What is AutoCAD?

AutoCAD is a design software used by architects, engineers, and other construction professionals to design and annotate 2D geometry and 3D models with solids, surfaces, and mesh objects. It is also used to automate tasks such as comparing drawings, counting objects, adding blocks, and creating schedules.

In earlier releases, AutoCAD used primitive entities - such as lines, polylines, circles, arcs, and text - as the foundation for more complex objects. Since the mid-1990s, AutoCAD has supported custom objects through its C++ API. Modern AutoCAD includes a full set of basic solid modeling and 3D tools, but lacks some of the more advanced capabilities of solid modeling applications. With the release of AutoCAD 2007 came improved 3D modeling functionality. Which meant better navigation when working in 3D. Over time, it has become more easy to edit 3D models. The mental ray engine was included in rendering, it was now possible to do quality renderings.

AutoCAD's native file format, DWG, and to a lesser extent, its interchange file format, DXF, have become de facto standards for CAD data interoperability. AutoCAD in recent years has included support for DWF, a format developed and promoted by Autodesk for publishing CAD data. In 2006, Autodesk estimated the number of active DWG files to be in excess of one billion. In the past, Autodesk has estimated the total number of DWG files in existence to be more than three billion.

With millions of professional users, Autodesk is a world leader in 3D design, engineering, and entertainment software for manufacturing, building and construction, and media and entertainment.