Vectorization Options

Fine-tune the vectorization process with individual parameters.

Color Controls

Parameter	CLI Flag	Range	Description
Color precision	--color-precision	1–32	Higher = more colors in output
Color mode	--color-mode	color, binary	Full color or black & white

# 16-color output
covecto photo.jpg --color-precision 16 -o out.svg

# Binary (black & white)
covecto sketch.png --color-mode binary -o out.svg

Path Controls

Parameter	CLI Flag	Range	Description
Corner threshold	--corner-threshold	0–180	Higher = fewer corners detected
Splice threshold	--splice-threshold	0–100	When to splice paths
Length threshold	--length-threshold	0+	Discard paths shorter than this
Path precision	--path-precision	0+	Decimal places in coordinates
Path simplify	--path-simplify	spline, polygon, none	Simplification algorithm

# Fewer corners, smoother curves
covecto input.png --corner-threshold 100 --splice-threshold 60 -o out.svg

# Simplify to polygons (smaller file)
covecto input.png --path-simplify polygon -o out.svg

Noise & Quality

Parameter	CLI Flag	Description
Filter speckle	--filter-speckle <N>	Remove regions smaller than N pixels
Max iterations	--max-iterations <N>	Max color quantization iterations
Spline input budget	--spline-max-mp <MP>	Downscale larger inputs before tracing (default 2, 0 = off)

Layer Controls

Parameter	CLI Flag	Values	Description
Hierarchical	--hierarchical	stacked, cutout	Layer compositing mode
Layer difference	--layer-difference <N>	int	Layer grouping threshold

# Stacked layers (good for photos)
covecto photo.jpg --hierarchical stacked --layer-difference 5 -o out.svg

# Cutout layers (good for logos with transparency)
covecto logo.png --hierarchical cutout --layer-difference 10 -o out.svg

Presets, Profiles and Explicit Options

Options are applied in layers, lowest first. Each layer can change anything the layers below it set:

1. Defaults
2. --preset (vtracer starting point for Spline parameters; never chooses the engine)
3. --profile (covecto bundle for a kind of image; may choose the engine)
4. Flags you type yourself (always win)

The order you type the flags in does not matter.

# Profile sets engine + multiple params; --corner-threshold 120 wins over the profile's 80
covecto input.png --profile icon --corner-threshold 120 -o out.svg

# An explicit engine wins over the profile's choice of spline
covecto input.png --profile icon --engine pixel-exact -o out.svg

# Preset as a starting point, with one parameter changed
covecto photo.jpg --engine spline --preset poster --filter-speckle 8 -o out.svg

Unknown names, invalid values and repeated options are errors that name the option; nothing is silently ignored. The same rules apply to the API's form fields and to library users of covecto_core::options::resolve. See GLOSSARY.md and ADR 0001.