DXF

DXF (Drawing Exchange Format) is Autodesk's openly documented alternative to DWG, meant for exchanging drawing data with software other than AutoCAD. It stores the same kinds of objects, such as entities, blocks, layers and text, in a form other programs can read.

A DXF file is usually plain text, so it is easy to inspect and to produce from other software, but it is larger than the same drawing saved as DWG. There is also a binary form of DXF that is smaller.

Some features of a modern DWG, such as dynamic block behavior and custom objects, do not survive a trip through DXF in full, and older DXF versions cannot hold everything a newer drawing contains. When you convert, check the result in a viewer before you send it.

Because DXF is documented, free CAD programs, CAM and laser-cutting software and web tools often accept DXF but not DWG. The CADXChange online DWG Viewer opens both formats.