click | Select an object |
When you left-click on an object, the previous selection is deselected.
This adds an object to the current selection if it was not selected, otherwise removes the object from the current selection.
double click | Edit the object |
This switches to the object’s most natural editing tool (the Node tool for paths, a corresponding shape tool for shapes, and the Text tool for text). For groups, double-clicking performs the Enter group command (the group becomes a temporary layer, 4.6.1 Layer Hierarchy). Double-clicking in empty space switches to the parent layer in the hierarchy, if any.
Normally, you need to start from an empty space to initiate a rubber band. However, if you press 
before dragging, Inkscape will do rubber band selection even if you start from an object.
-dragging over objects selects those objects that are touched by the path. To start touch selection with , you must have nothing selected; otherwise use 
. You can switch rubber band selection to touch selection and back while dragging by pressing/releasing .
These keys pick objects in their z-order (
cycles from bottom to top, 
cycles from top to bottom). This works on objects within the current layer (4.6 Layers).
This works on objects within the current layer (unless you change that in Inkscape Preferences).
This works on objects in all visible and unlocked layers.
This inverts the selection (deselects what was selected and vice versa) in the current layer.
This inverts the selection (deselects what was selected and vice versa) in visible and unlocked layers.
This selects the object at click point disregarding any levels of grouping that this object might belong to.
-click selects the object at click point which is beneath (in z-order) the lowest selected object at click point. If the bottom object is reached, -click again selects the top object. So, several -clicks cycle through the z-order stack at click point. On Linux, -click and -drag may be reserved by the window manager. If you reconfigure your window manager to not map -click, then it will be free for Inkscape to use. If your keyboard has a 
key, you may wish to set your Modifier key to use it instead of . (Sometimes you can also use 
-click (select under, in groups) with the same effect as -click.)
drag | Select + move |
Dragging an object selects it if it was not selected, then moves the selection.
This moves the current selection (without selecting what is under the cursor), no matter where you start the drag. On Linux, -click and -drag may be reserved by the window manager. Reconfigure it so you can use them in Inkscape.
This temporarily disables snapping to grid or guides when you are dragging with grid or guides on.
When dragging or transforming with the mouse, each 
leaves a copy of the selected object. You can press and hold while dragging for a nice “trail.”
The default nudge distance is 2 px units.
Holding while transforming makes transformation symmetric around the center of the selection.
Hold while scaling to limit scale to 2, 3, 4, etc. or 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, etc. of the initial size.
The default scale step is 2 px units.
 ,  | Scale selection to 200% |
 , | Scale selection to 50% |
 ,  | Scale selection up by 1 pixel |
 ,  | Scale selection down by 1 pixel |
Scaling is uniform around the center, so the size increment applies to the larger of the two dimensions.
Holding 
when dragging a skew (noncorner) handle snaps the skew angle to the angle steps. The default angle step is 15 degrees; it can be changed in Inkscape Preferences, Steps.
Holding when dragging a rotation (corner) handle snaps the rotation angle to angle steps.
 ,  | Rotate selection by the angle step[a] |
 ,  | Rotate selection by 90 degrees |
 ,  | Rotate selection by 1 pixel |
[a] Throughout Inkscape, | |
These commands use the rotation center, draggable in Selector (by default it is in the geometric center).
If the tool is in rotate mode (rotation center visible), that center becomes the axis of flipping; otherwise it flips around the geometric center of the selection.
drag | Move rotation center |
Dragging the center snaps it to the centerlines and bounding box edges of the selection.
Resetting the rotation center moves it back to the geometric center of the object’s or selection’s bounding box.