KiCad Docker Images with OCCT 7.8

Docker images for KiCad with OpenCascade 7.8.1 for proper GLB color export.

Why This Repo?

Official KiCad Docker images use Debian Bookworm with OpenCascade 7.6.3, which has a known bug that prevents proper color/material export in GLB files. This results in greyed-out 3D models.

These images use newer base systems with OpenCascade 7.8.1 which fixes the color export issue.

Available Images

Ubuntu 25.10

• Tag: ghcr.io/dioderobot/kicad:9.0.3-ubuntu-25.10
• KiCad: 9.0.3 from Ubuntu packages
• Size: ~7GB
• Build time: ~2 minutes

Debian Trixie (Recommended)

• Tag: ghcr.io/dioderobot/kicad:9.0.6-trixie-full
• KiCad: 9.0.6 compiled from source
• Size: ~3GB
• Build time: ~30 minutes

Usage

# Pull Ubuntu image (recommended)
docker pull ghcr.io/dioderobot/kicad:9.0.3-ubuntu-25.10

# Export GLB with proper colors
docker run --rm \
  -v $(pwd):/workspace \
  ghcr.io/dioderobot/kicad:9.0.3-ubuntu-25.10 \
  kicad-cli pcb export glb \
  --output /workspace/output.glb \
  --subst-models \
  --force \
  --no-dnp \
  --no-unspecified \
  --include-pads \
  --include-silkscreen \
  --include-soldermask \
  --include-tracks \
  --include-zones \
  /workspace/your-board.kicad_pcb

The Bug

Problem

KiCad GLB exports from official Docker containers (kicad/kicad:9.0.6-full) show greyed-out models with no component colors.

Root Cause

OpenCascade 7.6.3 (in Debian Bookworm) has a bug reading STEP material/color attributes. Fixed in OCCT 7.7.1.

Evidence

• Official images (Bookworm/OCCT 7.6.3): 4 materials (PCB substrate only)
• This image (Trixie/OCCT 7.8.1): 17-20 materials (full color)

Comparison

Image	Base OS	OCCT	Materials	Colors
kicad/kicad:9.0.6-full	Debian Bookworm	7.6.3	4	❌ Grey
ghcr.io/dioderobot/kicad:9.0.3-ubuntu-25.10	Ubuntu 25.10	7.8.1	19	✅ Full color
ghcr.io/dioderobot/kicad:9.0.6-trixie-full	Debian Trixie	7.8.1	20	✅ Full color

Building Locally

Ubuntu (fast)

docker build -f Dockerfile.ubuntu -t kicad:ubuntu .

Debian Trixie (latest KiCad)

docker build --build-arg include_3d=true --build-arg KICAD_VERSION=9.0.6 -t kicad:trixie .

License

This Dockerfile is based on the official KiCad Docker images from https://gitlab.com/kicad/packaging/kicad-cli-docker

KiCad is licensed under GPL-3.0-or-later.