d
Baseline Widely available *
This feature is well established and works across many devices and browser versions. It’s been available across browsers since July 2015.
* Some parts of this feature may have varying levels of support.
Thed attribute defines a path to be drawn.
A path definition is a list ofpath commands where each command is composed of a command letter and numbers that represent the command parameters.The commands aredetailed below.
This attribute is used with the SVG<path> element.
d is a presentation attribute, and hence can also beused as a CSS property.
In this article
Example
html,body,svg { height: 100%;}<svg viewBox="0 0 100 100" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"> <path fill="none" stroke="red" d="M 10,30 A 20,20 0,0,1 50,30 A 20,20 0,0,1 90,30 Q 90,60 50,90 Q 10,60 10,30 z" /></svg>path
For<path>,d is a string containing a series of path commands that define the path to be drawn.
| Value | <string> |
|---|---|
| Default value | none |
| Animatable | Yes |
Using d as a CSS property
d is a presentation attribute, and hence can be also be modified using CSS.The property takes eitherpath() ornone.
The example below shows how you might apply a new path on hover over an element.The new path is the same as the old one, but adds a line across the heart.
html,body,svg { height: 100%;}/* This path is displayed on hover */#svg_css_ex1:hover path { d: path( "M10,30 A20,20 0,0,1 50,30 A20,20 0,0,1 90,30 Q90,60 50,90 Q10,60 10,30 z M5,5 L90,90" );}<svg viewBox="0 0 100 100" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"> <path fill="none" stroke="red" d="M 10,30 A 20,20 0,0,1 50,30 A 20,20 0,0,1 90,30 Q 90,60 50,90 Q 10,60 10,30 z " /></svg>For a<path> animation example, see the CSSd property reference page example.
Path commands
Path commands are instructions that define a path to be drawn. Each command is composed of a command letter and numbers that represent the command parameters.
SVG defines 6 types of path commands, for a total of 20 commands:
- MoveTo:
M,m - LineTo:
L,l,H,h,V,v - Cubic Bézier curve:
C,c,S,s - Quadratic Bézier curve:
Q,q,T,t - Elliptical arc curve:
A,a - ClosePath:
Z,z
Note:Commands arecase-sensitive. An upper-case command specifies absolute coordinates, while a lower-case command specifies coordinates relative to the current position.
It is always possible to specify a negative value as an argument to a command:
- negative angles will be anti-clockwise;
- absolute negativex andy values are interpreted as negative coordinates;
- relative negativex values move to the left, and relative negativey values move upwards.
MoveTo path commands
MoveTo instructions can be thought of as picking up the drawing instrument, and setting it down somewhere else—in other words, moving thecurrent point (Po; {xo,yo}). There is no line drawn betweenPo and the newcurrent point (Pn; {xn,yn}).
| Command | Parameters | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| M | (x,y)+ | Move thecurrent point to the coordinate Formula:Pn = { |
| m | (dx,dy)+ | Move thecurrent point by shifting the last known position of the path by Formula:Pn = {xo + |
Examples
html,body,svg { height: 100%;}<svg viewBox="0 0 100 100" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"> <path fill="none" stroke="red" d="M 10,10 h 10 m 0,10 h 10 m 0,10 h 10 M 40,20 h 10 m 0,10 h 10 m 0,10 h 10 m 0,10 h 10 M 50,50 h 10 m-20,10 h 10 m-20,10 h 10 m-20,10 h 10" /></svg>LineTo path commands
LineTo instructions draw a straight line from thecurrent point (Po; {xo,yo}) to theend point (Pn; {xn,yn}), based on the parameters specified. Theend point (Pn) then becomes thecurrent point for the next command (Po′).
| Command | Parameters | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| L | (x,y)+ | Draw a line from thecurrent point to theend point specified by Formula:Po′ =Pn = { |
| l | (dx,dy)+ | Draw a line from thecurrent point to theend point, which is thecurrent point shifted by Formula:Po′ =Pn = {xo + |
| H | x+ | Draw a horizontal line from thecurrent point to theend point, which is specified by the Formula:Po′ =Pn = { |
| h | dx+ | Draw a horizontal line from thecurrent point to theend point, which is specified by thecurrent point shifted by Formula:Po′ =Pn = {xo + |
| V | y+ | Draw a vertical line from thecurrent point to theend point, which is specified by the Formula:Po′ =Pn = {xo, |
| v | dy+ | Draw a vertical line from thecurrent point to theend point, which is specified by thecurrent point shifted by Formula:Po′ =Pn = {xo,yo + |
Examples
html,body,svg { height: 100%;}<svg viewBox="0 0 200 100" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"> <!-- LineTo commands with absolute coordinates --> <path fill="none" stroke="red" d="M 10,10 L 90,90 V 10 H 50" /> <!-- LineTo commands with relative coordinates --> <path fill="none" stroke="red" d="M 110,10 l 80,80 v -80 h -40" /></svg>Cubic Bézier curve
CubicBézier curves are smooth curve definitions using four points:
- starting point (current point)
(Po = {xo,yo})
- end point
(Pn = {xn,yn})
- start control point
(Pcs = {xcs,ycs})(controls curvature near the start of the curve)
- end control point
(Pce = {xce,yce})(controls curvature near the end of the curve)
After drawing, theend point (Pn) becomes thecurrent point for the next command (Po′).
| Command | Parameters | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| C | (x1,y1,x2,y2,x,y)+ | Draw a cubic Bézier curve from thecurrent point to theend point specified by
|
| c | (dx1,dy1,dx2,dy2,dx,dy)+ | Draw a cubic Bézier curve from thecurrent point to theend point, which is thecurrent point shifted by
|
| S | (x2,y2,x,y)+ | Draw a smooth cubic Bézier curve from thecurrent point to theend point specified byx,y. Theend control point is specified byx2,y2. Thestart control point is the reflection of theend control point of the previous curve command about thecurrent point. If the previous command wasn't a cubic Bézier curve, thestart control point is the same as the curve starting point (current point). Any subsequent pair(s) of coordinate pairs are interpreted as parameter(s) for implicit absolute smooth cubic Bézier curve (S) commands. |
| s | (dx2,dy2,dx,dy)+ | Draw a smooth cubic Bézier curve from thecurrent point to theend point, which is thecurrent point shifted bydx along the x-axis anddy along the y-axis. Theend control point is thecurrent point (starting point of the curve) shifted bydx2 along the x-axis anddy2 along the y-axis. Thestart control point is the reflection of theend control point of the previous curve command about thecurrent point. If the previous command wasn't a cubic Bézier curve, thestart control point is the same as the curve starting point (current point). Any subsequent pair(s) of coordinate pairs are interpreted as parameter(s) for implicit relative smooth cubic Bézier curve (s) commands. |
Examples
html,body,svg { height: 100%;}<svg viewBox="0 0 200 100" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <!-- Cubic Bézier curve with absolute coordinates --> <path fill="none" stroke="red" d="M 10,90 C 30,90 25,10 50,10 S 70,90 90,90" /> <!-- Cubic Bézier curve with relative coordinates --> <path fill="none" stroke="red" d="M 110,90 c 20,0 15,-80 40,-80 s 20,80 40,80" /> <!-- Highlight the curve vertex and control points --> <g> <!-- First cubic command control points --> <line x1="10" y1="90" x2="30" y2="90" stroke="lightgrey" /> <circle cx="30" cy="90" r="1.5" /> <line x1="50" y1="10" x2="25" y2="10" stroke="lightgrey" /> <circle cx="25" cy="10" r="1.5" /> <!-- Second smooth command control points (the first one is implicit) --> <line x1="50" y1="10" x2="75" y2="10" stroke="lightgrey" stroke-dasharray="2" /> <circle cx="75" cy="10" r="1.5" fill="lightgrey" /> <line x1="90" y1="90" x2="70" y2="90" stroke="lightgrey" /> <circle cx="70" cy="90" r="1.5" /> <!-- curve vertex points --> <circle cx="10" cy="90" r="1.5" /> <circle cx="50" cy="10" r="1.5" /> <circle cx="90" cy="90" r="1.5" /> </g> <use href="#ControlPoints" x="100" /></svg>Quadratic Bézier curve
QuadraticBézier curves are smooth curve definitions using three points:
- starting point (current point)
Po = {xo,yo}
- end point
Pn = {xn,yn}
- control point
Pc = {xc,yc}(controls curvature)
After drawing, theend point (Pn) becomes thecurrent point for the next command (Po′).
| Command | Parameters | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Q | (x1,y1,x,y)+ | Draw a quadratic Bézier curve from thecurrent point to theend point specified by
|
| q | (dx1,dy1,dx,dy)+ | Draw a quadratic Bézier curve from thecurrent point to theend point, which is thecurrent point shifted by
|
| T | (x,y)+ | Draw a smooth quadratic Bézier curve from thecurrent point to theend point specified by
|
| t | (dx,dy)+ | Draw a smooth quadratic Bézier curve from thecurrent point to theend point, which is thecurrent point shifted by
|
Examples
html,body,svg { height: 100%;}<svg viewBox="0 0 200 100" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <!-- Quadratic Bézier curve with implicit repetition --> <path fill="none" stroke="red" d="M 10,50 Q 25,25 40,50 t 30,0 30,0 30,0 30,0 30,0" /> <!-- Highlight the curve vertex and control points --> <g> <polyline points="10,50 25,25 40,50" stroke="rgb(0 0 0 / 20%)" fill="none" /> <circle cx="25" cy="25" r="1.5" /> <!-- Curve vertex points --> <circle cx="10" cy="50" r="1.5" /> <circle cx="40" cy="50" r="1.5" /> <g> <polyline points="40,50 55,75 70,50" stroke="rgb(0 0 0 / 20%)" stroke-dasharray="2" fill="none" /> <circle cx="55" cy="75" r="1.5" fill="lightgrey" /> <circle cx="70" cy="50" r="1.5" /> </g> <g> <polyline points="70,50 85,25 100,50" stroke="rgb(0 0 0 / 20%)" stroke-dasharray="2" fill="none" /> <circle cx="85" cy="25" r="1.5" fill="lightgrey" /> <circle cx="100" cy="50" r="1.5" /> </g> <use href="#SmoothQuadraticDown" x="60" /> <use href="#SmoothQuadraticUp" x="60" /> <use href="#SmoothQuadraticDown" x="120" /> </g></svg>Elliptical arc curve
Elliptical arc curves are curves defined as a portion of an ellipse. It is sometimes easier to draw highly regular curves with an elliptical arc than with a Bézier curve.
| Command | Parameters | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| A | (rxryanglelarge-arc-flagsweep-flagxy)+ | Draw an Arc curve from the current point to the coordinate
x,y becomes the new current point for the next command. All subsequent sets of parameters are considered implicit absolute arc curve (A) commands. |
| a | (rxryanglelarge-arc-flagsweep-flagdxdy)+ | Draw an Arc curve from the current point to a point for which coordinates are those of the current point shifted by
dx anddy for the next command. All subsequent sets of parameters are considered implicit relative arc curve (a) commands. |
Examples
html,body,svg { height: 100%;}<svg viewBox="0 0 20 20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"> <!-- The influence of the arc flags with which the arc is drawn --> <path fill="none" stroke="red" d="M 6,10 A 6 4 10 1 0 14,10" /> <path fill="none" stroke="lime" d="M 6,10 A 6 4 10 1 1 14,10" /> <path fill="none" stroke="purple" d="M 6,10 A 6 4 10 0 1 14,10" /> <path fill="none" stroke="pink" d="M 6,10 A 6 4 10 0 0 14,10" /></svg>ClosePath
ClosePath instructions draw a straight line from thecurrent position to the first point in the path.
| Command | Parameters | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Z, z | Close the current subpath by connecting the last point of the path with its initial point. If the two points are at different coordinates, a straight line is drawn between those two points. |
Note:The appearance of a shape closed withClosePath may be different to that of one closed by drawing a line to the origin, using one of the other commands, because the line ends are joined together (according to thestroke-linejoin setting), rather than just being placed at the same coordinates.
Examples
html,body,svg { height: 100%;}<svg viewBox="0 -1 30 11" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"> <!-- An open shape with the last point of the path different to the first one --> <path stroke="red" d="M 5,1 l -4,8 8,0" /> <!-- An open shape with the last point of the path matching the first one --> <path stroke="red" d="M 15,1 l -4,8 8,0 -4,-8" /> <!-- A closed shape with the last point of the path different to the first one --> <path stroke="red" d="M 25,1 l -4,8 8,0 z" /></svg>