CGPathDrawingMode

CGPathDrawingMode is an enumeration type in the Core Graphics framework of Apple's development platforms, used to specify how a path should be drawn. It defines two possible values: .fill and .stroke.

The .fill mode instructs the drawing context to fill the interior of the path with the current fill color. This means that the area enclosed by the path's lines will be painted. For closed paths, this is straightforward. For open paths, the context implicitly closes the path before filling it, connecting the start and end points with a straight line.

The .stroke mode, on the other hand, tells the drawing context to draw the outline of the path using the current stroke color and stroke properties, such as line width and line cap style. This mode renders the lines that define the path itself, without filling the area they enclose.

When drawing a path using a CGContext, you typically provide a CGPath object and then specify the drawing mode. For instance, to fill a path, you would use CGContext.fill(path). To stroke a path, you would use CGContext.stroke(path). It is also possible to fill and stroke a path simultaneously, though this usually involves separate drawing operations or specific contexts that support combined operations. Understanding these drawing modes is fundamental for controlling the visual appearance of paths in Core Graphics.