Essential AutoCAD Commands and Aliases for Beginners

AutoCAD commands let you draw, modify and inspect geometry without searching through ribbon panels. Type the full command or a configured alias at the command line, press Enter or Space, then follow the prompts. The aliases below are common Windows defaults, but they can be customized and may differ by profile, language or AutoCAD for Mac.

AutoCAD command line and drawing workspace — Watch the command line: it shows the next required point, distance, option or selection.

Basic drawing commands

Common alias	Full command	Purpose
L	LINE	Create separate straight-line segments between points
PL	PLINE	Create connected line or arc segments as one polyline object
REC	RECTANG	Create a closed rectangular polyline
C	CIRCLE	Create a circle by center/radius, diameter or other defined method
A	ARC	Create an arc using one of several point, center or angle methods
POL	POLYGON	Create a regular closed polygon with a specified number of sides
EL	ELLIPSE	Create an ellipse or elliptical arc
H	HATCH	Fill an enclosed area with a pattern, solid or gradient
XL	XLINE	Create an infinite construction line

Do not confuse LINE with PLINE. A series of LINE segments remains multiple objects unless joined; a polyline can carry a consistent width and can be edited as one object.

Essential modify commands

Common alias	Full command	Purpose
CO	COPY	Duplicate selected objects from a base point
M	MOVE	Move selected objects by two points or a displacement
RO	ROTATE	Rotate objects around a base point
SC	SCALE	Resize objects by a scale factor or reference length
O	OFFSET	Create parallel or concentric copies at a specified distance
TR	TRIM	Cut objects back to selected or apparent boundaries
EX	EXTEND	Lengthen objects to meet boundaries
F	FILLET	Join two objects with an arc; radius 0 creates a sharp corner
CHA	CHAMFER	Join two objects with an angled edge
MI	MIRROR	Create a reflected copy across a defined axis
AR	ARRAY	Create associative rectangular, polar or path-based repetitions
X	EXPLODE	Break a compound object into components; use only when necessary

Practice modifications on a copy. EXPLODE can discard useful object behavior, and an accidental scale or mirror operation can be hard to notice in a large drawing.

Dimension and annotation commands

Common alias	Full command	Purpose
D	DIMSTYLE	Create and manage dimension styles; it does not directly place a dimension
DIM	DIM	Create an appropriate dimension based on selected geometry
DLI	DIMLINEAR	Create horizontal, vertical or rotated linear dimensions
DAL	DIMALIGNED	Dimension the true length along an angled line
DAN	DIMANGULAR	Measure an angle between objects or points
DRA	DIMRADIUS	Place a radius dimension
DDI	DIMDIAMETER	Place a diameter dimension
DCO	DIMCONTINUE	Continue a chain of dimensions from the previous extension line
DBA	DIMBASELINE	Create dimensions from a common baseline
MT	MTEXT	Create paragraph-style multiline text
MLEADER	MLEADER	Create a multileader annotation using the active style

Use dimension and text styles rather than formatting each annotation manually. Draw geometry at full size in model space, then control annotation scale and plotting through layouts and standards.

Layers, properties and drawing management

Common alias	Full command	Purpose
LA	LAYER	Create and manage layers, colors, linetypes and states
OP	OPTIONS	Open application and drawing environment options
PR	PROPERTIES	Inspect and edit properties of selected objects
MA	MATCHPROP	Copy selected properties from one object to others
PU	PURGE	Remove eligible unused named objects from the drawing
AUDIT	AUDIT	Check and repair certain drawing database errors
UNITS	UNITS	Set display format and insertion scale units
OS	OSNAP	Configure running object snaps

The old list included SE � Settings as a general management command. That is not a reliable default alias across current installations. Use the explicit commands OPTIONS, DSETTINGS, UNITS, OSNAP or LAYER for the setting you actually need.

View and selection commands

Common input	Full command or action	Purpose
Z	ZOOM	Change the visible magnification; options include Extents, Window and Previous
P	PAN	Move the view without moving drawing objects
Mouse wheel	Roll / press and drag	Zoom or pan when default mouse behavior is active
F3	Object Snap toggle	Turn running object snaps on or off
F8	Ortho toggle	Constrain cursor movement horizontally or vertically
Ctrl+0	Clean Screen	Hide or restore most interface elements to maximize drawing space
Esc	Cancel	Exit the current command or clear a selection
Space / Enter	Repeat or confirm	Finish input and, at an empty prompt, repeat the previous command

AutoCAD drawing created with basic commands — Combine accurate object snaps with explicit dimensions instead of clicking approximately.

A beginner practice sequence

Run UNITS and confirm the unit type and insertion scale.
Create layers with LA for walls, openings, furniture, dimensions and notes.
Draw a room outline with REC or PL.
Use O to offset a wall thickness.
Open gaps with TR, then create door geometry with L and A.
Place simple furniture using REC, C, CO, RO and MI.
Add dimensions with DIM or the specific DIM commands.
Save, zoom to extents, and inspect the drawing for stray objects and incorrect scale.

Verify and customize aliases

Autodesk publishes an AutoCAD keyboard shortcuts guide. Because aliases can be changed in the command alias configuration, type the full command when a short form starts an unexpected tool. Autodesk also documents how to customize command aliases; back up custom settings before upgrades.

Continue with practical guides to draw dashed lines, delete layers safely, and restore a missing AutoCAD toolbar. Learn a small group of commands through real drawings, and read every command-line prompt instead of memorizing letters without understanding the operation.