> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://avala.ai/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Annotation Tools

> Overview of all annotation tools available in Avala

Avala provides a full suite of annotation tools for 2D images, video frames, and 3D point clouds. The available tools depend on the project task type and data format.

Each tool has a dedicated guide with detailed usage instructions, shortcuts, common mistakes, and advanced tips.

## Tools

| Tool                                                                    | Data Types                | Shortcut | Description                                                |
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------- | -------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- |
| [Bounding Box](/docs/annotation/guides/tools/bounding-box)                   | Image, Video              | `B`      | Rectangular bounding boxes for object detection            |
| [Polygon](/docs/annotation/guides/tools/polygon)                             | Image, Video              | `P`      | Freeform polygon outlines for instance segmentation        |
| [3D Cuboid](/docs/annotation/guides/tools/cuboid-3d)                         | Point Cloud               | `C`      | 3D bounding boxes in LiDAR point clouds                    |
| [Segmentation](/docs/annotation/guides/tools/segmentation)                   | Image, Video              | `M`      | Pixel-level masks with brush, eraser, fill, and SAM assist |
| [Polyline](/docs/annotation/guides/tools/polyline)                           | Image, Video, Point Cloud | `L`      | Open line segments for lanes, paths, and boundaries        |
| [Ground Reconstruction](/docs/annotation/guides/tools/ground-reconstruction) | Point Cloud               | --       | Builds a ground surface that cuboids and polylines snap to |
| [Classification](/docs/annotation/guides/tools/classification)               | Image, Video              | `K`      | Image-level or frame-level labels without geometry         |
| [Keypoint](/docs/annotation/guides/tools/keypoint)                           | Image, Video              | `J`      | Pose estimation with keypoints and skeleton connections    |

## Common Controls

These controls apply across all annotation tools.

### Selection

* Press `V` to switch to the **Select tool**
* Click an annotation to select it
* Click empty canvas to deselect
* Hold `Ctrl` / `⌘` and click to multi-select

### Move and Resize

* Drag a selected annotation to reposition it
* Drag handles to resize
* Use the properties panel for exact numeric values

### Delete

* Select one or more annotations
* Press `Delete` or `Backspace`
* Confirm deletion if prompted

### Undo / Redo

| Action | Shortcut               |
| ------ | ---------------------- |
| Undo   | `Ctrl+Z` / `⌘Z`        |
| Redo   | `Ctrl+Shift+Z` / `⌘⇧Z` |

Undo and redo work across all tools. The history tracks annotation creation, modification, and deletion.

### Save

* Press `Ctrl+S` / `⌘S` to save your work
* The viewer auto-saves periodically, but manual saves are recommended before navigating away

### Zoom and Pan

| Action     | Control                                     |
| ---------- | ------------------------------------------- |
| Zoom in    | `+` or scroll up                            |
| Zoom out   | `-` or scroll down                          |
| Reset zoom | `0`                                         |
| Pan        | Hold `Space` + drag, or middle-click + drag |

## Tool Shortcuts Reference

| Shortcut  | Tool                           |
| --------- | ------------------------------ |
| `V`       | Select / Move                  |
| `B`       | Bounding Box                   |
| `P`       | Polygon                        |
| `C`       | 3D Cuboid                      |
| `M`       | Segmentation                   |
| `L`       | Polyline                       |
| `K`       | Classification                 |
| `J`       | Keypoint                       |
| `S`       | SAM Segmentation               |
| `X`       | Eraser (in segmentation mode)  |
| `[` / `]` | Decrease / Increase brush size |
| `H`       | Toggle mask visibility         |

## General Tips

* **Switch tools quickly**: Use single-key shortcuts to switch between tools without reaching for the toolbar
* **Zoom in for precision**: Small objects and fine boundaries benefit from zooming in before drawing
* **Use undo liberally**: It is faster to undo a mistake than to manually correct it
* **Review at full zoom-out**: After annotating, zoom out to verify nothing was missed
* **Keyboard over mouse**: Almost every action has a keyboard shortcut; learning them significantly speeds up annotation

## Next Steps

* Follow the [Video Annotation](/docs/annotation/tutorials/video-annotation) tutorial for tracking workflows
* Learn about [AI-Assisted Annotation](/docs/annotation/tutorials/ai-assisted) for SAM and auto-labeling
* See [Annotation Types](/docs/annotation/reference/annotation-types) for the data format of each annotation type
* Review [Keyboard Shortcuts](/docs/annotation/reference/keyboard-shortcuts) for the complete shortcut list