.dwg File — AutoCAD Drawing

DWG is the native file format for AutoCAD, the world's most widely used computer-aided design software. DWG files store 2D and 3D design data including geometric entities (lines, arcs, circles, splines, solids), dimensions, annotations, layers, blocks, external references (xrefs), and layout configurations for printing. The format was originally created by Mike Riddle in 1977 and has been developed by Autodesk since their acquisition of the format in 1982. DWG is the de facto standard for architectural drawings, engineering plans, manufacturing specifications, and construction documents worldwide. The binary format is proprietary to Autodesk, though the Open Design Alliance has reverse-engineered it to enable third-party compatibility. DWG files support 3D modeling with surfaces and solids, parametric constraints, dynamic blocks, attribute data, and integration with Autodesk's BIM (Building Information Modeling) workflows. The format evolves with each AutoCAD release, generally maintaining backward compatibility. DWG files are commonly exchanged via the open DXF format when cross-platform compatibility is needed, though DXF files are larger and may lose some DWG-specific features.