Adobe Illustrator

Version2023(as of 1/19/2023)
PlatformsWindows, Mac
LicenseCommercial
CategoryGraphics
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Rating:3.1  |  261 Votes

Main Features

  • Advanced vector graphics editor
  • Configurable workspace with layer-based editing
  • Support for multiple artboards per document
  • Intelligent bitmap image detection and conversion
  • Color blending capabilities for creating photorealistic gradients
  • One-click recoloring capabilities
  • Simplified path editing for easier editing of complex paths
  • Automatic spell-check of text in your documents
  • Background saving and exporting of files allows continual worktime
  • Content-aware crop that provides suggested crops
  • Support for multiple export formats
  • Integration with Adobe Creative Cloud

Software Overview

Screenshot of Adobe Illustrator 2023
Screenshot of Adobe Illustrator 2023

Adobe Illustrator is an industry-standard drawing program used to create and modify vector graphics, such as logos, web graphics, mobile & web layouts, icons, signs, and artwork. It provides a customizable drawing canvas, various drawing tools, and support for numerous graphic formats.

Illustrator feels and functions similar to Photoshop, Adobe's flagship app, but it uses paths rather than bitmaps, to create images. This difference allows Illustrator to alter and resize drawings without reducing the quality of the images.

The Illustrator workspace includes a drawing canvas, known as an artboard, surrounded by various configurable toolbars and palettes. You can customize the workspace by hiding, revealing, and moving palettes to a preferred arrangement. You can also edit multiple artboards concurrently to streamline document editing across drawings.

Illustrator includes advanced features, such as color blending capabilities for creating photorealistic gradients and global editing for simultaneously modifying similar objects across multiple artboards. The program also provides more accessible Adobe fonts that you can preview and activate within Illustrator. In addition, the software supports many other convenient tools that make the graphics workflow more efficient.

Adobe Illustrator integrates with other Creative Cloud (CC) programs through interchangeable file formats and saves artwork in its native Adobe Illustrator (.AI) format, by default. The software also supports industry-standard graphics files such as .PSD, .JPEG, .PNG, .EPS, .FXG, .SVG, .DWG, and .DXF.

Summary

If you are a drawing professional, you will find it hard to replace Illustrator with an alternative vector graphics editor, especially with the convenience of its integration with other Adobe CC applications. Its robust features and ability to help create clean, professional-quality graphics make Adobe Illustrator a high-quality choice for serious vector art graphics professionals.

Primary File Type

ai icon.AIAdobe Illustrator Artwork

Supported File Types

ExtensionFile Type
.AIAdobe Illustrator Artwork
.ACBAdobe Photoshop Color Book File
.ACBLAdobe Color Book Legacy File
.AIAAdobe Illustrator Action File
.AICAdobe Illustrator Cloud Document
.AITAdobe Illustrator Template
.ASEAdobe Swatch Exchange File
.BMPBitmap Image
.DWGAutoCAD Drawing
.DXFDrawing Exchange Format File
.EPSEncapsulated PostScript File
.FMODAdobe Illustrator Flattening Module
.FXGFlash XML Graphics File
.GIFGraphical Interchange Format File
.IDEAAdobe Ideas Document
.IROSAdobe Save For Web Settings File
.IRSAdobe Save For Web Settings
.JP2JPEG 2000 Core Image
.JPGJPEG Image
.KYSAdobe Photoshop Keyboard Shortcuts File
.PCTPicture File
.PCXPaintbrush Bitmap Image File
.PDFPortable Document Format File
.PDFSAdobe PDF Presets File
.PICGeneric Picture File
.PICTPicture File
.PNGPortable Network Graphic
.PSPostScript File
.PSDAdobe Photoshop Document
.PXRPixar Image File
.RLERun Length Encoded Bitmap
.SVGScalable Vector Graphic
.SVGZCompressed SVG File
.SWFShockwave Flash Movie
.TGATarga Graphic
.TIFTagged Image File

Additional Related File Types

ExtensionFile Type
.8BFPhotoshop Filter Plug-in
.8BIPhotoshop Plug-in
.ACTFoxPro Documenting Wizard Action Diagram
.AIPAdobe Illustrator Plug-in
.ARTArt Document
.CDRCorelDRAW File
.CGMComputer Graphics Metafile
.CLXStandard Dictionary File
.CMXCorel Presentation Exchange Image
.CSFAdobe Color Settings File
.DCSDesktop Color Separation File
.DIBDevice-Independent Bitmap Image
.DOCMicrosoft Word Document (Legacy)
.DOCXMicrosoft Word Document
.EMFEnhanced Windows Metafile
.ENVAdobe Dictionary Data File
.EPSFEncapsulated PostScript Format File
.FH10FreeHand 10 Drawing File
.FH11FreeHand 11 Drawing File
.FH7FreeHand 7 Drawing File
.FH8FreeHand 8 Drawing File
.FH9FreeHand 9 Drawing File
.FLTGraphics Filter
.HYPDictionary Information File
.ICBTarga ICB Bitmap Image
.J2CJPEG 2000 Code Stream
.JPCJPEG 2000 Code Stream File
.JPEJPEG Image
.JPEGJPEG Image
.JPFJPEG 2000 Image
.JPXJPEG 2000 Image File
.LEXAdobe Linguistic Library Data File
.PDDAdobe PhotoDeluxe Image
.PSIDPostScript Image Data File
.RTFRich Text Format File
.TIFFTagged Image File Format
.TXTPlain Text File
.VDATarga Bitmap Image File
.VSTTarga Bitmap Image
.WMFWindows Metafile
Updated 1/19/2023