diff --git a/packages/core/__tests__/view/mixins/VertexMixin.test.ts b/packages/core/__tests__/view/mixins/VertexMixin.test.ts
index cc3c9f96ae..1517fc3d70 100644
--- a/packages/core/__tests__/view/mixins/VertexMixin.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/__tests__/view/mixins/VertexMixin.test.ts
@@ -16,96 +16,152 @@ limitations under the License.
 
 import { describe, expect, test } from '@jest/globals';
 import { createGraphWithoutContainer } from '../../utils';
-import { type CellStyle, Geometry } from '../../../src';
+import { type Cell, type CellStyle, Geometry, type Graph } from '../../../src';
+
+const expectIsVertex = (cell: Cell, cellId: string) => {
+  expect(cell.getId()).toBe(cellId);
+  expect(cell.vertex).toBeTruthy();
+  expect(cell.edge).toBeFalsy();
+};
+
+const expectCellInModel = (graph: Graph, expectedCell: Cell) => {
+  const cellFromModel = graph.getDataModel().getCell(expectedCell.getId()!);
+  expect(cellFromModel).toBe(expectedCell);
+};
+
+const expectIsTheOnlyChildOfDefaultParent = (cell: Cell) => {
+  expect(cell.parent).not.toBeNull();
+  expect(cell.parent?.id).toBe('1'); // default parent
+  const children = cell.parent?.children;
+  expect(children).toContain(cell);
+  expect(children).toHaveLength(1);
+};
+
+const isTheOnlyChildOf = (parentCell: Cell, childCell: Cell) => {
+  expect(childCell.parent).toBe(parentCell);
+  const children = parentCell.children;
+  expect(children).toContain(childCell);
+  expect(children).toHaveLength(1);
+};
+
+const nonRelativeGeometry = (x: number, y: number, width: number, height: number) => {
+  const geometry = new Geometry(x, y, width, height);
+  geometry.relative = false;
+  return geometry;
+};
+
+const relativeGeometry = (x: number, y: number, width: number, height: number) => {
+  const geometry = new Geometry(x, y, width, height);
+  geometry.relative = true;
+  return geometry;
+};
 
 describe('insertVertex', () => {
-  test('with several parameters', () => {
-    const graph = createGraphWithoutContainer();
-    const style: CellStyle = { rounded: true, shape: 'cloud' };
-    const cell = graph.insertVertex(null, 'vertex_1', 'a value', 10, 20, 110, 120, style);
-    expect(cell.getId()).toBe('vertex_1');
-    expect(cell.vertex).toBeTruthy();
-    expect(cell.edge).toBeFalsy();
-    expect(cell.value).toBe('a value');
-    expect(cell.style).toStrictEqual(style);
-
-    const geometry = new Geometry(10, 20, 110, 120);
-    geometry.relative = false;
-    expect(cell.geometry).toStrictEqual(geometry);
-
-    // parent created with cell as child
-    expect(cell.parent).not.toBeNull();
-    expect(cell.parent?.id).toBe('1'); // default parent
-    const children = cell.parent?.children;
-    expect(children).toContain(cell);
-    expect(children).toHaveLength(1);
-
-    // ensure that the cell is in the model
-    const cellFromModel = graph.getDataModel().getCell('vertex_1');
-    expect(cellFromModel).toBe(cell);
-  });
+  describe('with several parameters', () => {
+    test('with position, size and style', () => {
+      const graph = createGraphWithoutContainer();
+      const style: CellStyle = { rounded: true, shape: 'cloud' };
+      const cellId = 'vertex_1';
+      const cell = graph.insertVertex(null, cellId, 'a value', 10, 20, 110, 120, style);
+
+      expectIsVertex(cell, cellId);
+      expect(cell.value).toBe('a value');
+      expect(cell.style).toStrictEqual(style);
+      expect(cell.geometry).toStrictEqual(nonRelativeGeometry(10, 20, 110, 120));
+
+      expectIsTheOnlyChildOfDefaultParent(cell);
+      expectCellInModel(graph, cell);
+    });
 
-  test('with single parameter', () => {
-    const graph = createGraphWithoutContainer();
-    const style: CellStyle = { align: 'right', fillColor: 'red' };
-    const cell = graph.insertVertex({
-      value: 'a value',
-      x: 10,
-      y: 20,
-      size: [110, 120],
-      style,
+    test('with no position nor size', () => {
+      const graph = createGraphWithoutContainer();
+      const cellId = 'noPositionNorSize_';
+      const cell = graph.insertVertex(
+        null,
+        cellId,
+        'a value for cell without position and size'
+      );
+
+      expectIsVertex(cell, cellId);
+      expect(cell.value).toBe('a value for cell without position and size');
+      expect(cell.style).toStrictEqual({});
+      expect(cell.geometry).toStrictEqual(nonRelativeGeometry(0, 0, 0, 0));
+
+      expectIsTheOnlyChildOfDefaultParent(cell);
+      expectCellInModel(graph, cell);
     });
-    expect(cell.getId()).toBe('2'); // generated
-    expect(cell.vertex).toBeTruthy();
-    expect(cell.edge).toBeFalsy();
-    expect(cell.value).toBe('a value');
-    expect(cell.style).toStrictEqual(style);
-
-    const geometry = new Geometry(10, 20, 110, 120);
-    geometry.relative = false;
-    expect(cell.geometry).toStrictEqual(geometry);
-
-    // parent created with cell as child
-    expect(cell.parent).not.toBeNull();
-    expect(cell.parent?.id).toBe('1'); // default parent
-    const children = cell.parent?.children;
-    expect(children).toContain(cell);
-    expect(children).toHaveLength(1);
-
-    // ensure that the cell is in the model
-    const cellFromModel = graph.getDataModel().getCell('2');
-    expect(cellFromModel).toBe(cell);
   });
 
-  test('with single parameter and non default parent', () => {
-    const graph = createGraphWithoutContainer();
+  describe('with single parameter', () => {
+    const autoGeneratedCellId = '2';
+
+    test('with position, size and style', () => {
+      const graph = createGraphWithoutContainer();
+      const style: CellStyle = { align: 'right', fillColor: 'red' };
+      const cell = graph.insertVertex({
+        value: 'another value',
+        x: 10,
+        y: 20,
+        size: [110, 120],
+        style,
+      });
+
+      expectIsVertex(cell, autoGeneratedCellId);
+      expect(cell.value).toBe('another value');
+      expect(cell.style).toStrictEqual(style);
+      expect(cell.geometry).toStrictEqual(nonRelativeGeometry(10, 20, 110, 120));
+
+      expectIsTheOnlyChildOfDefaultParent(cell);
+      expectCellInModel(graph, cell);
+    });
 
-    const parentCell = graph.insertVertex({
-      value: 'non default',
-      position: [10, 10],
-      size: [400, 400],
+    test('with non default parent', () => {
+      const graph = createGraphWithoutContainer();
+
+      const parentCell = graph.insertVertex({
+        value: 'non default',
+        position: [10, 10],
+        size: [400, 400],
+      });
+      expectIsVertex(parentCell, autoGeneratedCellId);
+      expect(parentCell.value).toBe('non default');
+      expect(parentCell.style).toStrictEqual({});
+      expect(parentCell.geometry).toStrictEqual(nonRelativeGeometry(10, 10, 400, 400));
+      expectIsTheOnlyChildOfDefaultParent(parentCell);
+      expectCellInModel(graph, parentCell);
+
+      const childCellId = 'childId';
+      const childCell = graph.insertVertex({
+        parent: parentCell,
+        id: childCellId,
+        value: 'child',
+        position: [5, 5],
+        width: 400,
+        height: 400,
+        relative: true,
+      });
+      expectIsVertex(childCell, childCellId);
+      expect(childCell.value).toBe('child');
+      expect(childCell.style).toStrictEqual({});
+      expect(childCell.geometry).toStrictEqual(relativeGeometry(5, 5, 400, 400));
+      expectCellInModel(graph, childCell);
+      isTheOnlyChildOf(parentCell, childCell);
     });
-    expect(parentCell.getId()).toBe('2'); // generated
-    expect(parentCell.value).toBe('non default');
-
-    const geometryOfParentCell = new Geometry(10, 10, 400, 400);
-    expect(parentCell.geometry).toStrictEqual(geometryOfParentCell);
-
-    const childCell = graph.insertVertex({
-      parent: parentCell,
-      value: 'child',
-      position: [5, 5],
-      width: 400,
-      height: 400,
-      relative: true,
+
+    test('with no position nor size', () => {
+      const graph = createGraphWithoutContainer();
+      const cellId = 'noPositionNorSize';
+      const cell = graph.insertVertex({
+        id: cellId,
+        value: 'a value for cell without position and size',
+      });
+      expectIsVertex(cell, cellId);
+      expect(cell.value).toBe('a value for cell without position and size');
+      expect(cell.style).toStrictEqual({});
+      expect(cell.geometry).toStrictEqual(nonRelativeGeometry(0, 0, 0, 0));
+
+      expectIsTheOnlyChildOfDefaultParent(cell);
+      expectCellInModel(graph, cell);
     });
-    const geometry = new Geometry(5, 5, 400, 400);
-    geometry.relative = true;
-    expect(childCell.geometry).toStrictEqual(geometry);
-
-    expect(childCell.parent).toBe(parentCell);
-    const children = parentCell.children;
-    expect(children).toContain(childCell);
-    expect(children).toHaveLength(1);
   });
 });
diff --git a/packages/core/src/types.ts b/packages/core/src/types.ts
index d1d76a3fe5..8298dac883 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/types.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/types.ts
@@ -1014,9 +1014,10 @@ export type VertexParameters = {
    */
   parent?: Cell | null;
   /**
-   * Fallback when the {@link x} or the {@link y} parameters are not set.
-   * It is mandatory to set this value or the {@link x} and the {@link y} properties.
+   * Fallback when the {@link x} or the {@link y} properties are not set.
    * Order of the elements: x, y
+   *
+   * **NOTE:** If the position of the vertex is not set at vertex creation (by setting the {@link x} or the {@link y} properties or this property), it is advised to use a {@link GraphLayout} or a {@link LayoutManager} to automatically compute the actual position.
    */
   position?: [number, number];
   /**
@@ -1025,9 +1026,11 @@ export type VertexParameters = {
    */
   relative?: boolean;
   /**
-   * Fallback when the {@link width} or the {@link height} parameters are not set.
-   * It is mandatory to set this value or the {@link width} and the {@link height} properties.
+   * Fallback when the {@link width} or the {@link height} properties are not set.
    * Order of the elements: width, height
+   *
+   * **NOTE:** If the size of the vertex is not set at vertex creation (by setting the {@link width} and the {@link height} properties or this property), it is advised to later set the size on the geometry of the vertex instance.
+   * Otherwise, the vertex has no size and it is not displayed.
    */
   size?: [number, number];
   style?: CellStyle;
diff --git a/packages/core/src/view/geometry/Rectangle.ts b/packages/core/src/view/geometry/Rectangle.ts
index f5a0377554..eff390e6e6 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/view/geometry/Rectangle.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/view/geometry/Rectangle.ts
@@ -31,18 +31,19 @@ class Rectangle extends Point {
   constructor(x = 0, y = 0, width = 0, height = 0) {
     super(x, y);
 
-    // replace super of mxPoint
     this.width = width;
     this.height = height;
   }
 
   /**
-   * Holds the width of the rectangle. Default is 0.
+   * Holds the width of the rectangle.
+   * @default 0
    */
   _width = 0;
 
   /**
-   * Holds the height of the rectangle. Default is 0.
+   * Holds the height of the rectangle.
+   * @default 0
    */
   _height = 0;
 
diff --git a/packages/core/src/view/mixins/VertexMixin.ts b/packages/core/src/view/mixins/VertexMixin.ts
index 23275bc0f9..3fba4e536c 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/view/mixins/VertexMixin.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/view/mixins/VertexMixin.ts
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ type PartialVertex = Pick<
   | 'isVertexLabelsMovable'
   | 'setVertexLabelsMovable'
 > & {
-  // handle the methods defined in the Graph interface with a single implementation
+  // handle the various methods defined in the Graph interface with a single implementation
   insertVertex: (...args: any[]) => Cell;
 };
 type PartialType = PartialGraph & PartialVertex;
@@ -68,10 +68,10 @@ export const VertexMixin: PartialType = {
       id = params.id;
       value = params.value;
 
-      x = 'x' in params ? params.x : params.position[0];
-      y = 'y' in params ? params.y : params.position[1];
-      width = 'width' in params ? params.width : params.size[0];
-      height = 'height' in params ? params.height : params.size[1];
+      x = 'x' in params ? params.x : params.position?.[0];
+      y = 'y' in params ? params.y : params.position?.[1];
+      width = 'width' in params ? params.width : params.size?.[0];
+      height = 'height' in params ? params.height : params.size?.[1];
 
       style = params.style;
       relative = params.relative;
@@ -101,10 +101,10 @@ export const VertexMixin: PartialType = {
     _parent: Cell | null,
     id: string,
     value: any,
-    x: number,
-    y: number,
-    width: number,
-    height: number,
+    x?: number,
+    y?: number,
+    width?: number,
+    height?: number,
     style?: CellStyle,
     relative = false,
     geometryClass = Geometry
diff --git a/packages/core/src/view/mixins/VertexMixin.type.ts b/packages/core/src/view/mixins/VertexMixin.type.ts
index 67b7a3847a..0e7952ffdc 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/view/mixins/VertexMixin.type.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/view/mixins/VertexMixin.type.ts
@@ -44,7 +44,11 @@ declare module '../Graph' {
      * object and the given coordinates as the {@link Geometry} of the new vertex.
      * The id and style are used for the respective properties of the new `Cell`, which is returned.
      *
-     * **IMPORTANT**: this is a legacy method to ease the migration from `mxGraph`. Use the {@link insertVertex} method with a single object parameter instead.
+     * **IMPORTANT**:
+     * - This is a legacy method to ease the migration from `mxGraph`. Use the {@link insertVertex} method with a single object parameter instead.
+     * - If the position of the vertex is not set at vertex creation (by setting the `x` and `y` parameters), it is advised to use a {@link GraphLayout} or a {@link LayoutManager} to automatically compute the actual position.
+     * - If the size of the vertex is not set at vertex creation (by setting the `width` and the `height` parameters), it is advised to later set the size on the geometry of the vertex instance.
+     * Otherwise, the vertex has no size and it is not displayed.
      *
      * When adding new vertices from a mouse event, one should take into
      * account the offset of the graph container and the scale and translation
@@ -83,10 +87,10 @@ declare module '../Graph' {
       parent: Cell | null,
       id: string | null | undefined,
       value: any,
-      x: number,
-      y: number,
-      width: number,
-      height: number,
+      x?: number,
+      y?: number,
+      width?: number,
+      height?: number,
       style?: CellStyle,
       relative?: boolean,
       geometryClass?: typeof Geometry
@@ -130,6 +134,11 @@ declare module '../Graph' {
     /**
      * Hook method that creates the new vertex for {@link insertVertex}.
      *
+     * **IMPORTANT**:
+     * - If the position of the vertex is not set at vertex creation (by setting the `x` and `y` parameters), it is advised to use a {@link GraphLayout} or a {@link LayoutManager} to automatically compute the actual position.
+     * - If the size of the vertex is not set at vertex creation (by setting the `width` and the `height` parameters), it is advised to later set the size on the geometry of the vertex instance.
+     * Otherwise, the vertex has no size and it is not displayed.
+     *
      * @param parent the parent of the new vertex. If not set, use the default parent.
      * @param id Optional string that defines the id of the new vertex. If not set, the id is auto-generated when creating the vertex.
      * @param value Object to be used as the user object.
@@ -146,10 +155,10 @@ declare module '../Graph' {
       parent: Cell | null,
       id: string | null | undefined,
       value: any,
-      x: number,
-      y: number,
-      width: number,
-      height: number,
+      x?: number,
+      y?: number,
+      width?: number,
+      height?: number,
       style?: CellStyle,
       relative?: boolean,
       geometryClass?: typeof Geometry