Canva Connect
Manage Canva designs, assets, and folders via the Connect API.
What This Skill Does (and Doesn't Do)
| ✅ CAN DO | ❌ CANNOT DO |
|---|---|
| List/search designs | Add content to designs |
| Create blank designs | Edit existing design content |
| Export designs (PNG/PDF/JPG) | Upload documents (images only) |
| Create/manage folders | AI design generation |
| Move items between folders | |
| Upload images as assets | |
| Autofill brand templates |
Realistic Use Cases
1. Asset Pipeline 🖼️
Generate diagram → upload to Canva → organize in project folder
2. Export Automation 📤
Design finished in Canva → export via CLI → use in docs/website
3. Design Organization 📁
Create project folders → move related designs → keep Canva tidy
4. Brand Template Autofill 📋
Set up template in Canva → pass data via API → get personalized output
Quick Start
# Authenticate (opens browser for OAuth)
{baseDir}/scripts/canva.sh auth
# List your designs
{baseDir}/scripts/canva.sh designs list
# Create a new design
{baseDir}/scripts/canva.sh designs create --type doc --title "My Document"
# Export a design
{baseDir}/scripts/canva.sh export <design_id> --format pdf
Setup
1. Create Canva Integration
- Go to canva.com/developers/integrations
- Click Create an integration
- Set scopes:
design:content(Read + Write)design:meta(Read)asset(Read + Write)brandtemplate:meta(Read)brandtemplate:content(Read)profile(Read)
- Set OAuth redirect:
http://127.0.0.1:3001/oauth/redirect - Note Client ID and generate Client Secret
2. Configure Environment
Add to ~/.clawdbot/clawdbot.json under skills.entries:
{
"skills": {
"entries": {
"canva": {
"clientId": "YOUR_CLIENT_ID",
"clientSecret": "YOUR_CLIENT_SECRET"
}
}
}
}
Or set environment variables:
export CANVA_CLIENT_ID="your_client_id"
export CANVA_CLIENT_SECRET="your_client_secret"
3. Authenticate
{baseDir}/scripts/canva.sh auth
Opens browser for OAuth consent. Tokens stored in ~/.clawdbot/canva-tokens.json.
Commands
Authentication
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
auth | Start OAuth flow (opens browser) |
auth status | Check authentication status |
auth logout | Clear stored tokens |
Designs
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
designs list [--limit N] | List your designs |
designs get <id> | Get design details |
designs create --type <type> --title <title> | Create new design |
designs delete <id> | Move design to trash |
Design types: doc, presentation, whiteboard, poster, instagram_post, facebook_post, video, logo, flyer, banner
Export
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
export <design_id> --format <fmt> | Export design |
export status <job_id> | Check export job status |
Formats: pdf, png, jpg, gif, pptx, mp4
Assets
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
assets list | List uploaded assets |
assets upload <file> [--name <name>] | Upload asset |
assets get <id> | Get asset details |
assets delete <id> | Delete asset |
Brand Templates
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
templates list | List brand templates |
templates get <id> | Get template details |
autofill <template_id> --data <json> | Autofill template with data |
Folders
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
folders list | List folders |
folders create <name> | Create folder |
folders get <id> | Get folder contents |
User
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
me | Get current user profile |
Examples
Create and Export a Poster
# Create
{baseDir}/scripts/canva.sh designs create --type poster --title "Event Poster"
# Export as PNG
{baseDir}/scripts/canva.sh export DAF... --format png --output ./poster.png
Upload Brand Assets
# Upload logo
{baseDir}/scripts/canva.sh assets upload ./logo.png --name "Company Logo"
# Upload multiple
for f in ./brand/*.png; do
{baseDir}/scripts/canva.sh assets upload "$f"
done
Autofill a Template
# List available templates
{baseDir}/scripts/canva.sh templates list
# Autofill with data
{baseDir}/scripts/canva.sh autofill TEMPLATE_ID --data '{
"title": "Q1 Report",
"subtitle": "Financial Summary",
"date": "January 2026"
}'
API Reference
Base URL: https://api.canva.com/rest
See references/api.md for detailed endpoint documentation.
Troubleshooting
Token Expired
{baseDir}/scripts/canva.sh auth # Re-authenticate
Rate Limited
The API has per-endpoint rate limits. The script handles backoff automatically.
Missing Scopes
If operations fail with 403, ensure your integration has the required scopes enabled.
Data Files
| File | Purpose |
|---|---|
~/.clawdbot/canva-tokens.json | OAuth tokens (encrypted) |
~/.clawdbot/canva-cache.json | Response cache |