Geometric and other special shapes that would be otherwise hard to draw can be easily created using one of the corresponding shape tools. Once drawn, both the shape and its stroke can be made into curves for more freeform design.
With either method, modify options as required, either by changing the values on the context toolbar or by dragging the red handle(s) (if available).
The shape is now made from curves. Segments and nodes can be modified with the Node Tool.
Presets can be applied to shape tools from the context toolbar. These allow you to take variations of standard shapes and reuse them instantly. A number of master presets have been supplied, but you can also create and define your own presets using the Preset Manager.