The Book of Inkscape

13.1 Path Effects

Path effects are an easy-to-use (for the end user) yet powerful (for the developer) mechanism for implementing modifications of the visible shape of the path—for example, rounding all corners, roughening it, blowing or pinching it. No matter which path effect you apply to a path, the original path before the effect can still be viewed and edited—and after you edit the original path, the visible path is automatically recalculated from it and from the effect parameters.

Thus, path effects in Inkscape are another example of the basic principle of vector graphics: Instead of making some permanent and destructive change, leave the original object unchanged and just record the way this change is to be applied. After that, both the original ...