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 Inkscape is an open source vector graphics editor similar to Adobe Illustrator, Corel Draw, Freehand, or Xara X. What sets Inkscape apart is its use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG), an open XML-based W3C standard, as the native format.
In contrast to raster (bitmap) graphics editors such as Photoshop or GIMP, Inkscape stores its graphics in a vector format. Vector graphics is a resolution-independent description of the actual shapes and objects that you see in the image. A rasterization engine uses this information to determine how to plot each line and curve at any resolution or zoom level.
Some of Inkscape's features include: Object creation
- pencil tool (freehand drawing with stroked paths)
- pen tool (creating paths with Bezier curves and straight lines)
- calligraphy tool (freehand drawing with calligraphic strokes, tablet pressure/angle support)
- rectangles (optionally with rounded corners)
- ellipses (optionally circles, arcs, segments)
- stars/polygons (optionally rounded and/or randomized)
- spirals
- Text tool (regular, multiline or flowed text)
- Linked bitmap images, either imported or rasterized from selected objects (a separate utility for embedding linked images comes with the program)
- Clones ("live" linked copies of objects)
Object manipulation- Affine transformations (moving, scaling, rotating, skewing), both interactively and by specifying numeric values
- Z-order operations
- Grouping objects, with a way to "select in group" without ungrouping, or "enter the group" making it a temporary layer
- Layers, with a way to lock and/or hide individual layers, rearrange them, etc; layers can form a hierarchical tree
- Copying and pasting objects
- Alignment and distribution commands, including grid arrange, randomization, unclumping
- A tool to create patterns of clones, using wallpaper symmetries plus arbitrary scales, shifts, rotates, and color changes, optionally randomized
- Grid and guide snapping
Fill and stroke- Color selector (RGB, HSL, CMYK, color wheel)
- Color picker ("dropper") tool
- Copy/paste style between objects
- On-canvas gradient editing with draggable and mergeable handles
- A gradient editor capable of multi-stop gradients
- Pattern fills
- Dashed strokes, with predefined dash patterns
- Path markers (e.g. arrowheads)
Operations on paths- Node editing: moving nodes and Bezier curve handles, node alignment and distribution, scaling and rotating node groups
- Converting to path (for text objects or shapes), including converting stroke to path
- Boolean operations (union, intersection, difference, exclusion, division)
- Path simplification, with variable threshold
- Path insetting and outsetting, including dynamic and linked offset objects
- Bitmap tracing (both color and b/w)
Text support- Multi-line text (SVG 1.0/1.1 <text>)
- Flowed text in frame(s) (<flowRoot>, formerly proposed for SVG 1.2)
- Full on-canvas editability, including styled text spans
- Uses any outline fonts installed on the system
- Can use any scripts and languages supported by the Pango library (e.g. Hebrew, Arabic, Thai, etc.)
- Kerning, letterspacing, linespacing adjustments
- Text on path (both text and path remain editable)
Rendering- 256x maximum zoom
- Fully anti-aliased display
- Alpha transparency support for display and PNG export
- Complete "as you drag" rendering of objects during interactive transformations
Miscellaneous- Connector tool for diagrams
- Collaborative editing over the net ("Whiteboard")
- Live watching and editing the document tree in the XML editor
- PNG and PostScript export
- Command line options for export, conversions, and analysis of SVG files
- RDF metadata (authorship, date, license, etc.)
- Extension support
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