> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://vida.io/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Build an Agent Canvas

> Create and publish a simple web experience that your Computer Agent can maintain.

Canvas is a web application served by a Computer Agent. An Agent can use it to present a dashboard,
report, status page, review queue, or another simple interface alongside its conversational work.

Canvas source is a React application in the Agent workspace. The Agent can update that source and
publish a new version without requiring a separate hosting project.

## Choose when to use Canvas

Canvas is useful when information is easier to understand or act on visually than in a chat reply.
Good starting points include:

* a current operations dashboard
* a generated report with filters or links
* a simple review or approval interface
* a focused view of files or data the Agent maintains

Canvas is a static application. Put credentials and privileged operations in managed connections,
skills, or reusable helpers rather than in code delivered to a viewer's browser.

## Edit and publish

Ask the Computer Agent to make the change, or edit its Canvas source through the workspace APIs.
Source lives in the `app` directory. Publishing builds that source and replaces the generated Canvas
files. Publishing also prepares dependencies declared by the Canvas project when they changed or
are unavailable. Always open the published Canvas after a change and test the real interaction.

The generated `public` directory is not the source of truth. A later publish replaces it, so edit
`app` instead.

## Control access

Canvas supports three visibility modes:

* **Public:** Anyone with the stable Canvas URL can open it.
* **Private:** A viewer needs authorized, time-limited access.
* **Off:** The Canvas cannot be opened.

On a Computer shared by several Agents, the current visibility setting applies to every Agent Canvas
on that Computer. Each Agent still has its own Canvas URL and files.

Do not place private information in a public Canvas. For a private Canvas, use the current authorized
launch link rather than saving or sharing an expired link.

<Note>
  Managing Canvas through the API? See [Computer Agent Canvas](/docs/api-reference/agent-guides/computer-agent-canvas).
</Note>