Which G-code Gives Point-to-Point Movement?

Point-to-point motion in CNC typically means the machine moves from one position to another without enforcing a continuous path between intermediate coordinates (i.e., no linear interpolation “trace” of the path). In common CNC G-code dialects, this is most often associated with rapid positioning commands such as G00 (ISO/G-code families often describe G00 as rapid positioning) and related positioning modes like G53 depending on controller usage.2

In contrast, G01 is path-following linear interpolation (continuous path), so it is generally not “point-to-point” in the strict sense of “just move to the next point.” Rapid moves are usually non-cutting and can ignore acceleration-constrained cutting path requirements, which makes them the practical “point-to-point” choice in many workflows.2

Key concept: “point-to-point” is controller- and interpretation-dependent, but G00/G53 positioning are the usual candidates for point-to-point moves, while G01 is for straight-line path following.

Core keywords

• G00
• G01
• Interpolation
• Work offset
• Machine coordinates

What “point-to-point” means operationally

A CNC controller must decide whether it should:

1. Generate intermediate positions along a geometric path (interpolation), or
2. Move axes to the target coordinates using a positioning move (typically faster, often used with no cutting).

A practical way to remember common behavior:

• G00 → move to target quickly (commonly treated as point-to-point/positioning).
• G01 → move while following a straight line segment between start/end (path-following, not purely point-to-point).
• Other interpolation modes (e.g., circular/arc) likewise enforce path following rather than pure endpoint positioning.

This matches typical references that characterize G00 as “rapid positioning” and G01 as “linear interpolation.”2