LISP
A scripting language used to automate AutoCAD by writing routines that issue commands, query drawings, and build custom tools.
LISP (LISt Processing) is the family of scripting languages used by AutoCAD and Civil 3D to automate drafting tasks. In CAD, 'LISP' almost always refers to AutoLISP or Visual LISP. A LISP routine is a small program — typically saved as a .lsp file — that you load into AutoCAD and run as a command. LISP can read entities, change properties, draw geometry, prompt the user, and call any AutoCAD command, which makes it the fastest way for CAD pros to automate repetitive work without leaving the drawing.
Related guides
Three reliable ways to load .lsp, .fas, and .vlx files into AutoCAD, plus how to add them to the Startup Suite so you never reload again.
Four ways to make a LISP routine load automatically — Startup Suite, ACAD.lsp, acaddoc.lsp, and Trusted Locations — and which to pick.
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Related terms
Autodesk's dialect of LISP, built into AutoCAD since 1986, used to write custom commands and automate drawings.
An extended LISP environment in AutoCAD that adds an IDE, debugger, COM access, and the ability to compile to FAS or VLX.
A compiled, single-file binary of an AutoLISP/Visual LISP routine. Faster to load and obscures the source code.
A compiled Visual LISP application that bundles multiple .lsp/.fas files, DCL dialogs, and resources into one file.
A LISP file AutoCAD looks for on every session start and loads automatically — the standard place to autoload routines.
A LISP file AutoCAD loads every time a drawing is opened, used for per-document setup and (defun S::STARTUP).