Since LibreCAD is an open source program, you can also contribute towards its further development. Its GPLv2 public license allows you to use, copy and customize it to suit your preferences. You also won't need to pay any license costs.

Installing LibreCAD

We did not encounter any hitches when installing LibreCAD. Although the software is free, we were taken to a link seeking donations soon after the installation process. However, the donation was voluntary.

Using LibreCAD

When we launched the software for the first time, it asked us to choose our preferred language and unit for measuring drawings. The default unit is millimeter.

LibreCAD's user interface displays some layer tools and the working area. We found it relatively easy to use the program, as the menu bar gave us access to most of the categories we wanted, including Draw, Layer, Dimension and Block. In addition, we could customize the interface by dragging its elements over the working area and positioning them where we wanted.

Although we could use the mouse to locate the position of a point, we could get more precise results by using the built-in command line.

LibreCAD gave us different drawing tools and items, including lines, ellipses, circles, arcs and splines, which we could access in multiple iterations. For instance, we could define circle parameters in five different modes. We combined different shapes to create the model we wanted.

Grids make it easy to draw proportional objects even without using any measurement. The scaling feature is especially useful if you are creating 2D models for a large object. If you would like to use your project in a presentation, then you can create stunning word effects using a feature known as "Explode text into letters."

The program also allowed us to insert a picture we wanted to work on instead of starting from scratch. The ability to zoom in and out allowed us to work better of specific areas of our drawing and see how it would appear from different distances.

The tabs above the working area enabled us to customize our designs by choosing color and changing size. We could also customize the working area itself.

Pros

• Provides many useful CAD tools
• Easy to use
• Ability to add unlimited layers
• Compatible with all major operating systems
• Multi-language

Cons

• Doesn't support multiple print layouts
• No manual included

Downloads for Linux / MacOS X are available at the developer's website.