  Quantum electrodynamics in a (2+1)-dimensional space-time has been object of
studies both as effective theory for the pseudogap phase of high-T_c
superconductors and for the theoretical investigation of mechanisms of
confinement in presence of matter fields. We discretize the theory using both
compact and noncompact formulations, analyze the behavior of the chiral
condensate and of the monopole density and compare them. Finally we draw some
conclusions about the possible equivalence of the two lattice formulations.
