edgefriendliness

Edgefriendliness is a concept in computational geometry and computer graphics that refers to the property of a geometric object, often a polygon or a curve, having a well-behaved or desirable boundary. This means that the edges of the object do not have problematic features like excessive self-intersections, degenerate edges (edges with zero length), or very sharp angles that can cause issues in algorithms or rendering.

The term "edgefriendliness" is not a strictly formal mathematical term but is used colloquially to describe objects that are easy to process computationally. For example, a polygon that is "edgefriendly" would typically be simple (not self-intersecting), convex, or at least have a boundary that can be traversed without ambiguity. Objects that lack edgefriendliness might require special handling or preprocessing before they can be used in certain applications.

In practical terms, edgefriendly objects simplify tasks such as collision detection, mesh generation, area calculation, and rendering. Algorithms designed for geometric processing often assume a certain level of edgefriendliness to maintain efficiency and correctness. If an object is not edgefriendly, it might need to be "cleaned" or "repaired" to meet these requirements, which can involve operations like removing duplicate vertices, collapsing nearly coincident edges, or straightening out extremely acute angles. The degree of edgefriendliness can vary, and what is considered "friendly" often depends on the specific application and the algorithms being employed.