The IGES (Initial Graphics Exchange Specification) file format is a vendor-neutral file format that allows the digital exchange of information among Computer-Aided Design (CAD) systems. It is primarily used to transfer 2D and 3D geometry, annotations, and other design data between different CAD/CAM/CAE software packages. IGES files store geometric data as NURBS (Non-Uniform Rational B-Splines) surfaces, lines, arcs, and other geometric primitives. While IGES was a widely used standard for many years, it has largely been superseded by newer formats like STEP (Standard for the Exchange of Product model data) due to limitations in handling complex models and the potential for data loss during translation. However, IGES remains relevant for legacy systems and for exchanging simpler geometric data. The format is defined by ANSI standard ANSI Y14.26M and is a text-based format, making it relatively easy to inspect and debug. IGES files can contain information about colors, layers, and other attributes of the geometric entities, but the level of support for these attributes can vary between different CAD systems. The .iges file extension is the most common, but .igs is also frequently used.