AutoCAD is the reference program when we talk about applications that have been designed within the design environment CAD, that is to say, computer-aided design, as its acronym indicates. The truth is that it is a tool that we can download in Windows programs without problems, and that is useful for both amateur enthusiasts and professionals who need a system of such power.

We are talking about software that will allow you to design practically anything you want, from buildings to single objects, without losing sight of the fact that it can work both in 2D and 3D to make the most of its features. At first, it may seem a somewhat complicated program, and indeed it is, but if you take the time, it will allow you to perform virtually any design task you want.

Before continuing, however, you have to keep in mind that the AutoCAD requirements can be somewhat high, and it is possible that if you do not have a relatively modern computer, you will not be able to enjoy this platform. Beyond that, in case you have been able to install it, even if those first steps are complex, you should know that on YouTube and the web, you will find many tutorials on the subject to inform you.

The AutoCAD interface is excellent for its vast number of functions since it is easy to intuit where each of them is, and if you have stayed in their first designs, you should know that it has improved in recent updates. The best of all is that now the DWG files -for example- that you develop within this application, you can open on any other device, for example, an Apple Mac computer.

And since we talk about formats, we should point out that this program can create files in the following enabled formats: WMF, DXX, DXF, DWG, BMP, DWS, DWT, DGN, DWF, DWFX, SAT, STL, EPS, and PDF. In the meantime, it is also capable of opening several formats, such as the ones we show now:

• DWT
• DWS
• DGN
• DXF
• DWG

An inconvenience of use that we have noticed, within what it means to talk about the reference program in its segment, is that when we change the construction section, it is not saved automatically. This means we also have to take the trouble manually changing the plan. It is not very practical, and you will forget it more than once, so you'd better keep an eye on it.

As a counterpart to all the positive things we have mentioned about this program, we must also point out that even its trial version is not only demanding in terms of resource consumption but also includes a very heavy file that makes the download and installation slow. To that, you must add what we mentioned about the need for a modern computer to run the software.

On the other hand, we consider it almost essential that a user who wants to use this program purchases its definitive version beyond the trial license. You should know, in that sense, that there are different plans according to the distributors of the program and the number of years you want to acquire its license. In any case, you can be sure that this is not a cheap program at all.

Want a free alternative? Well, here are several interesting ones, although from what we have seen, we believe that perhaps FreeCAD is the one that best suits what a user who is not willing to pay for AutoCAD has found in it. It has most of its functions, standing out for being open source, its clean interface, and allowing it to work in 3D without significant complications.