30 KiB
30 KiB
Image Trace quality
Last reviewed: 2026-10-12 · Last updated: 2026-10-12 · Change: new (the harness and the baseline numbers)
What Image Trace (crates/trace) makes of images whose right answer is known, measured by a harness and
compared with the numbers before each change. Nothing here is a judgement by eye, and nothing is compared
with any other product except the open tracer named under Yardstick.
How it is measured
crates/trace/tests/quality draws its own inputs from vector art (no image files), traces each with every
built-in preset, and measures the result:
TRACE_QUALITY_REPORT=report.md cargo test --release -p vectorcraft-trace --test quality -- --ignored
Inputs (drawn anti-aliased at 128, 256 and 512 px, and at 256 px also blurred, with compression-like noise, and as a scan of ink on cream paper with uneven light and grain):
| kind | inputs |
|---|---|
| curved shapes | a circle; two ellipses; a rounded badge with a round hole; a letter D with its counter |
| polygons | a triangle, a turned square and a hexagon; a five-pointed star; a letter A with its counter |
| thin lines | five lines 0.5, 1, 2, 3 and 5 units wide (of a 256-unit square), a few degrees off the pixel grid |
| flat colour art | a disc of two halves in different colours that touch; a badge of four colours on white |
| gradient, photo | a smooth two-way gradient with a glow; a photo-like image (soft-edged shaded objects, texture, sensor noise) |
The letters are drawn by hand from lines and curves: the repository has no font to set them in.
Columns
| column | meaning |
|---|---|
| ΔE | the trace drawn again against the source: mean colour difference in Oklab × 100 (black to white is 100) |
| edge ΔE | the same, weighted by how strong an edge the source has at each pixel |
| off mean, off max | distance (px) from the traced outlines to the art's true outlines: wobble and staircase |
| missed max | largest distance (px) from a true outline to the nearest traced one: what was lost |
| paths, anchors | counts, the background's frame aside |
| × art | anchors per anchor point of the art itself (1.00 is as economical as the original) |
| lines % | share of the outline length made of straight segments (100 is right for polygons, 0 for a circle) |
| corners % | share of the art's sharp corners with a traced corner within 1.5 px |
| kinks | anchors where the outline turns by 10° or more away from any true corner |
| odd colours, odd px | paths (and their area) in a colour the art doesn't have: slivers along anti-aliased edges |
| gap px, overlap px | area no path covers, and area covered twice (abutting traces with a white background only) |
| specks | paths under 6 px of area |
Black-and-white presets trace black: on the scanned variant their ΔE includes the paper's and ink's own
colours. – means the measure does not apply; all that nothing was traced.
These are the baseline numbers: measured on main at baf9693f, before any change to the tracer.
1. Each preset on the inputs it is meant for
All sizes and variants (clean, blurred, noisy, scanned) of those inputs.
| preset | inputs | ΔE | edge ΔE | off mean | off max | missed max | paths | anchors | × art | lines % | corners % | kinks | odd colours | odd px | gap px | overlap px | specks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Default | circle, ellipses, badge with a hole, letter D, polygons, star, letter A | 3.18 | 16.26 | 0.317 | 1.51 | 2.52 | 1.9 | 14 | 1.47 | 33 | 72 | 1.5 | – | – | 65.2 | 68.3 | 0.0 |
| High Fidelity Photo | gradient, photo-like | 2.29 | 2.61 | – | – | – | 3810.7 | 48993 | – | 83 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 | – | 1245.8 |
| Low Fidelity Photo | gradient, photo-like | 2.61 | 2.93 | – | – | – | 128.8 | 4013 | – | 42 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 | – | 0.0 |
| 3 Colors | two touching halves | 5.72 | 11.69 | 0.517 | 2.35 | 89.09 | 2.2 | 14 | 2.42 | 7 | 17 | 2.5 | 1.8 | 17987 | 118.3 | 93.3 | 0.0 |
| 6 Colors | two touching halves, four-colour badge | 0.86 | 8.60 | 5.062 | 83.10 | 30.11 | 24.2 | 310 | 34.87 | 53 | 98 | 249.0 | 2.8 | 318 | 213.4 | 206.7 | 0.0 |
| 16 Colors | two touching halves, four-colour badge | 0.81 | 8.70 | 5.914 | 86.21 | 4.32 | 81.1 | 1071 | 119.54 | 61 | 100 | 893.2 | 6.9 | 782 | 324.1 | 365.3 | 0.0 |
| Shades of Gray | gradient, photo-like | 9.22 | 9.08 | – | – | – | 92.6 | 1990 | – | 41 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 | – | 0.2 |
| Black and White Logo | circle, ellipses, badge with a hole, letter D, polygons, star, letter A | 3.15 | 14.98 | 0.276 | 1.76 | 2.53 | 1.4 | 32 | 3.80 | 90 | 79 | 15.2 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Sketched Art | circle, ellipses, badge with a hole, letter D, lines | 3.23 | 16.14 | 0.306 | 1.63 | 105.61 | 1.8 | 14 | 1.34 | 28 | 21 | 1.4 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Silhouettes | circle, ellipses, badge with a hole, letter D | 3.46 | 20.78 | 0.611 | 2.88 | 2.89 | 1.2 | 10 | 1.18 | 9 | 83 | 1.4 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Line Art | lines | 3.12 | 12.24 | 0.161 | 1.13 | 105.76 | 4.0 | 20 | 0.98 | 89 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Technical Drawing | polygons, star, letter A, lines | 3.04 | 12.82 | 0.203 | 1.37 | 105.76 | 4.5 | 31 | 2.19 | 100 | 83 | 6.4 | – | – | – | – | 0.2 |
| Flat Logo | two touching halves, four-colour badge | 0.48 | 3.14 | 3.588 | 88.50 | 0.78 | 81.0 | 405 | 45.08 | 37 | 85 | 276.5 | 0.0 | 0 | 15.2 | – | 69.0 |
2. Each preset on each kind of input (clean, three sizes)
| preset | inputs | ΔE | edge ΔE | off mean | off max | missed max | paths | anchors | × art | lines % | corners % | kinks | odd colours | odd px | gap px | overlap px | specks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Default | curved shapes | 0.38 | 16.26 | 0.310 | 1.51 | 1.08 | 1.8 | 13 | 1.54 | 11 | 100 | 1.6 | – | – | 91.2 | 104.1 | 0.0 |
| Default | polygons | 0.37 | 14.70 | 0.281 | 1.34 | 1.68 | 2.0 | 14 | 1.26 | 79 | 91 | 0.3 | – | – | 14.1 | 19.4 | 0.0 |
| Default | thin lines | 0.80 | 10.48 | 0.180 | 1.09 | 105.61 | 3.3 | 15 | 0.73 | 90 | – | – | – | – | 89.4 | 26.0 | 0.0 |
| Default | flat colour art | 20.03 | 22.55 | 0.396 | 1.23 | 178.71 | 1.5 | 15 | 1.08 | 7 | 0 | 2.0 | – | – | 130.9 | 133.5 | 0.0 |
| Default | gradient, photo | 39.23 | 38.90 | – | – | – | 3.2 | 350 | – | 65 | – | – | – | – | 83.6 | 29.9 | 0.0 |
| High Fidelity Photo | curved shapes | 0.30 | 13.87 | 0.387 | 1.34 | 1.34 | 9.9 | 65 | 8.17 | 41 | 100 | 21.9 | 8.7 | 296 | 0.0 | – | 3.6 |
| High Fidelity Photo | polygons | 0.42 | 15.98 | 0.364 | 1.34 | 3.10 | 3.3 | 26 | 2.44 | 96 | 61 | 7.2 | 1.7 | 78 | 0.0 | – | 0.0 |
| High Fidelity Photo | thin lines | 1.11 | 17.32 | 0.341 | 0.97 | 45.35 | 13.0 | 49 | 2.43 | 89 | – | – | 6.7 | 532 | 0.0 | – | 3.0 |
| High Fidelity Photo | flat colour art | 0.21 | 6.75 | 0.420 | 1.33 | 1.33 | 48.2 | 219 | 17.76 | 66 | 100 | 108.7 | 23.2 | 1111 | 0.0 | – | 15.0 |
| High Fidelity Photo | gradient, photo | 2.38 | 2.72 | – | – | – | 2936.7 | 47288 | – | 87 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 | – | 898.7 |
| Low Fidelity Photo | curved shapes | 0.39 | 16.85 | 0.440 | 1.77 | 1.77 | 5.0 | 31 | 3.38 | 30 | 100 | 8.1 | 3.8 | 268 | 0.0 | – | 0.0 |
| Low Fidelity Photo | polygons | 0.51 | 18.23 | 0.411 | 1.54 | 3.10 | 3.3 | 23 | 2.13 | 71 | 55 | 4.8 | 1.7 | 79 | 0.0 | – | 0.0 |
| Low Fidelity Photo | thin lines | 1.13 | 17.25 | 0.363 | 1.03 | 45.35 | 5.0 | 24 | 1.22 | 100 | – | – | 1.3 | 498 | 0.0 | – | 0.0 |
| Low Fidelity Photo | flat colour art | 0.27 | 8.33 | 0.462 | 1.87 | 1.87 | 20.0 | 97 | 6.23 | 64 | 100 | 48.8 | 7.0 | 1033 | 0.0 | – | 0.0 |
| Low Fidelity Photo | gradient, photo | 2.70 | 3.06 | – | – | – | 96.2 | 4529 | – | 47 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 | – | 0.0 |
| 3 Colors | curved shapes | 0.80 | 18.57 | 0.400 | 1.65 | 1.54 | 2.8 | 21 | 2.27 | 21 | 100 | 4.8 | 1.0 | 107 | 103.0 | 93.3 | 0.0 |
| 3 Colors | polygons | 0.93 | 16.07 | 0.315 | 1.75 | 2.43 | 2.4 | 17 | 1.59 | 71 | 60 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 23 | 38.3 | 35.3 | 0.0 |
| 3 Colors | thin lines | 0.96 | 12.66 | 0.238 | 0.95 | 45.30 | 5.0 | 22 | 1.08 | 96 | – | – | 3.7 | 1109 | 54.9 | 65.7 | 0.0 |
| 3 Colors | flat colour art | 3.98 | 12.80 | 0.371 | 1.11 | 89.09 | 2.3 | 24 | 1.70 | 30 | 67 | 2.2 | 1.5 | 15185 | 126.7 | 107.6 | 0.0 |
| 3 Colors | gradient, photo | 7.87 | 7.94 | – | – | – | 4.3 | 222 | – | 51 | – | – | – | – | 101.7 | 66.6 | 0.0 |
| 6 Colors | curved shapes | 0.46 | 17.68 | 0.428 | 1.78 | 1.39 | 3.6 | 28 | 3.07 | 26 | 100 | 6.2 | 1.8 | 169 | 101.5 | 165.6 | 0.0 |
| 6 Colors | polygons | 0.45 | 16.94 | 0.369 | 1.56 | 2.44 | 3.1 | 22 | 2.08 | 61 | 48 | 3.4 | 1.1 | 51 | 82.6 | 36.0 | 0.0 |
| 6 Colors | thin lines | 1.18 | 16.03 | 0.314 | 0.95 | 45.35 | 4.0 | 18 | 0.88 | 78 | – | – | 1.7 | 458 | 68.8 | 20.0 | 0.0 |
| 6 Colors | flat colour art | 0.44 | 10.13 | 0.421 | 1.61 | 1.12 | 5.0 | 35 | 2.66 | 56 | 100 | 8.3 | 1.5 | 198 | 165.2 | 178.1 | 0.0 |
| 6 Colors | gradient, photo | 5.55 | 5.80 | – | – | – | 15.5 | 649 | – | 52 | – | – | – | – | 137.7 | 92.2 | 0.0 |
| 16 Colors | curved shapes | 0.48 | 17.72 | 0.431 | 1.40 | 1.39 | 4.2 | 32 | 3.68 | 30 | 100 | 8.4 | 2.5 | 170 | 101.1 | 166.8 | 0.0 |
| 16 Colors | polygons | 0.47 | 17.47 | 0.379 | 1.46 | 3.10 | 3.1 | 24 | 2.18 | 80 | 56 | 5.9 | 1.1 | 51 | 58.9 | 34.0 | 0.0 |
| 16 Colors | thin lines | 1.13 | 17.11 | 0.340 | 1.13 | 45.35 | 4.0 | 20 | 1.00 | 90 | – | – | 1.3 | 365 | 34.1 | 25.2 | 0.0 |
| 16 Colors | flat colour art | 0.37 | 9.54 | 0.453 | 1.35 | 1.26 | 7.5 | 57 | 4.29 | 61 | 100 | 13.0 | 3.0 | 382 | 206.1 | 288.5 | 0.0 |
| 16 Colors | gradient, photo | 3.30 | 3.71 | – | – | – | 72.0 | 2665 | – | 49 | – | – | – | – | 385.4 | 245.8 | 0.0 |
| Shades of Gray | curved shapes | 0.32 | 14.15 | 0.381 | 1.78 | 1.78 | 5.1 | 33 | 3.66 | 31 | 100 | 9.8 | 3.8 | 275 | 0.0 | – | 0.0 |
| Shades of Gray | polygons | 0.44 | 16.95 | 0.387 | 1.44 | 2.33 | 3.3 | 27 | 2.46 | 82 | 57 | 7.7 | 1.7 | 79 | 0.0 | – | 0.0 |
| Shades of Gray | thin lines | 1.11 | 16.92 | 0.354 | 1.03 | 45.35 | 5.0 | 25 | 1.23 | 100 | – | – | 1.3 | 499 | 0.0 | – | 0.0 |
| Shades of Gray | flat colour art | 7.36 | 13.20 | 0.394 | 1.60 | 178.73 | 13.3 | 66 | 4.35 | 41 | 50 | 29.3 | 12.7 | 38774 | 0.0 | – | 0.0 |
| Shades of Gray | gradient, photo | 9.74 | 9.66 | – | – | – | 82.2 | 1950 | – | 46 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 | – | 0.0 |
| Black and White Logo | curved shapes | 0.43 | 16.76 | 0.339 | 1.76 | 1.76 | 1.2 | 39 | 5.15 | 84 | 100 | 21.1 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Black and White Logo | polygons | 0.27 | 10.59 | 0.202 | 1.34 | 1.68 | 1.7 | 19 | 1.70 | 100 | 95 | 3.0 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Black and White Logo | thin lines | 0.70 | 8.44 | 0.160 | 0.82 | 77.30 | 10.3 | 45 | 2.23 | 100 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Black and White Logo | flat colour art | 19.99 | 20.78 | 0.428 | 1.66 | 178.38 | 1.0 | 40 | 3.92 | 88 | 0 | 24.7 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Black and White Logo | gradient, photo | 39.20 | 38.88 | – | – | – | 9.0 | 304 | – | 95 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0.8 |
| Sketched Art | curved shapes | 0.36 | 15.95 | 0.305 | 1.32 | 1.32 | 1.2 | 12 | 1.42 | 11 | 33 | 1.3 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Sketched Art | polygons | 0.33 | 13.09 | 0.249 | 1.09 | 1.28 | 1.7 | 13 | 1.19 | 83 | 88 | 1.1 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Sketched Art | thin lines | 0.73 | 9.90 | 0.206 | 0.62 | 52.42 | 4.3 | 19 | 0.95 | 100 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Sketched Art | flat colour art | 20.35 | 23.39 | 0.392 | 1.51 | 179.03 | 1.5 | 13 | 0.94 | 7 | 0 | 2.0 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Sketched Art | gradient, photo | 45.68 | 45.57 | – | – | – | 1.0 | 115 | – | 35 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Silhouettes | curved shapes | 0.42 | 17.79 | 0.345 | 1.34 | 1.34 | 1.2 | 10 | 1.17 | 10 | 100 | 1.2 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Silhouettes | polygons | 0.47 | 17.79 | 0.353 | 1.62 | 2.53 | 1.7 | 12 | 1.10 | 51 | 66 | 0.6 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Silhouettes | thin lines | 1.20 | 16.32 | 0.316 | 0.89 | 18.29 | 5.0 | 29 | 1.47 | 87 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Silhouettes | flat colour art | 23.77 | 31.89 | 0.378 | 1.22 | 187.69 | 1.0 | 8 | 0.65 | 9 | 0 | 1.0 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Silhouettes | gradient, photo | 61.64 | 61.45 | – | – | – | 0.2 | 1 | – | 18 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Line Art | curved shapes | 0.33 | 13.45 | 0.259 | 1.05 | 1.05 | 1.2 | 21 | 2.77 | 22 | 100 | 2.1 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Line Art | polygons | 0.33 | 12.57 | 0.239 | 1.34 | 1.68 | 1.7 | 16 | 1.44 | 74 | 83 | 0.6 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Line Art | thin lines | 0.78 | 9.82 | 0.175 | 0.82 | 105.63 | 3.3 | 16 | 0.80 | 89 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Line Art | flat colour art | 19.97 | 20.23 | 0.352 | 1.06 | 178.81 | 1.0 | 23 | 1.94 | 21 | 0 | 4.2 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Line Art | gradient, photo | 39.20 | 38.81 | – | – | – | 7.7 | 260 | – | 65 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Technical Drawing | curved shapes | 0.43 | 16.76 | 0.339 | 1.76 | 1.76 | 1.2 | 39 | 5.15 | 84 | 100 | 21.1 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Technical Drawing | polygons | 0.28 | 10.79 | 0.206 | 1.34 | 1.68 | 1.7 | 19 | 1.69 | 100 | 95 | 3.0 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Technical Drawing | thin lines | 0.64 | 8.26 | 0.171 | 0.82 | 55.59 | 15.3 | 65 | 3.23 | 100 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Technical Drawing | flat colour art | 19.99 | 20.78 | 0.428 | 1.66 | 178.38 | 1.0 | 40 | 3.92 | 88 | 0 | 24.7 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Technical Drawing | gradient, photo | 39.19 | 38.87 | – | – | – | 20.0 | 360 | – | 96 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 9.0 |
| Flat Logo | curved shapes | 0.06 | 2.14 | 0.036 | 0.25 | 0.25 | 1.8 | 31 | 3.38 | 19 | 100 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 6.8 | – | 0.0 |
| Flat Logo | polygons | 0.09 | 3.44 | 0.060 | 0.35 | 1.03 | 2.0 | 35 | 3.17 | 67 | 94 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 6.8 | – | 0.0 |
| Flat Logo | thin lines | 1.17 | 11.78 | 0.050 | 0.49 | all | 3.0 | 189 | 9.45 | 28 | – | – | 0.0 | 0 | 5467.1 | – | 0.0 |
| Flat Logo | flat colour art | 0.07 | 1.53 | 0.065 | 0.31 | 0.27 | 3.0 | 36 | 3.51 | 47 | 100 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 6.8 | – | 0.0 |
| Flat Logo | gradient, photo | refused |
3. Each preset on its inputs, by variant (256 px)
| preset | variant | ΔE | edge ΔE | off mean | off max | missed max | paths | anchors | × art | lines % | corners % | kinks | odd colours | odd px | gap px | overlap px | specks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Default | clean | 0.37 | 15.59 | 0.297 | 1.51 | 1.68 | 1.9 | 14 | 1.42 | 40 | 93 | 1.0 | – | – | 58.1 | 67.8 | 0.0 |
| Default | blurred | 0.90 | 18.86 | 0.363 | 1.41 | 2.23 | 1.9 | 16 | 1.56 | 25 | 38 | 3.0 | – | – | 72.1 | 85.2 | 0.0 |
| Default | noisy | 1.97 | 10.79 | 0.293 | 1.48 | 1.68 | 1.9 | 13 | 1.35 | 33 | 83 | 0.7 | – | – | 67.2 | 61.8 | 0.0 |
| Default | scanned | 15.12 | 21.14 | 0.354 | 1.41 | 2.52 | 1.9 | 16 | 1.68 | 19 | 32 | 2.4 | – | – | 77.2 | 59.3 | 0.0 |
| High Fidelity Photo | clean | 2.38 | 2.72 | – | – | – | 2936.7 | 47288 | – | 87 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 | – | 898.7 |
| High Fidelity Photo | blurred | 1.98 | 2.47 | – | – | – | 1486.5 | 19972 | – | 88 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 | – | 274.5 |
| High Fidelity Photo | noisy | 2.78 | 3.04 | – | – | – | 7340.0 | 70154 | – | 74 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 | – | 2494.5 |
| High Fidelity Photo | scanned | 1.84 | 2.01 | – | – | – | 5227.5 | 61967 | – | 76 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 | – | 2009.5 |
| Low Fidelity Photo | clean | 2.70 | 3.06 | – | – | – | 96.2 | 4529 | – | 47 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 | – | 0.0 |
| Low Fidelity Photo | blurred | 2.68 | 3.17 | – | – | – | 151.5 | 2258 | – | 47 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 | – | 0.0 |
| Low Fidelity Photo | noisy | 2.78 | 2.99 | – | – | – | 106.5 | 3818 | – | 30 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 | – | 0.0 |
| Low Fidelity Photo | scanned | 2.08 | 2.21 | – | – | – | 226.0 | 4414 | – | 31 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 | – | 0.0 |
| 3 Colors | clean | 4.71 | 12.75 | 0.362 | 1.11 | 89.09 | 1.3 | 9 | 1.50 | 13 | 33 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 10502 | 112.5 | 95.5 | 0.0 |
| 3 Colors | blurred | 6.97 | 11.97 | 0.858 | 2.35 | 87.85 | 4.0 | 22 | 3.67 | 1 | 0 | 8.0 | 4.0 | 25530 | 134.6 | 100.1 | 0.0 |
| 3 Colors | noisy | 7.30 | 12.66 | 0.395 | 0.95 | 89.02 | 1.0 | 8 | 1.33 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 25239 | 71.4 | 60.4 | 0.0 |
| 3 Colors | scanned | 5.92 | 7.24 | 0.761 | 1.75 | 88.20 | 4.0 | 30 | 5.00 | 1 | 0 | 7.0 | 4.0 | 25648 | 166.3 | 112.5 | 0.0 |
| 6 Colors | clean | 0.44 | 10.13 | 0.421 | 1.61 | 1.12 | 5.0 | 35 | 2.66 | 56 | 100 | 8.3 | 1.5 | 198 | 165.2 | 178.1 | 0.0 |
| 6 Colors | blurred | 0.89 | 9.39 | 0.695 | 2.33 | 1.98 | 10.0 | 108 | 9.68 | 41 | 100 | 26.5 | 6.0 | 800 | 125.1 | 197.9 | 0.0 |
| 6 Colors | noisy | 1.39 | 6.91 | 19.919 | 79.80 | 30.11 | 99.0 | 1218 | 146.12 | 55 | 100 | 1124.5 | 3.0 | 363 | 445.5 | 296.0 | 0.0 |
| 6 Colors | scanned | 1.53 | 4.87 | 8.493 | 83.10 | 1.39 | 21.5 | 428 | 45.40 | 53 | 88 | 318.0 | 3.0 | 148 | 214.3 | 212.0 | 0.0 |
| 16 Colors | clean | 0.37 | 9.54 | 0.453 | 1.35 | 1.26 | 7.5 | 57 | 4.29 | 61 | 100 | 13.0 | 3.0 | 382 | 206.1 | 288.5 | 0.0 |
| 16 Colors | blurred | 0.66 | 10.88 | 1.030 | 2.74 | 2.36 | 26.5 | 182 | 15.72 | 86 | 100 | 117.0 | 10.0 | 1168 | 177.5 | 323.7 | 0.0 |
| 16 Colors | noisy | 1.50 | 8.23 | 16.918 | 81.85 | 4.32 | 238.5 | 2540 | 312.41 | 45 | 100 | 2187.0 | 4.5 | 770 | 596.1 | 426.6 | 0.0 |
| 16 Colors | scanned | 1.59 | 4.44 | 16.175 | 86.21 | 3.61 | 199.0 | 3534 | 376.23 | 51 | 100 | 3016.0 | 18.0 | 1609 | 552.9 | 575.6 | 0.0 |
| Shades of Gray | clean | 9.74 | 9.66 | – | – | – | 82.2 | 1950 | – | 46 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 | – | 0.0 |
| Shades of Gray | blurred | 9.69 | 9.42 | – | – | – | 62.0 | 1002 | – | 46 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 | – | 0.0 |
| Shades of Gray | noisy | 9.79 | 9.54 | – | – | – | 132.0 | 2312 | – | 34 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 | – | 1.5 |
| Shades of Gray | scanned | 6.63 | 6.56 | – | – | – | 115.0 | 2778 | – | 29 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 | – | 0.0 |
| Black and White Logo | clean | 0.36 | 14.11 | 0.280 | 1.76 | 1.76 | 1.4 | 30 | 3.67 | 91 | 97 | 13.3 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Black and White Logo | blurred | 0.87 | 17.99 | 0.317 | 1.43 | 2.23 | 1.4 | 32 | 3.85 | 86 | 40 | 17.0 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Black and White Logo | noisy | 1.92 | 9.17 | 0.233 | 1.55 | 1.68 | 1.4 | 32 | 3.87 | 92 | 96 | 14.3 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Black and White Logo | scanned | 15.07 | 20.40 | 0.265 | 1.65 | 2.53 | 1.4 | 36 | 4.09 | 89 | 47 | 20.0 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Sketched Art | clean | 0.43 | 14.74 | 0.285 | 1.32 | 52.42 | 1.9 | 14 | 1.33 | 29 | 33 | 1.3 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Sketched Art | blurred | 1.06 | 19.54 | 0.312 | 1.29 | 105.61 | 1.6 | 14 | 1.30 | 26 | 0 | 1.5 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Sketched Art | noisy | 2.00 | 11.50 | 0.309 | 1.06 | 1.06 | 2.0 | 13 | 1.26 | 27 | 25 | 1.5 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Sketched Art | scanned | 15.05 | 21.60 | 0.361 | 1.63 | 105.46 | 1.6 | 15 | 1.53 | 27 | 0 | 1.2 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Silhouettes | clean | 0.42 | 17.79 | 0.345 | 1.34 | 1.34 | 1.2 | 10 | 1.17 | 10 | 100 | 1.2 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Silhouettes | blurred | 1.23 | 28.03 | 0.754 | 1.87 | 1.90 | 1.2 | 8 | 0.97 | 7 | 50 | 1.5 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Silhouettes | noisy | 2.23 | 13.42 | 0.384 | 1.17 | 1.17 | 1.2 | 9 | 1.09 | 7 | 100 | 1.5 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Silhouettes | scanned | 16.06 | 29.87 | 1.494 | 2.88 | 2.89 | 1.2 | 12 | 1.52 | 12 | 50 | 2.0 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Line Art | clean | 0.78 | 9.82 | 0.175 | 0.82 | 105.63 | 3.3 | 16 | 0.80 | 89 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Line Art | blurred | 1.59 | 16.64 | 0.128 | 1.13 | 105.76 | 3.0 | 17 | 0.85 | 94 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Line Art | noisy | 1.22 | 7.62 | 0.137 | 0.91 | 56.14 | 8.0 | 36 | 1.80 | 97 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Line Art | scanned | 13.55 | 19.72 | 0.173 | 1.13 | 105.76 | 3.0 | 17 | 0.85 | 78 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Technical Drawing | clean | 0.37 | 10.16 | 0.197 | 1.34 | 55.59 | 5.1 | 30 | 2.07 | 100 | 95 | 3.0 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Technical Drawing | blurred | 1.07 | 17.47 | 0.202 | 1.37 | 105.76 | 2.0 | 24 | 1.98 | 100 | 54 | 13.7 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Technical Drawing | noisy | 1.58 | 8.47 | 0.195 | 1.23 | 31.30 | 7.8 | 43 | 2.79 | 100 | 94 | 2.7 | – | – | – | – | 1.0 |
| Technical Drawing | scanned | 14.47 | 20.51 | 0.228 | 1.36 | 105.76 | 2.0 | 26 | 2.17 | 100 | 62 | 13.3 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| Flat Logo | clean | 0.07 | 1.53 | 0.065 | 0.31 | 0.27 | 3.0 | 36 | 3.51 | 47 | 100 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 6.8 | – | 0.0 |
| Flat Logo | blurred | 0.54 | 8.33 | 0.052 | 0.62 | 0.78 | 3.0 | 28 | 1.78 | 43 | 50 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 5.8 | – | 0.0 |
| Flat Logo | noisy | 0.81 | 1.77 | 0.076 | 0.39 | 0.32 | 3.5 | 44 | 2.63 | 31 | 100 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 6.9 | – | 0.5 |
| Flat Logo | scanned | 1.31 | 4.15 | 21.204 | 88.50 | 0.66 | 470.5 | 2251 | 255.53 | 11 | 62 | 1658.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 58.0 | – | 413.5 |
4. Yardstick
Inkscape 1.4.2's Trace Bitmap, run as a black box through its object-trace action (two scans, background
removed, its other settings as they come) on the same one-colour drawings, and its SVG output measured by
the same code. Compare with the black-and-white presets on the same kinds of input in section 2 and 3.
| inputs | variant | ΔE | edge ΔE | off mean | off max | missed max | paths | anchors | × art | lines % | corners % | kinks | odd colours | odd px | gap px | overlap px | specks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| curved shapes | clean | 0.25 | 11.05 | 0.198 | 0.97 | 0.97 | 1.0 | 15 | 1.98 | 11 | 83 | 1.8 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| curved shapes | blurred | 0.79 | 16.57 | 0.182 | 0.86 | 1.14 | 1.0 | 15 | 1.84 | 6 | 0 | 1.8 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| curved shapes | noisy | 2.01 | 8.14 | 0.191 | 0.93 | 0.93 | 1.0 | 17 | 2.06 | 10 | 75 | 2.8 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| curved shapes | scanned | 15.31 | 20.22 | 0.191 | 0.97 | 1.14 | 1.0 | 16 | 1.98 | 7 | 0 | 2.0 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| polygons | clean | 0.16 | 6.45 | 0.124 | 1.26 | 2.36 | 1.0 | 21 | 1.93 | 27 | 34 | 0.0 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| polygons | blurred | 0.90 | 17.54 | 0.190 | 1.20 | 2.56 | 1.0 | 19 | 1.75 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| polygons | noisy | 1.62 | 6.05 | 0.119 | 1.22 | 2.32 | 1.0 | 22 | 2.01 | 29 | 19 | 0.0 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| polygons | scanned | 14.75 | 20.30 | 0.170 | 1.49 | 2.55 | 1.0 | 21 | 1.90 | 4 | 3 | 0.0 | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| thin lines | clean | 0.44 | 6.05 | 0.109 | 0.98 | 76.81 | 1.0 | 34 | 1.72 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| thin lines | blurred | 1.72 | 18.80 | 0.254 | 0.81 | 106.00 | 1.0 | 18 | 0.90 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| thin lines | noisy | 1.02 | 6.25 | 0.112 | 1.00 | 37.89 | 1.0 | 25 | 1.25 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
| thin lines | scanned | 28.94 | 46.83 | 12.147 | 43.11 | 20.79 | 1.0 | 2763 | 138.15 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0.0 |
5. Cost
One trace at a time on this machine (all cores); memory is the peak allocated above the image itself. A trace of more than 2,000,000 anchors is refused, as in the app.
| preset | image | megapixels | result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Default | photo-like | 1 | 0.05 s, 29 paths, 3831 anchors, 15 MB |
| Default | four-colour badge | 1 | 0.03 s, 3 paths, 70 anchors, 15 MB |
| High Fidelity Photo | photo-like | 1 | 0.48 s, 51389 paths, 745118 anchors, 195 MB |
| High Fidelity Photo | four-colour badge | 1 | 0.05 s, 147 paths, 657 anchors, 81 MB |
| Low Fidelity Photo | photo-like | 1 | 0.08 s, 612 paths, 47559 anchors, 135 MB |
| Low Fidelity Photo | four-colour badge | 1 | 0.06 s, 85 paths, 354 anchors, 93 MB |
| 3 Colors | photo-like | 1 | 0.05 s, 9 paths, 2481 anchors, 22 MB |
| 3 Colors | four-colour badge | 1 | 0.04 s, 6 paths, 87 anchors, 21 MB |
| 6 Colors | photo-like | 1 | 0.05 s, 53 paths, 7197 anchors, 38 MB |
| 6 Colors | four-colour badge | 1 | 0.04 s, 7 paths, 112 anchors, 39 MB |
| 16 Colors | photo-like | 1 | 0.07 s, 398 paths, 28412 anchors, 99 MB |
| 16 Colors | four-colour badge | 1 | 0.04 s, 16 paths, 170 anchors, 90 MB |
| Shades of Gray | photo-like | 1 | 0.06 s, 449 paths, 18285 anchors, 55 MB |
| Shades of Gray | four-colour badge | 1 | 0.04 s, 36 paths, 168 anchors, 50 MB |
| Black and White Logo | photo-like | 1 | 0.03 s, 71 paths, 3032 anchors, 9 MB |
| Black and White Logo | four-colour badge | 1 | 0.02 s, 1 paths, 83 anchors, 8 MB |
| Sketched Art | photo-like | 1 | 0.03 s, 5 paths, 1411 anchors, 9 MB |
| Sketched Art | four-colour badge | 1 | 0.02 s, 2 paths, 40 anchors, 8 MB |
| Silhouettes | photo-like | 1 | 0.03 s, 2 paths, 391 anchors, 11 MB |
| Silhouettes | four-colour badge | 1 | 0.02 s, 1 paths, 23 anchors, 9 MB |
| Line Art | photo-like | 1 | 0.03 s, 54 paths, 2545 anchors, 9 MB |
| Line Art | four-colour badge | 1 | 0.02 s, 1 paths, 56 anchors, 8 MB |
| Technical Drawing | photo-like | 1 | 0.03 s, 221 paths, 4083 anchors, 9 MB |
| Technical Drawing | four-colour badge | 1 | 0.02 s, 1 paths, 83 anchors, 8 MB |
| Flat Logo | photo-like | 1 | refused after 0.10 s (not flat art), 40 MB |
| Flat Logo | four-colour badge | 1 | 0.66 s, 5 paths, 78 anchors, 146 MB |
| Default | photo-like | 4 | 0.17 s, 48 paths, 10545 anchors, 60 MB |
| Default | four-colour badge | 4 | 0.08 s, 3 paths, 77 anchors, 64 MB |
| High Fidelity Photo | photo-like | 4 | refused after 1.24 s (over 2,000,000 anchors), 859 MB |
| High Fidelity Photo | four-colour badge | 4 | 0.21 s, 225 paths, 991 anchors, 529 MB |
| Low Fidelity Photo | photo-like | 4 | 0.25 s, 1499 paths, 100595 anchors, 485 MB |
| Low Fidelity Photo | four-colour badge | 4 | 0.21 s, 88 paths, 408 anchors, 361 MB |
| 3 Colors | photo-like | 4 | 0.18 s, 22 paths, 7209 anchors, 88 MB |
| 3 Colors | four-colour badge | 4 | 0.12 s, 5 paths, 101 anchors, 84 MB |
| 6 Colors | photo-like | 4 | 0.15 s, 100 paths, 18024 anchors, 152 MB |
| 6 Colors | four-colour badge | 4 | 0.12 s, 7 paths, 127 anchors, 152 MB |
| 16 Colors | photo-like | 4 | 0.18 s, 1236 paths, 75609 anchors, 390 MB |
| 16 Colors | four-colour badge | 4 | 0.15 s, 17 paths, 220 anchors, 315 MB |
| Shades of Gray | photo-like | 4 | 0.19 s, 1289 paths, 48985 anchors, 208 MB |
| Shades of Gray | four-colour badge | 4 | 0.18 s, 41 paths, 211 anchors, 200 MB |
| Black and White Logo | photo-like | 4 | 0.18 s, 208 paths, 9008 anchors, 36 MB |
| Black and White Logo | four-colour badge | 4 | 0.09 s, 1 paths, 142 anchors, 36 MB |
| Sketched Art | photo-like | 4 | 0.17 s, 9 paths, 3366 anchors, 36 MB |
| Sketched Art | four-colour badge | 4 | 0.08 s, 2 paths, 45 anchors, 36 MB |
| Silhouettes | photo-like | 4 | 0.20 s, 2 paths, 1041 anchors, 44 MB |
| Silhouettes | four-colour badge | 4 | 0.08 s, 1 paths, 28 anchors, 36 MB |
| Line Art | photo-like | 4 | 0.16 s, 127 paths, 7334 anchors, 36 MB |
| Line Art | four-colour badge | 4 | 0.08 s, 1 paths, 73 anchors, 36 MB |
| Technical Drawing | photo-like | 4 | 0.15 s, 931 paths, 14515 anchors, 36 MB |
| Technical Drawing | four-colour badge | 4 | 0.08 s, 1 paths, 142 anchors, 36 MB |
| Flat Logo | photo-like | 4 | refused after 0.10 s (not flat art), 40 MB |
| Flat Logo | four-colour badge | 4 | 0.66 s, 5 paths, 69 anchors, 146 MB |
| Default | photo-like | 16 | 1.00 s, 127 paths, 26017 anchors, 256 MB |
| Default | four-colour badge | 16 | 0.44 s, 3 paths, 88 anchors, 240 MB |
| High Fidelity Photo | photo-like | 16 | refused after 3.22 s (over 2,000,000 anchors), 3326 MB |
| High Fidelity Photo | four-colour badge | 16 | 1.10 s, 438 paths, 1733 anchors, 2392 MB |
| Low Fidelity Photo | photo-like | 16 | 1.18 s, 8558 paths, 345957 anchors, 1873 MB |
| Low Fidelity Photo | four-colour badge | 16 | 1.07 s, 105 paths, 449 anchors, 1540 MB |
| 3 Colors | photo-like | 16 | 1.05 s, 87 paths, 18248 anchors, 352 MB |
| 3 Colors | four-colour badge | 16 | 0.65 s, 6 paths, 110 anchors, 336 MB |
| 6 Colors | photo-like | 16 | 0.90 s, 476 paths, 47937 anchors, 600 MB |
| 6 Colors | four-colour badge | 16 | 0.63 s, 11 paths, 160 anchors, 588 MB |
| 16 Colors | photo-like | 16 | 0.86 s, 7432 paths, 236585 anchors, 1574 MB |
| 16 Colors | four-colour badge | 16 | 0.83 s, 23 paths, 231 anchors, 1348 MB |
| Shades of Gray | photo-like | 16 | 0.93 s, 6007 paths, 147606 anchors, 805 MB |
| Shades of Gray | four-colour badge | 16 | 0.97 s, 41 paths, 224 anchors, 676 MB |
| Black and White Logo | photo-like | 16 | 0.99 s, 1128 paths, 30289 anchors, 144 MB |
| Black and White Logo | four-colour badge | 16 | 0.43 s, 1 paths, 193 anchors, 128 MB |
| Sketched Art | photo-like | 16 | 1.02 s, 15 paths, 8027 anchors, 144 MB |
| Sketched Art | four-colour badge | 16 | 0.42 s, 2 paths, 52 anchors, 128 MB |
| Silhouettes | photo-like | 16 | 1.29 s, 3 paths, 2442 anchors, 176 MB |
| Silhouettes | four-colour badge | 16 | 0.50 s, 1 paths, 29 anchors, 144 MB |
| Line Art | photo-like | 16 | 0.99 s, 713 paths, 23577 anchors, 144 MB |
| Line Art | four-colour badge | 16 | 0.41 s, 1 paths, 81 anchors, 128 MB |
| Technical Drawing | photo-like | 16 | 1.02 s, 4578 paths, 55463 anchors, 144 MB |
| Technical Drawing | four-colour badge | 16 | 0.43 s, 1 paths, 193 anchors, 128 MB |
| Flat Logo | photo-like | 16 | refused after 0.12 s (not flat art), 40 MB |
| Flat Logo | four-colour badge | 16 | 0.68 s, 5 paths, 67 anchors, 146 MB |
Revision history
| date | change |
|---|---|
| 2026-10-12 | The harness and the baseline: every preset measured before any change to the tracer |