Path operations are intermediate to advanced features of Inkscape. They are commands that define the ways in which 2 or more objects can interact with each other. There are 6 path operations: Union, Difference, Intersection, Exclusion, Division, and Cut Path. They can be accessed in the Path menu, or via their keyboard shortcuts. These have been around since the earliest years of Inkscape development.
The Shape Builder tool is a relatively new tool in the Inkscape toolbox, which essentially combines some of the path operations into a visual representation. It is said to be faster and easier to use than path operations, for beginners. For more experienced users, we find it is more a matter of personal preference as to which feature is used, rather than one feature working better than another.
Path Operations
To understand path operations, there are 5 essential facts:
- While open paths (paths having 2 ends) can be used in path operations, the results are always closed paths (paths with no ends, like a circle).
- With most operations, the top object is either completely “consumed” or at least changed during the operation. So if you need it to remain in your drawing, or remain whole, make a duplicate that can be sacrificed to the operation.
- If the objects have different colors, the result always takes the color of the bottom selected object. (Although note that for this tutorial, we have made most of the result objects black, for better visual clarity.)
- Even though they are called “path” operations, shapes (Rectangle, Ellipse, etc) can be used without first converting them to paths. (This is little-known Inkscape trivia!)
- If one of the paths crosses over itself, the results of a path operation will vary, depending on a few different circumstances. Because there are so many different circumstances, we cannot cover them all here. But you can get help for whatever is happening on your specific canvas in our forum.
Union
The Union command can be visualized as adding 2 or more objects together. To use it, select your original objects, and click Path menu > Union.
Difference
The Difference command can be visualized as the top object being subtracted from the bottom object (in z-order). It can only work with 2 selected objects. To use it, select the 2 original objects, and click Path menu > Difference.
Intersection
The Intersection command can work with 2 or more original objects. It creates a new object based on the intersection of the selected objects. Select all the objects you want to use, then click Path menu > Intersection.
Exclusion
The Exclusion command works according the Even-Odd Fill Rule, rather than like a simple mathematical phrase. This operation might need a second step, to be useful, depending on your needs. It can work on 2 or more selected objects. To use it, select the objects you are using, then click Path menu > Exclusion.
From the image above, perhaps you might think that the Exclusion command is simply filling the spaces in a certain way. But what this operation actually does is create separate paths out of the filled spaces. You can see that demonstrated in the image on the right, where we have pulled the separate objects apart slightly. To be able to select the filled spaces separately, you need to click Path menu > Break Apart.
Division
Although it does not work exactly like the mathematical phrase of the same name, the Division command does more or less “divide” the bottom object by the top object. It only works with 2 selected original objects. After you select them, click Path menu > Division.
Cut Path
The Cut Path operation is different from the others, in that it only affects the paths. Even if the original selected objects are filled, the results will only show the paths. It only works with 2 original objects, and like most of the other operations, the top object acts on the bottom object. Path menu > Cut Path.
Shape Builder Tool
As mentioned earlier, the Shape Builder tool 
gives a visual representation of shapes created by objects which are touching or overlapping. After choosing a couple of options on the tool controls bar, which you can read about in the beginners tutorial, then it is simply a matter of clicking on the shapes you want to either create or remove.
Note that just like there are Path Operations which are not practical to replicate using the Shape Builder tool; the Shape Builder tool can do things which are not practical for Path Operations. In general, if the results you need are either one or two shapes, the Path Operations and Shape Builder tool are interchangeable. But if you need results consisting of more than 2 shapes or objects, you’ll need to consider more closely which feature would be best. If you need help sorting out these features, please feel free to ask for help in our forum.
Add Option/Button 
The image below shows how the Add option can be used.
As you can see, if you need only one or 2 shapes for results (like in the 2nd and 3rd rows), it can be easily achieved with either Path Operations or the Shape Builder tool. But referring to the first row above, where 3 shapes can be achieved, that is not as easily replicated with Path Operations.
Remove Option/Button 
The image below shows how we can remove shapes from 2 selected objects. Since the Remove option immediately removes them rather than simply highlighting them, we cannot make a screenshot of removing shapes. So we have colored the areas pink, in the middle column, to show what it looks like in Inkscape. The third column accurately shows the results after those shapes are removed.
The Remove option can be replicated using Path Operations, if you only need one or two objects as a result. If you need more than 2 objects as a result, perhaps the Shape Builder tool is a better choice. Note that we separated the 2 resulting shapes in the second row, just for clarity. The Inkscape results show them touching.
If you would like to see more tutorials, look in the menu at the top of this page, or visit the homepage of Inkscape Friends. If you have any questions or comments about this tutorial, please feel free to post them in our forum. The button below will take you there. Or you’re welcome to share your Inkscape images with us, or just stop by and say Hello! To learn much more about Inkscape, you might want to look at Inkscape for Artists – Step by Step.
Path Operations and the Shape Builder Tool © 2025 by J Brynn is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0