Draft Canvas documentation
Guides and reference for using and developing Draft Canvas.
Using Draft Canvas#
| Guide | Covers |
|---|---|
| Getting started | Draw, present and export your first diagram |
| Shapes and connectors | Shapes, relationships and boundaries |
| Flows and presenting | Explain a flow step by step |
| Architecture examples | Start from an existing pattern |
| System levels | Draw the detail inside a shape |
| Open points | Track unresolved questions |
| Keyboard shortcuts | Shortcuts and the command palette |
| Accessibility | Keyboard, screen reader and touch support |
| Saving and sharing | Save, back up, export and share |
| Desktop app | Files, projects and Quick Drafts |
| AI agents | Connect an agent to the desktop app |
| Self-hosting | Build and serve the static web editor |
Contributing#
| Document | Covers |
|---|---|
| Contributing | Setup, checks and pull requests |
| Development | Commands, repository map and host wiring |
| Agent instructions | Implementation rules for coding agents |
| Releases | Changelog format and release workflow |
| Changelog | Changes by version |
Technical reference#
| Document | Covers |
|---|---|
| Architecture | Design principles and module boundaries |
| Semantics | Connector rules and suggestions |
| Document schema | File format, validation and migrations |
| Library adoption | Desktop types, notifications and comparison harnesses |
| Third-party acknowledgements | Project credits, license notices and asset attribution |
| Privacy | What is stored and what leaves the device |
| Security | Threat model and reporting concerns |
| Performance | Benchmarks and results |
| Website | Build and deploy the landing page |
| Agent integration | MCP tools, permissions and guarantees |
| Desktop updates | Update channels, signing and release checks |
Planning and acceptance#
| Document | Covers |
|---|---|
| Roadmap | Planned work and acceptance checks |
| Explanation usability | Observed drawing and handoff tasks |
| Release acceptance | Reliability checks and recovery drills |