

Stroke: a visible outline of a shape or path.Internally this is called a Knot, but this is a deprecated term in user documentation. The things that you drag on canvas to set the placement, direction, and size of a gradient or pattern (gradient handles, pattern handles).Points on a shape that can be dragged by node tool to edit the shape, displayed as small white diamonds (shape handles).The arrows around the selected object in selector (scale handles, rotation handles).One of two points around a node, displayed (for selected nodes) as a circle connected with its node by a line (node handles).Node can have one or two handles too - displayed as circles connected to node. If you use Node tool, then it is displayed as gray or blue (if selected) rectangle on a path. Node: point of a path that you can manipulate with.A live shape can be converted to path by Convert to Path command. (Live) Shape: an object that does not display nodes but may have controls.For example a line created using the Freehand tool. Path: object, with nodes, but without handles.

May be a path, a shape, a text object, a group, etc. Object: an independent editable thing on the canvas.A good reference for SVG vocabulary is the SVG standard website (hosted by the W3C) itself.
