This following table describes the shortcuts of our default IHP SG13G2 configuration.

Shortcut	Description (What happens)
`0`	Show default layers
`,`	Hide default layers
`1`	Focus on 1st metal and related vias
`2`	Focus on 2nd metal and related vias
`3`	Focus on 3rd metal and related vias
`4`	Focus on 4th metal and related vias
`5`	Focus on 5th metal and related vias
`6`	Focus on 6th metal and related vias
`7`	Focus on 7th metal and related vias
`8`	Focus on Gate Poly and related layers
`9`	Focus on Diffusion and related layers
`Shift+1`	Extend the focus to include 1st metal and related vias
`Shift+2`	Extend the focus to include 2nd metal and related vias
`Shift+3`	Extend the focus to include 3rd metal and related vias
`Shift+4`	Extend the focus to include 4th metal and related vias
`Shift+5`	Extend the focus to include 5th metal and related vias
`Shift+6`	Extend the focus to include 6th metal and related vias
`Shift+7`	Extend the focus to include 7th metal and related vias
`Shift+8`	Extend the focus to include Gate Poly and related vias
`Shift+9`	Extend the focus to include Diffusion and related vias

5.2 Supported PDKs

Currently, we support the following PDKs:

IHP SG13G2: https://github.com/iic-jku/klayout-layer-shortcuts/blob/main/pdks/ihp-sg13g2.json
IHP SG13CMOS5L: https://github.com/iic-jku/klayout-layer-shortcuts/blob/main/pdks/ihp-sg13cmos5l.json
Skywater sky130: https://github.com/iic-jku/klayout-layer-shortcuts/blob/main/pdks/sky130.json
Global Foundries gf180mcu: https://github.com/iic-jku/klayout-layer-shortcuts/blob/main/pdks/gf180mcu.json

You can add support for additional PDKs by writing a JSON configuration file:

copy the existing JSON file and ensure the PDK name is volare/ceil compatible
Noters about the JSON file format
- NOTE: Layer names must be the same as in the KLayout layer properties XML file (e.g. ~/.volare/ihp-sg13g2/libs.tech/klayout/tech/sg13g2.lyp)
- NOTE: The technology name must be the same as in the KLayout technology XML file (e.g. ~/.volare/ihp-sg13g2/libs.tech/klayout/tech/sg13g2.lyt)
- NOTE: The layer group names must be unique but are completely custom
create a pull request

6 Library Manager

Boost your layout productivity with hierarchical layouts:

Automatically load cell libraries along with your hierarchical layout
Manage loaded cell libraries
Reload updated cells
Export the final layout for tapeout

6.1 Usage

6.1.1 Basics

Hierarchical layouts have suffix *.klay (and are technically OASIS files with special metadata)
A library is just a Layout, with its top cells representing library cells
Library maps have suffix *.klib (and are basically JSON files with a special schema), they can contain
1. Comments
2. Library Definition: maps a name to a library path (e.g. a stdcell library)
3. Library Map Includes: reference to include another *.klib file (e.g. a set of libraries useful for the PDK)
NOTE: alternatively to this plugin, you could also put them in ~/.klayout/libraries/

6.1.2 Menu Commands

In the File Menu, there are commands related to the library manager (Figure 11)
Use File→New Hierarchical Layout… to configure a new hierarchical layout (Figure 12)
With a Hierarchical Layout open, use File→Manage Cell Library Map… to manage the cell libraries (Figure 13)
The loaded cell libraries will appear in the Libraries Panel (Figure 14)
With a Hierarchical Layout open, use File→Save Hierarchical Layout [As]… to save the layout.
Finally, use File→Export Layout For Tapeout… to export the final layout version for tapeout.

Figure 12: Create New Hierarchical Layout

7 Automatic Backups

This plugin automatically creates backups

Save your precious layout work in case of crashes or power outages
Configure intervals and rotation scheme

7.1 Usage

7.1.1 Tool activation and deactivation

Activate or deactivate the Auto Backup plugin by selecting File→Automatic Backups→Enable Automatic Backups in the main menu.

Configure backup settings by clicking File→Automatic Backups→Setup Automatic Backups in the main menu.

8 Vector File Export GUI (PDF, SVG)

Export the layout to a vector graphics file in SVG or PDF format.

precise scaling factor
choose which layers to include
choose which text layers to include

The plugin allows for the following export modes:

PDF
- single page (everything on one page)
- layer per page (breaks every layer into a seperate page)
SVG
- only single page

8.1 Usage

After installation, the export dialog can be accessed through File→Export Vector File… Vector File Export

8.1.1 Page Format

The plugin allows for a multitude of page formats, including most paper formats, in portrait or landscape orientation.

8.1.2 Scaling

The scaling factor can be set to a factor that scales the absolute size of the bounding box of the layout (so 1 sets the output size to the actual size of the layout) or to a custom figure size in mm that keeps the aspect ratio of the layout.

8.1.3 Formatting

Allows the user to choose the output colors (Black & White, Greyscale or Color), the selection of the used font and the font size in absolute or relative.

8.1.4 Text and Layer selection

Allows the inclusion or exclusion of text layers (None, Only of Top Cell, All or All Visible) or a custom comma or blank seperated list of the text layers to include. Allows the inclusion or exlusion of the layout layers (None, All Visible, All*) or a custom comma or blank seperated list in the usual layer notation (e.g. Metal1.drawing (8/0)).

The Save Runset button allows to save the current settings for later use or for debugging or GitHub Issues.

9 Vector File Export CLI (PDF, SVG)

Export the layout data to a vector graphics file in SVG or PDF format using a command-line interface. Requires the main klayout plugin to work.

9.1 Installation

For first installation use: pip3 install klayout-vector-file-export-cli and for updating use: pip3 install --upgrade klayout-vector-file-export-cli.

Running klayout-vector-export --version should now report the latest version. After that, you should be able to run klayout-vector-export --help and view the different configuration possibilities.

9.2 Usage

The plugin needs to know the input files and the output files, as well as the used technology. If no format is specified, PDF is assumed and if no file ending is specified in the output file, a PDF file with no file ending is generated. Default page format is A4 with 120mm Figure width and default colors are Black & White.

So an example could look like

klayout-vector-export --in ./layout.gds --out ./layout.pdf --tech sg13g2

Most of the settings are the same as in the GUI, apart from the visible texts and layers as the CLI does not have that data from klayout.

Reuse

Apache-2.0 license

Citation

BibTeX citation:

@online{köhler2026,
  author = {Köhler, Martin},
  title = {KLayout {Productivity} {Suite} {Documentation}},
  date = {2026-04-28},
  url = {https://iic-jku.github.io/klayout-productivity-suite},
  doi = {10.5281/zenodo.17822159},
  langid = {en-US}
}

For attribution, please cite this work as:

Köhler, Martin. 2026. “KLayout Productivity Suite Documentation.” April 28. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17822159.