SVG, standing for «Scalable Vector Graphics», is a popular file format for vector graphics, in which graphical elements are represented in a resolution-independent format, in contrast to raster graphics; in which graphical elements are represented as arrays of pixels. GIMP is mainly a raster graphics program, but paths are vector entities.

Fortunately, paths are represented in SVG files in almost exactly the same way they are represented in GIMP. This compatibility makes it possible to store GIMP paths as SVG files without losing any information. You can access this capability in the Paths Dialog.

It also means that GIMP can create paths from SVG files saved in other programs, such as Inkscape, a popular open-source vector graphics application. This is nice because dedicated vector editing programs have much more powerful path-manipulation tools than GIMP does. You can import a path from an SVG file using the Paths dialog.

Формат SVG кроме контуров поддерживает множество других графических элементов: среди прочего он поддерживает такие фигуры как квадраты, прямоугольники, окружности, правильные многоугольники, и т.д. GIMP ничего не может делать с этими объектами, но может загружать их как контуры.