Schematik: The Cursor for Hardware Has Arrived
A new wave of AI tools is bringing 'vibe coding' to hardware. Schematik lets you describe what you want to build in plain English and generates complete code, wiring diagrams, and one-click deployment. Here's how it compares to the competition.
Hardware has always been the last frontier for AI-assisted development. While Cursor, Copilot, and v0 revolutionized software, building physical devices still meant digging through datasheets, debugging wiring diagrams, and wrestling with cryptic compiler errors.
That might be changing. A new wave of tools is bringing the "vibe coding" experience to hardware—and Schematik just launched as the most ambitious attempt yet.
Describe what you want to build in plain English. Get complete code, wiring diagrams, and one-click deployment to your Arduino, ESP32, or Raspberry Pi. No datasheets. No pin lookups. No electrical engineering degree required.
What Is Schematik?
Built by Sam Beek, VP of Product at VEED.io and Stanford GSB alum, Schematik positions itself as "Cursor for Hardware."
The workflow is dead simple:
Describe
Type what you want in plain English: "ESP32 with temperature sensor and OLED display." No pin numbers, no part codes, no manual lookups.
Review
Schematik generates complete code, wiring diagrams, component specifications, and step-by-step assembly instructions. Everything validated and ready to build.
Build
One-click flash to your board via PlatformIO, or download everything (including Fritzing schematics) to customize.
Supported hardware includes Arduino Uno, ESP32, and Raspberry Pi Pico, plus "hundreds of common sensors, displays, and modules."
Status: private beta with a waitlist at schematik.io.
Why This Matters
The traditional path to a blinking LED:
The Schematik path:
As one early tester put it on X:
"For those who want to play with hardware but don't know where to start, this is absolutely a game-changer... As someone who knows nothing about embedded development, the excitement of turning ideas into reality is unparalleled."
The Competition
Schematik isn't alone. Here's how the "AI for hardware" landscape looks in early 2026:
| Tool | Focus | Status | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schematik | Full project generation | Beta | Makers, hobbyists |
| Artifact | Aerospace schematics | YC + Seed | Engineers, enterprise |
| Cirkit Designer | IDE + simulation | Live | Students, makers |
| Flux.ai | PCB design | Live | Professional PCB |
| Embedible | ESP32 only | Live | ESP32 hobbyists |
| AllSpice.io | Design review | Live | Teams, QA |
Artifact: The YC-Backed Challenger
Artifact, built by Corbin Klett and Antony Samuel, raised seed funding from Floodgate and went through YC. They call themselves "VS Code for hardware engineers" and focus on aerospace electrical systems.
Their vision is more ambitious—a "Jarvis-type system allowing individual engineers to design full systems without being bogged down by bureaucracy."
Key difference: Artifact targets professional engineers; Schematik targets makers.
Cirkit Designer: The Full IDE
Cirkit Designer takes a different approach—it's a full IDE with:
- Real-time circuit simulation
- 30,000+ component library
- Built-in Arduino IDE (VS Code powered)
- 8,000+ libraries
- AI assistance for code and debugging
Where Schematik is "describe and deploy," Cirkit is "design, simulate, then deploy." More control, steeper learning curve.
Flux.ai: Professional PCB
Flux.ai plays in the professional tier—full PCB design with AI assistance. Their landing page lets you type requests like "make me a temperature and humidity sensor node" and generates board designs.
Different audience: Flux is for people designing custom PCBs, not wiring up dev boards.
Embedible: ESP32 Specialist
Embedible, by Denys Malykhin, focuses specifically on ESP32. Same idea—describe, get wiring and code—but narrower scope.
"With Embedible AI, I prompted → got design, wiring & code → LED worked first try."
The Skeptic's View
Not everyone is convinced. One X user asked:
"But how is this different from doing it directly with Claude Code/Cursor etc.... as you can just ask Claude Code to show you the schema/diagram?"
Fair question. You can prompt Claude or GPT to generate Arduino code. But the gap is:
Visual Wiring
LLMs generate text, not visual wiring diagrams. Schematik bridges that gap.
Component Lists
Which exact sensor? Which pins? BOM generation is non-trivial.
One-Click Flash
PlatformIO integration means no copy-paste, no IDE setup.
Validation
Schematik claims to validate that components work together. LLMs don't.
Another user asked about the difference from Cursor + PlatformIO. Beek's response: "Schema building, understands parts better."
The value add is the integrated, hardware-aware toolchain—not just code generation.
What About the Pros?
Professional tools like Altium and Cadence already have AI features:
- Altium: AI-assisted routing and optimization
- Cadence Cerebrus: AI-powered design optimization
But as Grok noted:
"Schematic appears more tailored for prompt-based, beginner-friendly hardware prototyping with code generation and deployment, which isn't directly mirrored in those professional suites."
Different tools for different users. Altium is for designing the PCB inside your laptop. Schematik is for wiring up a sensor to an ESP32 in your garage.
The Bigger Picture: "Vibe Hardware"
Remember when "vibe coding" became a thing? Describe what you want, AI builds it. Now we're seeing "vibe hardware."
The Pattern: Every domain follows the same arc. Expert tools → AI-assisted expert tools → AI-first tools for non-experts. Web dev had Cursor. Design had Figma AI. Hardware is next.
The implications:
Lower Barrier to Entry
Kids who grew up with Scratch can now build physical devices. Makers who stopped at software can cross into hardware.
Faster Prototyping
Startups can validate hardware ideas in hours, not weeks. The MVP culture comes to physical products.
Education Revolution
STEM education can focus on concepts, not memorizing pinouts. Students build first, understand later.
Production Still Needs Experts
Just like vibe coding isn't replacing senior engineers, vibe hardware won't replace EE expertise for production systems.
Should You Try It?
If you've ever wanted to build a sensor network, home automation system, or IoT prototype but got stuck on the electronics—these tools are for you.
Good fit if:
- You're a software developer curious about hardware
- You have project ideas but no EE background
- You want to prototype fast, learn later
- You already own Arduino/ESP32/RPi boards
Not a fit if:
- You need custom PCB design (use Flux.ai instead)
- You're building production hardware (hire an EE)
- You need aerospace/automotive compliance (look at Artifact)
Try These
| Tool | Link | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Schematik | schematik.io | Waitlist (beta) |
| Cirkit Designer | cirkitstudio.com | Free tier available |
| Embedible | embedible.io | Free tier available |
| Flux.ai | flux.ai | Free for personal use |
Sources
Main Subject
- Schematik Official Website
- Sam Beek Launch Tweet (Feb 9, 2026)
- Sam Beek LinkedIn
Competition
Twitter/X Commentary
- @kevinma_dev_zh review
- Grok's comparison to Altium/Cadence
- @lloyd_december skeptical take
- @Einthecorgi2 on Cursor+PlatformIO
- @embedible demo
All claims verified against primary sources. Twitter quotes linked to original posts. Competition data from official websites.