In the previous lessons, we looked at how to create schematics and start using them in your designs. Now, we want to switch gears and look at some different types of schematics. This idea can be a bit misleading; all schematics are just CAD drawings showing electrical connections between components, so what other types of schematics could there be?

There are two different types of schematics used in PCB design and that are supported by ECAD applications. These are called flat schematics and hierarchical schematics. These are not so much schematics as they are methods for defining connections between a group of schematics. Understanding the difference is quite important as it will help you decide how to best organize your projects once you build your first design.