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Quick Start

Get up and running with GeckoCIRCUITS in 5 minutes.

1. Launch the Application

./scripts/run-gecko-linux.sh

scripts\run-gecko.bat

./scripts/run-gecko-macos.sh

Or run directly with Java:

java -Xmx3G -Dpolyglot.js.nashorn-compat=true \
  -jar target/gecko-1.0-jar-with-dependencies.jar

2. Open an Example Circuit

Go to File > Open and navigate to:

resources/tutorials/2xx_dcdc_converters/201_buck_converter/buck_simple.ipes

This opens a basic buck converter circuit - one of the most common DC-DC power topologies.

Quick Open

You can also pass a circuit file as a command-line argument: 

java -jar target/gecko-1.0-jar-with-dependencies.jar \
  resources/tutorials/2xx_dcdc_converters/201_buck_converter/buck_simple.ipes

3. Explore the Schematic

The circuit editor shows the buck converter topology:

  • MOSFET switch - controlled by a PWM signal
  • Diode - freewheeling path for inductor current
  • Inductor (L) - energy storage element
  • Capacitor (C) - output voltage filter
  • Resistive load (R) - the load being powered
  • SCOPE - oscilloscope to view waveforms

You can click on any component to see and edit its parameters.

4. Run the Simulation

Click the Run button in the toolbar or press F5.

The simulation will execute for the configured duration. You'll see the progress in the status bar.

5. View Results

Double-click the SCOPE component to open the oscilloscope window. You should see:

  • Output voltage settling to the target value
  • Inductor current with triangular ripple waveform
  • Switch node voltage toggling between input voltage and ground

Oscilloscope Controls

Action How
Zoom in/out Mouse scroll wheel
Pan Click and drag
Auto-scale Right-click > Auto Scale
Measure Right-click > Cursor

6. Modify Parameters

Try changing the duty cycle to see how it affects the output:

  1. Click the PWM component
  2. Change the duty cycle parameter
  3. Re-run the simulation (F5)
  4. Compare the new output voltage

The buck converter relationship is: V_out = D x V_in, where D is the duty cycle (0-1).

What's in a Circuit File?

GeckoCIRCUITS uses .ipes files (gzip-compressed) that contain:

  • Component placement and connections
  • Parameter values for each component
  • Scope/measurement configuration
  • Simulation settings (time step, duration)

Try More Examples

Example File What You'll Learn
First steps 1xx_getting_started/101_first_simulation/ex_1.ipes Basic simulation flow
Buck converter 2xx_dcdc_converters/201_buck_converter/buck_simple.ipes DC-DC conversion
Boost converter 2xx_dcdc_converters/202_boost_converter/boost_simple.ipes Step-up conversion
Three-phase inverter 4xx_dcac_inverters/402_three_phase_inverter/inverter.ipes AC power generation

All examples are in resources/tutorials/.

Next Steps