Inkscape 1.3 Introduces Shape Builder Tool and Improved Text Rendering

The Inkscape project has released version 1.3, featuring a new shape builder tool, significantly improved text rendering, and better PDF compatibility — three of the most frequently requested improvements from the design community. The shape builder tool allows designers to combine, subtract, and intersect overlapping shapes interactively by clicking and dragging, similar to the shape builder tool in Adobe Illustrator. This makes complex boolean operations much faster and more intuitive. Text rendering has been rewritten to use a new text engine that handles complex scripts, ligatures, and variable fonts more accurately. The improvement is particularly noticeable for non-Latin scripts and professional typography work. PDF import and export have been improved with better handling of gradients, transparency, and embedded fonts. Files exported from Inkscape to PDF now more accurately reflect the on-screen appearance. Inkscape 1.3 is available as a free download for Windows, macOS, and Linux under the GPL-3.0 license.