Auto CAD was one of the first Computer Aided Design programs to be made available on personal computers. It is built to help people design buildings, products, or public spaces, without having to draw up plans by hand. It was released in 1982 by Auto desk, Inc., and offered a personal solution to software that was before then released only for larger workstations. While CAD programs prior to Auto CAD required massive amounts of computing power in the form of gigantic computers, Auto CAD streamlined its operating and optimized it for the first time for IBM PC, allowing people to work from home or on their own working PC.

Through the 1980s, Auto CAD functioned mostly by using simple lines and circles, and text overlays, to set up custom objects. Beginning in the 1990s, Auto CAD began utilizing more robust and dynamic custom object features, built with an Advanced Programming Interface using C++. And starting in 2007 Auto CAD has had much more advanced 3D tools that allow for greater 3D modeling and exploration of models, with high-quality, fast-moving rendering., giving the industry a new look.

The modern version of Auto CAD allows us much more than simply C++ programming. It has set the standard for operability in terms of Advanced Programming Interfaces in CAD, and can use VBA, .NET, AutoLISP, and Visual LISP, as well as the C++ based Object ARX. This programming set has allowed for great extensibility for Auto CAD, and there are a number of more specific AutoCAD programs, including Auto CAD Electrical, AutoCAD Civil 3D, and AutoCAD Architecture have been developed .