# Shapes and connectors

> The shape kinds, how containers nest, and how connectors attach and route.

## Shape kinds

| Kind | Notes |
| --- | --- |
| Rectangle, ellipse, diamond | The basics |
| Polygon | Any number of sides, plus star, cloud, callout and semicircle presets |
| Container | A frame that owns the shapes inside it. Moving it moves them |
| Group | A selection bound together without a visible frame |
| Icon | A glyph from an [icon pack](/foliums/blueprintr-user-guide/vellum/icon-packs-and-libraries) or your own SVG |
| Service | A labelled cloud- or platform-service block |
| Table | Rows and columns of cells |
| Text | A standalone label with no box |
| Note | A sticky, normally on the Notes layer |
| Image | A raster image |
| Freehand | Pen strokes |

## The inspector

Selecting a shape opens the inspector on the right: stroke and fill, fill
opacity, line weight, dash, prism, corner roundness and opacity under
**Appearance**; font, size and text colour under **Typography**; then the
shape's **Label** and **Body** text.

![The shape inspector: Appearance with stroke, fill, line, dash, prism, roundness and opacity, then Typography, Label and Body](/api/folium-assets/cmtp047zy00087bd7wthtspt2/raw)

## Containers

A container owns its children. Drag the container and everything inside moves;
resize it and the children stay put. Nesting is unlimited. Use one container
per boundary, whether that boundary is a VPC, a team, or a process stage.

Press <kbd>8</kbd> for the container tool, then drop shapes inside it.

## Connectors

Hover a shape and drag from its edge to draw a connector to another shape. The
endpoints stay attached when either shape moves.

| Gesture | Effect |
| --- | --- |
| <kbd>Alt</kbd> + drag | Pull an endpoint free of any shape, with no auto-snap |
| <kbd>Shift</kbd> + drag | Lock the connector to a horizontal or vertical line |
| Right-click a waypoint | Delete that bend |
| <kbd>Tab</kbd> | Reverse the connector's direction |

Routing is straight, curved or orthogonal per connector.

## Moving and resizing

| Gesture | Effect |
| --- | --- |
| <kbd>Cmd</kbd> + drag | Duplicate and drag the copy |
| <kbd>Alt</kbd> + drag | Move without snapping |
| <kbd>Shift</kbd> + drag | Lock to one axis |
| <kbd>Cmd</kbd> + resize | Resize from the centre |
| <kbd>Shift</kbd> + resize | Lock the aspect ratio |
| <kbd>Alt</kbd> + rotate | Rotate freely, skipping the 15° snap |