turns out there was no performance problems with the path (made a dumb mistake with implementation). However, during the analysis, I ended up adding event detection throttling which is pretty handy. It cuts down unecessary mousemove event handling dramatically and greatly improves performance when you have thousands of shapes

dist/kinetic-core.js

@@ -1468,10 +1468,12 @@ Kinetic.Container.prototype = {
 Kinetic.Stage = function(config) {
     this.setDefaultAttrs({
         width: 400,
-        height: 200
+        height: 200,
+        throttle: 80
     });
 
     this.nodeType = 'Stage';
+    this.lastEventTime = 0;
 
     /*
      * if container is a string, assume it's an id for
@@ -2003,11 +2005,26 @@ Kinetic.Stage.prototype = {
 
         return false;
     },
+    _handleStageEvent: function(evt) {
+        var throttle = this.attrs.throttle;
+        var date = new Date();
+        var time = date.getTime();
+        var timeDiff = time - this.lastEventTime;
+        var tt = 1000 / throttle;
+
+        if(timeDiff >= tt) {
+            this._handleStageEventContinue(evt);
+        }
+    },
     /**
      * handle incoming event
      * @param {Event} evt
      */
-    _handleStageEvent: function(evt) {
+    _handleStageEventContinue: function(evt) {
+        var date = new Date();
+        var time = date.getTime();
+        this.lastEventTime = time;
+
         var go = Kinetic.GlobalObject;
         if(!evt) {
             evt = window.event;
@@ -2077,10 +2094,11 @@ Kinetic.Stage.prototype = {
             that._handleStageEvent(evt);
             that.clickStart = false;
         }, false);
-
+        /*
-        this.content.addEventListener('mouseover', function(evt) {
+         this.content.addEventListener('mouseover', function(evt) {
-            that._handleStageEvent(evt);
+         that._handleStageEvent(evt);
-        }, false);
+         }, false);
+         */
 
         this.content.addEventListener('mouseout', function(evt) {
             // if there's a current target shape, run mouseout handlers
@@ -2095,14 +2113,14 @@ Kinetic.Stage.prototype = {
         this.content.addEventListener('touchstart', function(evt) {
             evt.preventDefault();
             that.touchStart = true;
-            
+
             /*
              * init stage drag and drop
              */
             if(that.attrs.draggable) {
                 that._initDrag();
             }
-            
+
             that._handleStageEvent(evt);
         }, false);
 
@@ -4072,24 +4090,20 @@ Kinetic.Path = function(config) {
             var c = ca[n].command;
             var p = ca[n].points;
             switch(c) {
-                case 'M':
-                    context.moveTo(p[0], p[1]);
-                    break;
                 case 'L':
                     context.lineTo(p[0], p[1]);
                     break;
+                case 'M':
+                    context.moveTo(p[0], p[1]);
+                    break;
                 case 'z':
+                context.closePath();
                     break;
             }
         }
-        context.closePath();
-        //this.fill();
         
-        context.fillStyle = '#999';
+        this.fill();
-        context.fill();
+        this.stroke();
-        context.strokeStyle = '#555';
-        context.stroke();
-        //this.stroke();
     };
     // call super constructor
     Kinetic.Shape.apply(this, [config]);

src/Stage.js

@@ -14,10 +14,12 @@
 Kinetic.Stage = function(config) {
     this.setDefaultAttrs({
         width: 400,
-        height: 200
+        height: 200,
+        throttle: 80
     });
 
     this.nodeType = 'Stage';
+    this.lastEventTime = 0;
 
     /*
      * if container is a string, assume it's an id for
@@ -549,11 +551,26 @@ Kinetic.Stage.prototype = {
 
         return false;
     },
+    _handleStageEvent: function(evt) {
+        var throttle = this.attrs.throttle;
+        var date = new Date();
+        var time = date.getTime();
+        var timeDiff = time - this.lastEventTime;
+        var tt = 1000 / throttle;
+
+        if(timeDiff >= tt) {
+            this._handleStageEventContinue(evt);
+        }
+    },
     /**
      * handle incoming event
      * @param {Event} evt
      */
-    _handleStageEvent: function(evt) {
+    _handleStageEventContinue: function(evt) {
+        var date = new Date();
+        var time = date.getTime();
+        this.lastEventTime = time;
+
         var go = Kinetic.GlobalObject;
         if(!evt) {
             evt = window.event;
@@ -623,10 +640,11 @@ Kinetic.Stage.prototype = {
             that._handleStageEvent(evt);
             that.clickStart = false;
         }, false);
-
+        /*
-        this.content.addEventListener('mouseover', function(evt) {
+         this.content.addEventListener('mouseover', function(evt) {
-            that._handleStageEvent(evt);
+         that._handleStageEvent(evt);
-        }, false);
+         }, false);
+         */
 
         this.content.addEventListener('mouseout', function(evt) {
             // if there's a current target shape, run mouseout handlers
@@ -641,14 +659,14 @@ Kinetic.Stage.prototype = {
         this.content.addEventListener('touchstart', function(evt) {
             evt.preventDefault();
             that.touchStart = true;
-            
+
             /*
              * init stage drag and drop
              */
             if(that.attrs.draggable) {
                 that._initDrag();
             }
-            
+
             that._handleStageEvent(evt);
         }, false);
 

src/shapes/Path.js

@@ -23,24 +23,20 @@ Kinetic.Path = function(config) {
             var c = ca[n].command;
             var p = ca[n].points;
             switch(c) {
-                case 'M':
-                    context.moveTo(p[0], p[1]);
-                    break;
                 case 'L':
                     context.lineTo(p[0], p[1]);
                     break;
+                case 'M':
+                    context.moveTo(p[0], p[1]);
+                    break;
                 case 'z':
+                context.closePath();
                     break;
             }
         }
-        context.closePath();
-        //this.fill();
         
-        context.fillStyle = '#999';
+        this.fill();
-        context.fill();
+        this.stroke();
-        context.strokeStyle = '#555';
-        context.stroke();
-        //this.stroke();
     };
     // call super constructor
     Kinetic.Shape.apply(this, [config]);

tests/assets/worldMap.js

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 var worldMap = {
-		
+	shapes: {		
         AE: "M604.196,161.643l0.514-0.129l0,0.772l2.188-0.386l2.189,0l1.672,0.129l1.803-1.802l2.058-1.802l1.674-1.673l0.518,0.900l0.385,2.189l-1.417,0l-0.258,1.802l0.517,0.386l-1.159,0.515l-0.129,1.029l-0.773,1.159l0,1.030l-0.514,0.644l-8.110-1.416l-1.031-2.704l0.127,0.643z",
         AF: "M630.069,130.876l2.832,1.030l2.059-0.257l0.517-1.288l2.058-0.386l1.546-0.772l0.515-2.188l2.317-0.516l0.387-1.030l1.285,0.774l0.902,0.128l1.416,0l2.059,0.515l0.773,0.385l2.059-0.900l0.901,0.515l0.773-1.287l1.674,0.128l0.386-0.387l0.256-1.157l1.160-0.903l1.543,0.645l-0.384,0.772l0.901,0.129l-0.259,2.317l1.030,0.900l0.904-0.643l1.285-0.257l1.674-1.159l1.802,0.129l2.832,0l0.387,0.773l-1.545,0.385l-1.416,0.516l-3.090,0.256l-2.833,0.517l-1.545,1.287l0.645,1.029l0.257,1.416l-1.287,1.159l0.129,1.029l-0.773,0.902l-2.575,0l1.030,1.673l-1.673,0.772l-1.158,1.545l0.129,1.674l-1.031,0.772l-1.029-0.257l-2.061,0.386l-0.257,0.644l-2.058,0l-1.417,1.544l-0.129,2.317l-3.476,1.159l-1.931-0.257l-0.514,0.643l-1.674-0.386l-2.704,0.386l-4.504-1.415l2.445-2.447l-0.129-1.673l-2.060-0.515l-0.256-1.674l-0.902-2.188l1.158-1.416l-1.158-0.386l0.773-1.930l-1.029,3.477z",
         AL: "M520.651,114.27l-0.257,0.900l0.385,1.160l1.029,0.643l0,0.644l-0.901,0.386l-0.128,0.901l-1.288,1.287l-0.386-0.128l-0.127-0.644l-1.417-0.900l-0.259-1.288l0.259-1.803l0.256-0.901l-0.384-0.386l-0.258-0.901l1.287-1.288l0.129,0.516l0.771-0.258l0.516,0.773l0.643,0.257l-0.130-1.030z",
@@ -173,5 +173,5 @@ var worldMap = {
         ZA: "M550.13,305.822l-0.516,0.387l-1.158,1.287l-0.773,1.416l-1.544,1.93l-2.96,2.832l-1.932,1.545l-2.061,1.287l-2.832,1.031l-1.287,0.128l-0.387,0.772l-1.672-0.386l-1.288,0.514l-2.961-0.514l-1.544,0.257l-1.158-0.128l-2.834,1.028l-2.316,0.517l-1.545,1.028h-1.285l-1.16-0.9l-0.9-0.128l-1.158-1.16l-0.131,0.388l-0.385-0.772v-1.546l-0.771-1.801l0.771-0.516v-2.061l-1.802-2.445l-1.288-2.316l-1.931-3.478l1.286-1.415l1.032,0.773l0.384,1.158l1.288,0.129l1.673,0.514l1.418-0.129l2.445-1.416v-9.912l0.772,0.387l1.544,2.574l-0.258,1.674l0.645,0.9l1.93-0.256l1.289-1.287l1.287-0.774l0.643-1.286l1.287-0.645l1.158,0.387l1.288,0.773l2.188,0.129l1.801-0.645l0.258-0.901l0.387-1.287l1.545-0.128l0.772-1.03l0.901-1.804l2.445-2.059l3.733-1.93h1.157l1.289,0.514l0.9-0.387l1.416,0.258l1.287,3.862l0.771,1.802l-0.514,3.09l0.258,0.9l-1.416-0.385l-0.773,0.129l-0.258,0.771l-0.771,1.029L547.94,299l1.545,1.544l1.545-0.386l0.644-1.158h2.059l-0.772,1.93l-0.258,2.318l-0.77,1.157L550.13,305.822zM543.306,304.922l-1.158-0.773l-1.287,0.516l-1.416,1.029l-1.416,1.803l1.931,2.059l1.03-0.258l0.514-0.9l1.417-0.386l0.515-0.901l0.773-1.287L543.306,304.922z",
         ZM: "M553.476,251.883l1.287,1.160l0.644,2.315l-0.386,0.644l-0.645,2.189l0.516,2.317l-0.773,0.902l-0.772,2.447l1.416,0.770l-8.239,2.189l0.258,1.932l-2.060,0.385l-1.543,1.031l-0.259,1.028l-1.028,0.130l-2.319,2.188l-1.545,1.802l-0.902,0l-0.772,-0.257l-3.088,-0.256l-0.515,-0.259l0,-0.259l-1.030,-0.513l-1.803,-0.258l-2.187,0.644l-1.673,-1.674l-1.804,-2.187l0.128,-8.625l5.536,0.127l-0.257,-1.028l0.387,-0.903l-0.387,-1.287l0.257,-1.286l-0.257,-0.902l0.901,0.130l0.128,0.772l1.289,0l1.672,0.258l0.903,1.158l2.187,0.385l1.674,-0.901l0.644,1.416l2.058,0.387l0.903,1.158l1.159,1.545l2.058,0l-0.258,-2.961l-0.642,0.516l-1.932,-1.031l-0.772,-0.514l0.387,-2.705l0.514,-3.088l-0.642,-1.288l0.771,-1.673l0.643,-0.387l3.733,-0.386l1.030,0.258l1.159,0.773l1.030,0.387l1.675,0.384l-1.543,-0.901z",
         ZW: "M549.228,286.898l-1.416,-0.257l-0.901,0.386l-1.289,-0.513l-1.157,0l-1.673,-1.290l-2.061,-0.385l-0.772,-1.674l0,-1.030l-1.158,-0.256l-3.089,-2.962l-0.900,-1.544l-0.516,-0.516l-1.030,-2.058l3.088,0.256l0.772,0.257l0.902,0l1.545,-1.802l2.319,-2.188l1.028,-0.130l0.259,-1.028l1.543,-1.031l2.060,-0.385l0.129,1.029l2.317,-0.129l1.287,0.645l0.515,0.645l1.287,0.254l1.415,0.774l0,3.475l-0.513,1.801l-0.128,2.061l0.385,0.773l-0.257,1.545l-0.386,0.258l-0.773,1.930l2.832,-3.089z"
-		
+	}	
 };

tests/js/Test.js

@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ function log(message) {
  * Test constructor
  */
 function Test() {
-    this.testOnly = 'SHAPE - add path';
+    this.testOnly = '';
     this.counter = 0;
     
     testCounter = document.createElement('div');

tests/js/unitTests.js

@@ -1173,38 +1173,39 @@ Test.prototype.tests = {
         var stage = new Kinetic.Stage({
             container: containerId,
             width: 1024,
-            height: 480
+            height: 480,
+            throttle: 80,
+            scale: 0.5,
+            x: 50,
+            y: 10
         });
-        var layer = new Kinetic.Layer();
+        var mapLayer = new Kinetic.Layer();
 
-        for(var key in worldMap) {
+        for(var key in worldMap.shapes) {
-            var c = worldMap[key];
+            var c = worldMap.shapes[key];
-            // induce scope
-            ( function() {
-                var path = new Kinetic.Path({
-                    commands: c,
-                    fill: '#ccc',
-                    stroke: '#999',
-                    strokeWidth: 1
-                });
 
-                path.on('mouseover', function() {
+            var path = new Kinetic.Path({
-                    //console.log(1)
+                commands: c,
-                    //path.setFill('red');
+                fill: '#ccc',
-                    //layer.draw();
+                stroke: '#999',
-                });
+                strokeWidth: 1
+            });
 
-                path.on('mouseout', function() {
+            path.on('mouseover', function() {
-                    //path.setFill('#ccc');
+                //console.log(1)
-                    //layer.draw();
+                this.setFill('red');
-                });
+                mapLayer.draw();
+            });
 
-                layer.add(path);
+            path.on('mouseout', function() {
+                this.setFill('#ccc');
+                mapLayer.draw();
+            });
 
-            }());
+            mapLayer.add(path);
-
-            stage.add(layer);
         }
+        
+        stage.add(mapLayer);
 
     },
     'SHAPE - add shape with custom attr pointing to self': function(containerId) {