This pseudo-category is in fact a document explaining a technique to optimize and―in a sense―simplify SVG files. The files in this category merely constitute a collection of examples illustrating that technique. These hidden categories are only intended for Wikimedia contributors who want to add or optimize SVG files, but the documented techniques are in no way specific to Wikimedia. Besides being scalable, the images represented by the files in this category have nothing in common (only the files have historical implementation details in common). Most of these documents are in a poor state, as of October 2024, and the effect of some of these so-called simplification techniques would be considered as complexification by most. To address these issues, see discussion about an action plan.

An SVG file without any transformation is always smaller, and better readable, than one containing transformations.
But transformations have not only advantages for cloning, they can e.g. be used in a drawing template.

The clock "5 before 12" contains both hands ready for any transformation, by just altering the degrees every one of the 720 minutes of twelve hours can be drawn within seconds.^{[clarification needed]}

    <?xml version="1.0"?>
    <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 72 72"
    stroke="#000" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round">
    <path fill="none" d="m35,13a23,23 0,1,0 2,0z"/>
    <path transform="rotate(357.5 36,36)" d="m36,36V25"/>
    <path transform="rotate(330 36,36)" d="m36,36V19"/>
    </svg>

As can be seen from the code, the short "hour hand" is -2.5 degrees before twelve o'clock, and the longer "minute hand" -30 degrees.
Every other position, or time, or degree, can be set swiftly:

Easy calculation

The drawing is reduced to a very simple calculation.

• 1 hour is a full rotation of the "minute hand",

• each minute is 360/60 = 6°

• 12 hours are a full rotation of the "hour hand",

• one hour means 360/12 = 30°, 1 minute is 30/60 = a half-degree

For the above example '5 before 12' the minute is at 360-30 degrees, the hour 360-2.5