A vector is a segment-line defined by two nodes (points or on-curve points).
That vector can be a straight line if it is without handles (or off-curve points), or curved if it is with handles.

In digital type design, glyph outlines are composed of closed paths (also called contours), where each point connects two segments—as if they were “tying” the vectors together. Because of this connective role, points are commonly referred to as nodes.

There are two main kinds of points:
• nodes (on-curve points): points that sit directly on the contour and define the actual path of the outline;
• handles (off-curve points): points that control the curvature of the segment without being part of the contour itself. They are also called Bézier control-points (BCP for short).

Together, nodes and handles determine the final shape of the glyph.