# SVG <path>

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## SVG Path - <path>

The <path> element is used to define a path.

The following commands are available for path data:

- M = moveto
- L = lineto
- H = horizontal lineto
- V = vertical lineto
- C = curveto
- S = smooth curveto
- Q = quadratic Bézier curve
- T = smooth quadratic Bézier curveto
- A = elliptical Arc
- Z = closepath

Note: All of the commands above can also be expressed with lower letters. Capital letters means absolutely positioned, lower cases means relatively positioned.

## Example 1

The example below defines a path that starts at position 150,0 with a line to position 75,200 then from there, a line to 225,200 and finally closing the path back to 150,0:

Here is the SVG code:

## Example

<svg height="210" width="400">
<path d="M150 0 L75 200 L225 200 Z" />
</svg>
Try it yourself »

## Example 2

Bézier curves are used to model smooth curves that can be scaled indefinitely. Generally, the user selects two endpoints and one or two control points. A Bézier curve with one control point is called a quadratic Bézier curve and the kind with two control points is called cubic.

The following example creates a quadratic Bézier curve, where A and C are the start and end points, B is the control point:

Here is the SVG code:

## Example

<svg height="400" width="450">
<path id="lineAB" d="M 100 350 l 150 -300" stroke="red"
stroke-width="3" fill="none" />
<path id="lineBC" d="M 250 50 l 150 300" stroke="red"
stroke-width="3" fill="none" />
<path d="M 175 200 l 150 0" stroke="green" stroke-width="3"
fill="none" />
<path d="M 100 350 q 150 -300 300 0" stroke="blue"
stroke-width="5" fill="none" />
<!-- Mark relevant points -->
<g stroke="black" stroke-width="3" fill="black">
<circle id="pointA" cx="100" cy="350" r="3" />
<circle id="pointB" cx="250" cy="50" r="3" />
<circle id="pointC" cx="400" cy="350" r="3" />
</g>
<!-- Label the points -->
<g font-size="30" font="sans-serif" fill="black" stroke="none"
text-anchor="middle">
<text x="100" y="350" dx="-30">A</text>
<text x="250" y="50" dy="-10">B</text>
<text x="400" y="350" dx="30">C</text>
</g>
</svg>
Try it yourself »

Complex? YES!!!! Because of the complexity involved in drawing paths it is highly recommended to use an SVG editor to create complex graphics.

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