Best practices

Working with artwork

• Organize with layers and groups. Group related objects, and lock what you’re not editing so you don’t move it by accident.
• Use snapping, align and distribute. Let snapping line objects up while you drag, and use the Select tool’s Align/Distribute options for clean layouts.
• Convert shapes to paths before anchor-editing. Rectangles, ellipses and polygons become freely editable once converted; then use Direct Select.
• Pick the right stroke route. For calligraphic or variable-width strokes, select a brush before drawing with the Pencil, or apply the Width tool to an existing path.
• Take snapshots before big changes (Ctrl+Shift+S) so you can jump back.
• Nudge for precision. Arrow keys move the selection; hold Shift for a larger step.

Embedding the library

• Import only what you need. Entry points are independent — a viewer only needs render; you don’t pay for the editor or Material unless you use them.
• Keep the headless boundary. Don’t reach for ui unless you want the Material editor; the headless layers stay framework-light.
• Extend with plugins, not forks. Add tools, importers, effects and more through the registries — see Plugins.
• Route mutations through commands. Dispatching commands keeps undo/redo consistent for free.

See Architecture for the reasoning behind these.