# Appearance Compositing
Appearance properties control how shapes and layers are rendered, composited, and revealed. Available options depend on your current selection.

## Fill & Stroke

Fill controls the interior of vector shapes. Stroke controls the outline.

Fill types:

<List type="bullet">
  <ListItem>Solid</ListItem>
  <ListItem>Linear gradient</ListItem>
  <ListItem>Radial gradient</ListItem>
  <ListItem>None</ListItem>
</List>

Stroke settings include:

<List type="bullet">
  <ListItem>Color or gradient</ListItem>
  <ListItem>Width</ListItem>
  <ListItem>Opacity</ListItem>
</List>

## Opacity & Blend Modes

Layer opacity affects the entire layer including fill and stroke.

Blend modes control how a layer composites with layers beneath it.

## Trim Path

Trim Path animates stroke visibility along a path.

Properties:

<List type="bullet">
  <ListItem>Start</ListItem>
  <ListItem>End</ListItem>
  <ListItem>Offset</ListItem>
</List>

Trim Path affects strokes only and is available on shape layers with strokes applied.

Common uses include draw on animations, loaders, and circular progress indicators.

## Masks & Track Mattes

Track mattes use one layer’s alpha to control another layer’s visibility.

<List type="bullet">
  <ListItem>Matte layer must be directly above the target layer</ListItem>
  <ListItem>Supported types: Alpha and Inverted Alpha</ListItem>
  <ListItem>Matte layers are hidden automatically</ListItem>
</List>

Matte layers can be animated like normal layers for dynamic reveals.

## Limitations

<List type="bullet">
  <ListItem>One matte per layer</ListItem>
  <ListItem>No feathering or blur</ListItem>
  <ListItem>Shadows are preserved from imports but not editable</ListItem>
</List>