Converting DXF to GeoJSON turns AutoCAD drawing geometry into web-native map features.
What is DXF?
DXF (Drawing Exchange Format) is an open CAD data format created by Autodesk for exchanging drawings between AutoCAD and other CAD applications.
DXF stores CAD entities — points, lines, polylines, arcs, circles, text and blocks — organized on named layers. Unlike GIS formats it has no attribute table, so geometry and layer names come across but arbitrary feature attributes do not. It is the common interchange format for survey drawings, site plans, and engineering geometry moving between CAD tools such as AutoCAD, and into GIS via GDAL. GeoConvert reads and writes DXF entirely in your browser.
What is GeoJSON?
GeoJSON is an open, JSON-based format for encoding vector geographic features and their attributes, standardized as RFC 7946 by the IETF.
A GeoJSON document is plain UTF-8 JSON built from Feature and FeatureCollection objects, each pairing a geometry (Point, LineString, Polygon, and their Multi* variants, or a GeometryCollection) with a free-form "properties" object. Because it is human-readable text, it works well with version control, text diffing, and any JSON tooling, and it is the de facto interchange format for web maps and JavaScript libraries such as Leaflet, Mapbox GL, and OpenLayers. Unlike Shapefile it imposes no field-name length limit, mixes geometry types freely within one collection, and stores everything in a single file.
Why convert DXF to GeoJSON?
GeoJSON is what web maps and GIS tools read directly, so this is how CAD site plans, survey lines, and engineering geometry get onto an interactive map or into a GIS workflow. It bridges the gap between drafting software and the geospatial web.
Coordinate systems
DXF is a CAD format and carries no coordinate reference system — coordinates are plain model units. When converting to or from GIS formats you often need to know (or assign) the drawing’s real-world CRS; GeoConvert assumes WGS84 (EPSG:4326) only if you ask to reproject.
Per RFC 7946, coordinates are longitude/latitude in decimal degrees on the WGS84 datum (EPSG:4326), and the specification removed the older "crs" member, so a compliant GeoJSON file is always assumed to be WGS84. Coordinate order is [longitude, latitude], optionally followed by elevation.
What to watch out for
- DXF has no coordinate system, so the output coordinates are the drawing’s model units — assign or reproject to a real CRS if you need it georeferenced.
- CAD drawings have no attribute table, so only geometry and the DXF layer name come across, not GIS-style fields.
- Curved entities such as arcs and circles are approximated as line/polygon vertices.
- Text, dimensions, and block references may not translate into features.
How to convert DXF to GeoJSON
- Drag your DXF file (.dxf) into the converter above, or click to browse.
- Confirm the source is DXF and choose GeoJSON as the output format.
- Optionally pick a target coordinate system (EPSG) to reproject.
- Click Convert and download your GeoJSON file. Everything runs in your browser.
Frequently asked questions
- Are CAD attributes preserved?
- DXF has no attribute table, so only geometry and layer names are converted — there are no arbitrary fields to carry.
- Why are my coordinates not on the map?
- DXF stores plain model units with no CRS. If the drawing isn’t already in lon/lat, tell the tool its coordinate system so the geometry lands in the right place.