AutoCAD is a 2D and 3D computer-aided design (CAD) software application developed by Autodesk. It was first released in December 1982 for the CP/M and IBM PC platforms as a desktop app running on microcomputers with internal graphics controllers. Initially a DOS application, subsequent versions were later released for other platforms including Classic Mac OS (1992), Microsoft Windows (1993) and macOS (2010), iOS (2010), and Android (2011).
Caddie is a mid-range computer-assisted draughting (CAD) software package for 2D and 3D design. It is used primarily by architects, but has tools for surveyors and mechanical, civil and construction engineers. It was initially designed as an electronic drawing board, using concepts and tools clearly related to a physical board.
Autodesk, Inc. is an American multinational software corporation that provides software products and services for the architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, media, education, and entertainment industries. Autodesk is headquartered in San Francisco, California, and has offices worldwide. Its U.S. offices are located in the states of California, Oregon, Colorado, Texas, Michigan, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Its Canada offices are located in the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, and Alberta.
MicroStation is a CAD software platform for two- and three-dimensional design and drafting, developed and sold by Bentley Systems and used in the architectural and engineering industries. It generates 2D/3D vector graphics objects and elements and includes building information modeling (BIM) features. The current version is MicroStation CONNECT Edition.
DWG is a proprietary binary file format used for storing two- and three- dimensional design data and metadata. It is the native format for several CAD packages including DraftSight, AutoCAD, ZWCAD, IntelliCAD, Caddie and Open Design Alliance compliant applications. In addition, DWG is supported non-natively by many other CAD applications. The .bak, .dws, .dwt and .sv$ files are also DWG files.
SketchUp is 3D modeling software that allows users to create and manipulate 3D models of buildings, landscapes, furniture, and other objects. It is commonly used in architecture and interior design.
Design Web Format (DWF) is a file format developed by Autodesk for the efficient distribution and communication of rich design data to anyone who needs to view, review, or print design files. Because DWF files are highly compressed, they are smaller and faster to transmit than design files, without the overhead associated with complex CAD drawings. With DWF functionality, publishers of design data can limit the specific design data and plot styles to only what they want recipients to see and can publish multisheet drawing sets from multiple AutoCAD drawings in a single DWF file. They can also publish 3D models from most Autodesk design applications.
ArchiCAD is an architectural BIM CAD software for Mac and Windows developed by the Hungarian company Graphisoft. ArchiCAD offers computer aided solutions for common aspects of aesthetics and engineering during the design process of the built environment—buildings, interiors, urban areas, etc.
Open Design Alliance is a nonprofit organization creating software development kits (SDKs) for engineering applications. ODA offers interoperability tools for CAD, BIM, and Mechanical industries including .dwg, .dxf, .dgn, Autodesk Revit, Autodesk Navisworks, and .ifc files and additional tools for visualization, web development, 3D PDF publishing and modeling.
IntelliCAD is a CAD editor and development platform with an Application Programming Interface API published by the IntelliCAD Technology Consortium ("ITC") through shared development. IntelliCAD emulates the basic interface and functions of AutoCAD, however, it is particularly able to incorporate and interchange freely between a wide variety of file types.
cadwork is a software suite that includes IFC-based virtual design and construction software tools developed by cadwork informatik AG. This suite of tools provides a solution for 3D wood manufacturing and a solution for Building Information Modeling that includes project planning and control functions of 3D quantity takeoff, 4D scheduling, 5D pricing, and 6D execution.
The table below provides an overview of notable computer-aided design (CAD) software. It does not judge power, ease of use, or other user-experience aspects. The table does not include software that is still in development. For all-purpose 3D programs, see Comparison of 3D computer graphics software. CAD refers to a specific type of drawing and modelling software application that is used for creating designs and technical drawings. These can be 3D drawings or 2D drawings.
BricsCAD® is a software application for computer-aided design (CAD), developed by Bricsys nv. The company was founded in 2002 by Erik de Keyser, a longtime CAD entrepreneur. In 2011 Bricsys acquired the intellectual property rights from Ledas for constraints-based parametric design tools, permitting the development of applications in the areas of direct modeling and assembly design. Bricsys is headquartered in Ghent, Belgium, and has additional development centers in Nizhny Novgorod and Novosibirsk, Russia; Bucharest, Romania and Singapore. Bricsys is a founding member of the Open Design Alliance, and joined the BuildingSMART International consortium in December 2016.
FreeCAD is a general-purpose parametric 3D computer-aided design (CAD) modeler and a building information modeling (BIM) software application with finite element method (FEM) support. It is intended for mechanical engineering product design but also expands to a wider range of uses around engineering, such as architecture or electrical engineering. FreeCAD is free and open-source, under the LGPL-2.0-or-later license, and available for Linux, macOS, and Windows operating systems. Users can extend the functionality of the software using the Python programming language.
HiCAD is a 2D-/3D-CAD-system from ISD Software und Systeme GmbH based on the software kernel ESM, developed by ISD.
pCon.planner is a space planning, graphical product configuration, quotation creation and communication solution for interior designers, furniture manufacturers and facility managers. The application is developed by EasternGraphics GmbH in Ilmenau (Thuringia/Germany). There is a free of charge version, without configuration capabilities as well as cost based versions.
Alibre Design is a 3D parametric computer aided design software suite developed by Alibre for Microsoft Windows. Available in fifteen languages. Alibre is a brand of Alibre, LLC, a company based in Texas.
SolveSpace is a free and open-source 2D/3D constraint-based parametric computer-aided design (CAD) software that supports basic 2D and 3D constructive solid geometry modeling.
LibreCAD is a computer-aided design (CAD) application for 2D design. It is free and open-source, and available for Unix/Linux, macOS, and Windows operating systems.
ABViewer is multifunctional software for working with AutoCAD DWG, DXF, PLT, STEP, IGES, STL and other 2D and 3D CAD files. The application allows creating and editing drawings, as well as saving them to AutoCAD DWG/DXF, PDF, JPG and a number of other vector and raster file formats.
