diff --git a/indexing.d.ts b/indexing.d.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0f826ce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/indexing.d.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+import type { Path, PathComponent, Intersection as Intersection0 } from './intersect.d.ts';
+
+export type Intersection = Intersection0 & {
+  id1: number;
+  id2: number;
+};
+
+export type BBox = { x0: number; y0: number; x1: number; y1: number };
+
+export type IndexEntry = {
+  pathId: number;
+  curveIndex: number;
+  curve: PathComponent;
+};
+
+export type IndexIntersection = [IndexEntry, IndexEntry];
+
+export interface SpatialIndex {
+  add(
+    pathId: number,
+    curveIndex: number,
+    curve: PathComponent,
+    bbox: BBox
+  ): void;
+
+  remove(pathId: number): void;
+
+  intersect(pathIds: number[]): IndexIntersection[];
+}
+
+/**
+ * Index {@link path} into {@link spatialIndex}
+ * Must be called before {@link findPathIntersections}
+ * @returns index key to pass to {@link findPathIntersections}
+ */
+export function indexPath(path: Path, spatialIndex: SpatialIndex): number;
+
+/**
+ * Find or counts the intersections between two SVG paths.
+ *
+ * Returns a number in counting mode and a list of intersections otherwise.
+ *
+ * A single intersection entry contains the intersection coordinates (x, y)
+ * as well as additional information regarding the intersecting segments
+ * on each path (segment1, segment2) and the relative location of the
+ * intersection on these segments (t1, t2).
+ *
+ * The path may be an SVG path string or a list of path components
+ * such as `[ [ 'M', 0, 10 ], [ 'L', 20, 0 ] ]`.
+ *
+ * Uses spatial indexing to boost performance.
+ * If a path is not indexed the method will return no intersections.
+ * @see {@link indexPath}
+ *
+ * @example
+ *
+ * const spatialIndex = new SpatialIndex();
+ * const id1 = indexPath('M0,0L100,100', spatialIndex);
+ * const id2 = indexPath([ [ 'M', 0, 100 ], [ 'L', 100, 0 ] ], spatialIndex);
+ * const id3 = indexPath([ [ 'M', 0, 50 ], [ 'L', 100, 50 ] ], spatialIndex);
+ *
+ * const intersections = findPathIntersections(id1, id2, spatialIndex, false);
+ * const intersections2 = findPathIntersections(id1, id3, spatialIndex, false);
+ *
+ * // intersections = [
+ * //   { x: 50, y: 50, segment1: 1, segment2: 1, t1: 0.5, t2: 0.5 }
+ * // ];
+ * // intersections2 = [
+ * //   { x: 50, y: 50, segment1: 1, segment2: 1, t1: 0.5, t2: 0.5 }
+ * // ];
+ */
+declare function findPathIntersections(
+  pathIds: number[],
+  index: SpatialIndex,
+  justCount: true
+): number;
+declare function findPathIntersections(
+  pathIds: number[],
+  index: SpatialIndex,
+  justCount: false
+): Intersection[];
+declare function findPathIntersections(
+  pathIds: number[],
+  index: SpatialIndex
+): Intersection[];
+declare function findPathIntersections(
+  pathIds: number[],
+  index: SpatialIndex,
+  justCount?: boolean
+): Intersection[] | number;
+
+export default findPathIntersections;
diff --git a/indexing.js b/indexing.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3b6855b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/indexing.js
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+import { curveBBox, findBezierIntersections, parsePathCurve } from './intersect.js';
+
+let indexKey = 0;
+
+/**
+ *
+ * @param {import('./intersect').Path[]} path
+ * @param {import('./indexing').SpatialIndex} index
+ * @returns {number} index key
+ */
+export function indexPath(path, index) {
+  const curve = parsePathCurve(path);
+
+  const pathId = indexKey++;
+
+  for (
+    let curveIndex = 0, x1, y1, x1m, y1m, bez, pi;
+    curveIndex < curve.length;
+    curveIndex++
+  ) {
+    pi = curve[curveIndex];
+
+    if (pi[0] == 'M') {
+      x1 = x1m = pi[1];
+      y1 = y1m = pi[2];
+    } else {
+      if (pi[0] == 'C') {
+        bez = [ x1, y1, ...pi.slice(1) ];
+        x1 = bez[6];
+        y1 = bez[7];
+      } else {
+        bez = [ x1, y1, x1, y1, x1m, y1m, x1m, y1m ];
+        x1 = x1m;
+        y1 = y1m;
+      }
+
+      index.add(pathId, curveIndex, bez, curveBBox(...bez));
+    }
+  }
+
+  return pathId;
+}
+
+/**
+ *
+ * @param {number[]} pathIds
+ * @param {import('./indexing').SpatialIndex} index
+ * @param {boolean} [justCount]
+ */
+export default function findIndexedPathIntersections(
+    pathIds,
+    index,
+    justCount
+) {
+  let res = justCount ? 0 : [];
+
+  index.intersect(pathIds).forEach(([ a, b ]) => {
+
+    /**
+     * @type {import('./indexing.js').Intersection[]}
+     */
+    const intr = findBezierIntersections(a.curve, b.curve, justCount);
+
+    if (justCount) {
+      res += intr;
+    } else {
+      for (var k = 0, kk = intr.length; k < kk; k++) {
+        intr[k].id1 = a.pathId;
+        intr[k].id2 = b.pathId;
+        intr[k].segment1 = a.curveIndex;
+        intr[k].segment2 = b.curveIndex;
+        intr[k].bez1 = a.curve;
+        intr[k].bez2 = b.curve;
+      }
+
+      res = res.concat(intr);
+    }
+  });
+
+  return res;
+}
diff --git a/intersect.d.ts b/intersect.d.ts
index 7b764db..66955a9 100644
--- a/intersect.d.ts
+++ b/intersect.d.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-
 /**
  * Find or counts the intersections between two SVG paths.
  *
@@ -36,6 +35,18 @@ declare function findPathIntersections(path1: Path, path2: Path, justCount?: boo
 
 export default findPathIntersections;
 
+/**
+ * Parse a path so it is suitable to pass to {@link findPathIntersections}
+ * Used in order to opt out of internal path caching.
+ * 
+ * @example
+ * const p1 = parsePathCurve('M0,0L100,100');
+ * const p2 = parsePathCurve([ [ 'M', 0, 100 ], [ 'L', 100, 0 ] ]);
+ * const intersections = findPathIntersections(p1, p2);
+ * 
+ */
+export declare function parsePathCurve(path: Path): PathComponent[]
+
 /**
  * A string in the form of 'M150,150m0,-18a18,18,0,1,1,0,36a18,18,0,1,1,0,-36z'
  * or something like:
@@ -48,7 +59,9 @@ export default findPathIntersections;
  * ]
  */
 declare type Path = string | PathComponent[];
-declare type PathComponent = any[];
+declare type RelativePathCmd = 'a' | 'c' | 'h' | 'l' | 'm' | 'q' | 's' | 't' | 'v' | 'z';
+declare type AbsolutePathCmd = Capitalize<RelativePathCmd>;
+declare type PathComponent = [cmd: AbsolutePathCmd | RelativePathCmd, ...number[]];
 
 declare interface Intersection {
   /**
diff --git a/intersect.js b/intersect.js
index 5925720..a1ee17b 100644
--- a/intersect.js
+++ b/intersect.js
@@ -23,23 +23,6 @@ function hasProperty(obj, property) {
   return Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(obj, property);
 }
 
-function clone(obj) {
-
-  if (typeof obj == 'function' || Object(obj) !== obj) {
-    return obj;
-  }
-
-  var res = new obj.constructor;
-
-  for (var key in obj) {
-    if (hasProperty(obj, key)) {
-      res[key] = clone(obj[key]);
-    }
-  }
-
-  return res;
-}
-
 function repush(array, item) {
   for (var i = 0, ii = array.length; i < ii; i++) if (array[i] === item) {
     return array.push(array.splice(i, 1)[0]);
@@ -75,19 +58,9 @@ function parsePathString(pathString) {
     return null;
   }
 
-  var pth = paths(pathString);
-
-  if (pth.arr) {
-    return clone(pth.arr);
-  }
-
   var paramCounts = { a: 7, c: 6, h: 1, l: 2, m: 2, q: 4, s: 4, t: 2, v: 1, z: 0 },
       data = [];
 
-  if (isArray(pathString) && isArray(pathString[0])) { // rough assumption
-    data = clone(pathString);
-  }
-
   if (!data.length) {
 
     String(pathString).replace(pathCommand, function(a, b, c) {
@@ -114,7 +87,6 @@ function parsePathString(pathString) {
   }
 
   data.toString = paths.toString;
-  pth.arr = clone(data);
 
   return data;
 }
@@ -166,7 +138,16 @@ function pathToString() {
 }
 
 function pathClone(pathArray) {
-  var res = clone(pathArray);
+  const res = new Array(pathArray.length);
+  for (let i = 0; i < pathArray.length; i++) {
+    const sourceRow = pathArray[i];
+    const destinationRow = new Array(sourceRow.length);
+    res[i] = destinationRow;
+    for (let j = 0; j < sourceRow.length; j++) {
+      destinationRow[j] = sourceRow[j];
+    }
+  }
+
   res.toString = pathToString;
   return res;
 }
@@ -299,13 +280,14 @@ function fixError(number) {
   return Math.round(number * 100000000000) / 100000000000;
 }
 
+/**
+ *
+ * @param {import("./intersect").PathComponent} bez1
+ * @param {import("./intersect").PathComponent} bez2
+ * @param {boolean} [justCount=false]
+ * @returns {import("./intersect").Intersection}
+ */
 function findBezierIntersections(bez1, bez2, justCount) {
-  var bbox1 = bezierBBox(bez1),
-      bbox2 = bezierBBox(bez2);
-
-  if (!isBBoxIntersect(bbox1, bbox2)) {
-    return justCount ? 0 : [];
-  }
 
   // As an optimization, lines will have only 1 segment
 
@@ -315,19 +297,19 @@ function findBezierIntersections(bez1, bez2, justCount) {
       n1 = isLine(bez1) ? 1 : ~~(l1 / 5) || 1,
       // eslint-disable-next-line no-bitwise
       n2 = isLine(bez2) ? 1 : ~~(l2 / 5) || 1,
-      dots1 = [],
-      dots2 = [],
+      dots1 = new Array(n1 + 1),
+      dots2 = new Array(n2 + 1),
       xy = {},
       res = justCount ? 0 : [];
 
   for (var i = 0; i < n1 + 1; i++) {
     var p = findDotsAtSegment(...bez1, i / n1);
-    dots1.push({ x: p.x, y: p.y, t: i / n1 });
+    dots1[i] = { x: p.x, y: p.y, t: i / n1 };
   }
 
   for (i = 0; i < n2 + 1; i++) {
     p = findDotsAtSegment(...bez2, i / n2);
-    dots2.push({ x: p.x, y: p.y, t: i / n2 });
+    dots2[i] = { x: p.x, y: p.y, t: i / n2 };
   }
 
   for (i = 0; i < n1; i++) {
@@ -399,17 +381,17 @@ function findBezierIntersections(bez1, bez2, justCount) {
  * //   { x: 50, y: 50, segment1: 1, segment2: 1, t1: 0.5, t2: 0.5 }
  * // ]
  *
- * @param {String|Array<PathDef>} path1
- * @param {String|Array<PathDef>} path2
- * @param {Boolean} [justCount=false]
+ * @param {import("./intersect").Path} path1
+ * @param {import("./intersect").Path} path2
+ * @param {boolean} [justCount=false]
  *
- * @return {Array<Intersection>|Number}
+ * @return {import("./intersect").Intersection[] | number}
  */
 export default function findPathIntersections(path1, path2, justCount) {
-  path1 = pathToCurve(path1);
-  path2 = pathToCurve(path2);
+  path1 = path1.parsed ? path1 : getPathCurve(path1);
+  path2 = path2.parsed ? path2 : getPathCurve(path2);
 
-  var x1, y1, x2, y2, x1m, y1m, x2m, y2m, bez1, bez2,
+  var x1, y1, x2, y2, x1m, y1m, x2m, y2m, bez1, bez2, bbox1, bbox2,
       res = justCount ? 0 : [];
 
   for (var i = 0, ii = path1.length; i < ii; i++) {
@@ -448,7 +430,12 @@ export default function findPathIntersections(path1, path2, justCount) {
             y2 = y2m;
           }
 
-          var intr = findBezierIntersections(bez1, bez2, justCount);
+          bbox1 = bezierBBox(bez1);
+          bbox2 = bezierBBox(bez2);
+
+          var intr = isBBoxIntersect(bbox1, bbox2) ?
+            findBezierIntersections(bez1, bez2, justCount) :
+            justCount ? 0 : [];
 
           if (justCount) {
             res += intr;
@@ -471,17 +458,7 @@ export default function findPathIntersections(path1, path2, justCount) {
   return res;
 }
 
-
 function pathToAbsolute(pathArray) {
-  var pth = paths(pathArray);
-
-  if (pth.abs) {
-    return pathClone(pth.abs);
-  }
-
-  if (!isArray(pathArray) || !isArray(pathArray && pathArray[0])) { // rough assumption
-    pathArray = parsePathString(pathArray);
-  }
 
   if (!pathArray || !pathArray.length) {
     return [ [ 'M', 0, 0 ] ];
@@ -564,7 +541,6 @@ function pathToAbsolute(pathArray) {
   }
 
   res.toString = pathToString;
-  pth.abs = pathClone(res);
 
   return res;
 }
@@ -708,7 +684,7 @@ function arcToCurve(x1, y1, rx, ry, angle, large_arc_flag, sweep_flag, x2, y2, r
 // Source: http://blog.hackers-cafe.net/2009/06/how-to-calculate-bezier-curves-bounding.html
 // Original version: NISHIO Hirokazu
 // Modifications: https://github.com/timo22345
-function curveBBox(x0, y0, x1, y1, x2, y2, x3, y3) {
+export function curveBBox(x0, y0, x1, y1, x2, y2, x3, y3) {
   var tvalues = [],
       bounds = [ [], [] ],
       a, b, c, t, t1, t2, b2ac, sqrtb2ac;
@@ -785,16 +761,69 @@ function curveBBox(x0, y0, x1, y1, x2, y2, x3, y3) {
   };
 }
 
-function pathToCurve(path) {
+/**
+ * An impure version of {@link parsePathCurve} handling caching
+ */
+function getPathCurve(path) {
 
-  var pth = paths(path);
+  const pth = paths(path);
 
   // return cached curve, if existing
   if (pth.curve) {
-    return pathClone(pth.curve);
+    return pth.curve;
   }
 
-  var curvedPath = pathToAbsolute(path),
+  // retrieve abs path OR create and cache if non existing
+  const abs = pth.abs ||
+    (pth.abs = pathToAbsolute(
+
+      // retrieve parsed path OR create and cache if non existing
+      pth.arr ||
+      (pth.arr = (
+
+        // rough assumption
+        (!isArray(path) || !isArray(path && path[0]))) ?
+        parsePathString(path) :
+        path)
+    ));
+
+  // cache curve
+  return (pth.curve = pathToCurve(abs));
+}
+
+/**
+ * A pure version of {@link getPathCurve}
+ * @param {import("./intersect").Path} path
+ * @returns {import("./intersect").PathComponent[]}
+ */
+export function parsePathCurve(path) {
+
+  const abs = (pathToAbsolute(
+    !Array.isArray(path) ?
+      parsePathString(path) :
+      path)
+  );
+
+  const curve = pathToCurve(abs);
+
+  /**
+   * Flag to skip {@link getPathCurve}
+   */
+  return Object.defineProperty(
+    curve,
+    'parsed',
+    {
+      value: true,
+      configurable: false,
+      enumerable: false,
+      writable: false
+    }
+  );
+}
+
+function pathToCurve(absPath) {
+
+  var curvedPath = pathClone(absPath),
       attrs = { x: 0, y: 0, bx: 0, by: 0, X: 0, Y: 0, qx: null, qy: null },
       processPath = function(path, d, pathCommand) {
         var nx, ny;
@@ -918,8 +947,5 @@ function pathToCurve(path) {
     attrs.by = toFloat(seg[seglen - 3]) || attrs.y;
   }
 
-  // cache curve
-  pth.curve = pathClone(curvedPath);
-
   return curvedPath;
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/karma.conf.cjs b/karma.conf.cjs
index 4ba9cdf..53efa27 100644
--- a/karma.conf.cjs
+++ b/karma.conf.cjs
@@ -1,13 +1,12 @@
 /** eslint-env node */
 
 // configures browsers to run test against
-// any of [ 'ChromeHeadless', 'Chrome', 'Firefox' ]
-const browsers = (process.env.TEST_BROWSERS || 'ChromeHeadless').split(',');
+// any of [ 'ChromeHeadless', 'ChromeHeadlessDev', 'Chrome', 'ChromeDev', 'Firefox' ]
+const browsers = (process.env.TEST_BROWSERS || 'ChromeHeadlessDev').split(',');
 
 // use puppeteer provided Chrome for testing
 process.env.CHROME_BIN = require('puppeteer').executablePath();
 
-
 module.exports = function(karma) {
   karma.set({
 
@@ -32,6 +31,26 @@ module.exports = function(karma) {
     webpack: {
       mode: 'development',
       devtool: 'eval-source-map'
+    },
+
+    customLaunchers: {
+      ChromeDev: {
+        base: 'Chrome',
+        displayName: 'ChromeDev',
+        flags: [
+          // disable chromium safe storage access request security prompt on macOS
+          '--use-mock-keychain',
+        ]
+      },
+      ChromeHeadlessDev: {
+        base: 'ChromeHeadless',
+        displayName: 'ChromeHeadlessDev',
+        flags: [
+          // disable chromium safe storage access request security prompt on macOS
+          '--use-mock-keychain',
+        ]
+      }
     }
+
   });
 };
diff --git a/test/intersect.spec.js b/test/intersect.spec.js
index a4bffbe..dbb7217 100644
--- a/test/intersect.spec.js
+++ b/test/intersect.spec.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import intersect from 'path-intersection';
+import intersect, { parsePathCurve } from 'path-intersection';
 import { expect } from 'chai';
 
 import domify from 'domify';
@@ -21,6 +21,61 @@ describe('path-intersection', function() {
       expect(intersections).to.have.length(1);
     });
 
+    it.skip('should cache paths to boost performance', function() {
+
+      const max = 1000;
+      const p1 = [ 
+        [ 'M', 0, 0 ], 
+        ...new Array(max).fill(0).map((_, i) => [ 'L', max * (i + 1), max * (i + 1) ])
+      ];
+      const p2 = [ 
+        [ 'M', 0, max * max ], 
+        ...new Array(max).fill(0).map((_, i) => [ 'L', max * (i + 1), max * (max - i + 1) ])
+      ].flat().join(',');
+
+      // when
+      performance.mark('a')
+      const ra = intersect(p1, p2);
+      const { duration: a } = performance.measure('not cached', 'a');
+      performance.mark('b')
+      const rb = intersect(p1, p2);
+      const { duration: b } = performance.measure('cached', 'b');
+      // then
+      expect(b).to.lessThanOrEqual(a);
+    });
+
+    it('parsePathCurve', function() {
+
+      // when
+      const parsed1 = parsePathCurve(p1);
+      const parsed2 = parsePathCurve(p2);
+
+      // then
+      expect(parsed1).to.deep.eq([['M', 0, 0], ['C', 0, 0, 100, 100, 100, 100]])
+      expect(parsed1.parsed).to.eq(true)
+
+      expect(parsed2).to.deep.eq([['M', 0, 100], ['C', 0, 100, 100, 0, 100, 0]])
+      expect(parsed2.parsed).to.eq(true)
+
+      expect(intersect(parsed1, parsed2)).to.deep.eq([
+        {
+          x: 50,
+          y: 50,
+          segment1: 1,
+          segment2: 1,
+          t1: 0.5,
+          t2: 0.5,
+          bez1: [0, 0, 0, 0, 100, 100, 100, 100],
+          bez2: [0, 100, 0, 100, 100, 0, 100, 0]
+        }
+      ])
+
+      expect(intersect(parsed1, parsed2), 'intersect should not mutate paths').to.deep.eq(intersect(parsed1, parsed2));
+      expect(parsed1, 'intersect should not mutate paths').to.deep.eq([['M', 0, 0], ['C', 0, 0, 100, 100, 100, 100]])
+      expect(parsed2, 'intersect should not mutate paths').to.deep.eq([['M', 0, 100], ['C', 0, 100, 100, 0, 100, 0]])
+
+    });
+
 
     it('should expose intersection', function() {
 
diff --git a/test/intersect.spec.ts b/test/intersect.spec.ts
index 79f827c..2889481 100644
--- a/test/intersect.spec.ts
+++ b/test/intersect.spec.ts
@@ -1,14 +1,12 @@
-import intersect from 'path-intersection';
-
-import domify from 'domify';
+import intersect, { Path } from 'path-intersection';
 
 
 describe('path-intersection', function() {
 
   describe('api', function() {
 
-    var p1 = [ [ 'M', 0, 0 ], [ 'L', 100, 100 ] ];
-    var p2 = 'M0,100L100,0';
+    const p1: Path = [ [ 'M', 0, 0 ], [ 'L', 100, 100 ] ] satisfies Path;
+    const p2: Path = 'M0,100L100,0' satisfies Path;
 
 
     it('should support SVG path and component args', function() {
diff --git a/test/perf.js b/test/perf.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..67e00db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/perf.js
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+import intersect from '../intersect.js';
+import intersect2, { indexPath } from '../indexing.js';
+
+/**
+ * Needs to be implemented, probably a simple nested grid or a quad tree will do
+ * @typedef {import('../indexing.js').SpatialIndex} Interface
+ * @type {import('../indexing.js').SpatialIndex}
+ * @implements {Interface}
+ */
+class SpatialIndex {
+  /**
+   *
+   * @param {number} pathId
+   * @param {number} curveIndex
+   * @param {import('../intersect.js').PathComponent} curve
+   * @param {import('../indexing.js').BBox} bbox
+   */
+  add(pathId, curveIndex, curve, bbox) {
+    throw new Error('Method not implemented.');
+  }
+
+  /**
+   *
+   * @param {number} pathId
+   */
+  remove(pathId) {
+    throw new Error('Method not implemented.');
+  }
+
+  /**
+   *
+   * @param {number[]} pathIds
+   */
+  intersect(pathIds) {
+    throw new Error('Method not implemented.');
+    return [];
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ *
+ * @param {number} n
+ * @returns {import('../intersect.js').PathComponent[]}
+ */
+const createPath = (n) => {
+  /**
+   *
+   * @param {'M'|'L'} cmd
+   * @returns {import('../intersect.js').PathComponent}
+   */
+  const cmd = (cmd) => [
+    cmd,
+    Math.round(Math.random() * 800),
+    Math.round(Math.random() * 800),
+  ];
+  return [cmd('M')].concat(new Array(n).fill(0).map(() => cmd('L')));
+};
+
+const a = createPath(5000);
+const b = createPath(5000);
+
+const index = new SpatialIndex();
+
+// when
+
+performance.mark('total');
+performance.mark('index');
+const id1 = indexPath(a, index);
+const id2 = indexPath(b, index);
+const mark0 = performance.measure(
+  'indexing',
+  { detail: { ids: [id1, id2] } },
+  'index'
+);
+performance.mark('intersect2');
+const intersections = intersect2([id1, id2], index).length;
+const mark1 = performance.measure(
+  'intersect',
+  { detail: { intersections } },
+  'intersect2'
+);
+const mark = performance.measure('intersect2 total', 'total');
+
+console.log(mark0.toJSON(), mark1.toJSON(), mark.toJSON());
+
+performance.mark('intersect');
+const baseline = intersect(a, b, true);
+const baselineMark = performance.measure(
+  'baseline',
+  { detail: { intersections: baseline } },
+  'intersect'
+);
+
+console.log(baselineMark.toJSON());