Krita's vector tools found in its toolbox are used to operate on vector layers only. If you don't use vector layers, you'll probably never touch them.
Note: Krita's vector layers are SVG layers. If you've ever used Inkscape, that's the same technology. They are fundamentally different from "vector layers" found in Clip Studio Paint, which are for line art, and called "line art layers" in Paint Tool SAI. Krita doesn't have vector line art layers currently. Notably, if you have ever used the mentioned applications, the line art vectors are only useful because there are several tools to modify the line art after it's been created. Krita lacks such tools. In particular, CSP's vector layers will draw lines using CSP brushes, which means if you have a textured brush, a vector line will have the same texture. In Krita, there is no such functionality, and lines can only be a flat color, just as in SVG in general.
Note: considering its limitation, I don't recommend using Krita for working with vectors. There may be some edge cages where it's useful, such as combining vectors with Krita's animation tools, but otherwise it's a better idea to work with vectors in Inkscape, and copy and paste the graphics from Inkscape to Krita as you need them into a paint layer instead of into a vector layer.
Select Shapes Tool
This tool is used to select a shape in a vector layer. You need to create a shape in the vector layer first before using it.
A selected shape can be dragged to move it around, rotated, and scaled.
Double-clicking on a shape activates the Edit Shapes Tool on it. Double-clicking on a text object activates the Text Tool on it.
It's possible to drag a selection box to select multiple shapes.
It's possible to hold Shift to select multiple shapes.
Text Tool
Used to insert text into the image using SVG technology.
Clicking on the canvas with it does nothing. You need to click and drag to draw a rectangle. Doing that will make a dialog box appear where you can type the text. It doesn't matter how large you make the rectangle, because Krita won't fit the text into rectangle, or line-wrap automatically.
You can edit an existing text object by double clicking on it with the text tool. Note that if the Select Shapes Tool is activated, double-clicking on a text object merely activates the Text Tool instead of opening the dialog to edit the text, which means you need to click 4 times to edit the text in this case.
This text is technically rich text, which is problematic. If you have a light theme, and text boxes have a white background, you won't be able to see the text in the textbox because Krita will make the color of the text in the textbox match the color it will have on the canvas. The same happens with black text and dark theme. This is probably not very accessible. It's also not very usable.
I recommend NOT using Krita's text tool to add text to your images, but instead making the text in Inkscape, and then sending it to Krita. If you use the text tool on a paint layer, it will create a vector layer for the text. However, the second time you use it, it will add a second text object to the same vector layer.
- How to Copy-Paste Text from Inkscape into Krita
- How to Add Text in Krita from Inkscape (PNG File Layer Method)
Edit Shapes Tool
This tool is used to edit an existing shape in a vector layer.
You can drag and move vertexes around with it, and edit curves.
Note: Krita behaves differently when a shape is a "path" and when it's a calligraphic stroke. It's possible to convert a calligraphic stroke into a "path" by right clicking on it.
It's possible to delete points of a "path" by pressing the delete key; it's not possible to delete points of a calligraphic stroke.
It's possible to select multiple points by dragging a selection box; this doesn't work on calligraphic strokes.
If the shape selected is a rectangle, the only points available to edit are the points to make its corners round. To edit the size of the rectangle, you need to use the Select Shapes Tool.
Observation: there is no indication of what a control point does, which is disappointing. Krita has a status bar, but it isn't being used to show the purpose of the control points. No tooltips are shown for them either, which means you need to figure out their functions by trial and error or depend on Google. It seems these control points are nothing more than a visual representation of the settings you find in the tool options.
If the shape selected shape is a circle, there are three control points, which can be used to turn the circle into an arc, or into a pie shape.
If the shape is a "path," as created with the Polygonal Tool, it's possible to drag edges to create curves, and then edit those curves with control points. In this case, there are also buttons in the tool options to modify the path. Such buttons would be found in Inkscape in its toolbar.
Calligraphy Tool
This is a calligraphic pen-shaped vector brush. Using it creates a vector layer.
Other Vector Tools
Besides these tools, it's also possible to use the shape tools with vector layers. The brush tools are only available for paint layers, but line, rectangle, ellipsis, etc., are available for both paint and vector, and they behave differently according to what type of layer is selected.
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