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slug: mobject-overview
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# Overview

#### Mobjects

Mobjects in `smanim` are Python objects that represent different components in the diagram.
Examples of common mobject classes include `Square`, `Text`, `Group`, and `Graph` mobjects.
While similar to mobjects in Manim, smanim mobjects have minor variations in their function names and parameters.

- Mobjects by default are positioned at the `ORIGIN` (0, 0, 0).
- Mobjects can be copied (e.g. `mob2 = mob1.copy()`).
- Mobjects can be layered via z_index.

  - Set the z_index manually (e.g. `s = Square(z_index=2))`.
  - Or use higher-level functions (e.g.`group.bring_to_front(mob_in_group)` or `group.bring_to_back(mob_in_group)`).
  - The default z_index of all mobjects is 0 besides text mobjects which are 1.

- Mobjects can be spatially transformed (e.g. `scale` or `shift`).
- Mobjects can be spatially related (e.g. `mob1.next_to(mob2)`).
- Mobjects can be styled with `set_color` or `set_opacity`.

  - Note that VMobjects, or vectorized mobjects, can be styled with `set_fill(color, opacity)` or `set_stroke(color, opacity)`.

- Mobjects have a center and an 8 point bounding box (4 corners, 4 edge midpoints).

  - `mobject.center` to access the center
  - `mobject.left`, `mobject.right`, `mobject.top`, `mobject.bottom` to access the edge midpoints
  - `mobject.get_corner(UL)`, `mobject.get_corner(UR)`, `mobject.get_corner(DL)`, `mobject.get_corner(DR)` to access corners

- Mobjects can have submobjects (e.g. `square.add(Text("Square"))`), though creating a `Group` should be preferred.

#### VMobjects

VMobjects in `smanim` are vectorized mobjects represented spatially by a list of points.
`Circle`, `Square`, `Arrow`, and any other mobject that doesn't include `Text` is a `VMobject`.
The relevant params for the `VMobject` constructor:

- `color` (ManimColor | None, default=None): by default, sets the `fill_color`.
- `opacity` (float | None, default=None)
- `stroke_color` (ManimColor | None, default=None): the color of the shape outline. Independent of `fill_color`. When set, ignore `color`.
- `stroke_opacity` (float | None, default=None)
- `stroke_width` (float | None, default=None)
- `fill_color` (ManimColor | None, default=None): When set, ignore `color`.
- `fill_opacity` (float | None, default=None)
- `dashed` (bool, default=False)

- `kwargs` (dict): Additional arguments for customization.

##### Usage Example

`Square(stroke_color=RED, dashed=True)`