How to Build Interactive Experiences Using Canvas

Most developers are collaborating with AI agents, but simple conversational interfaces have limitations when it comes to visualizing complex information or performing structured tasks. To address this, GitHub Copilot offers an extended interface called Canvas.

Canvas is a shared interactive space where developers and agents can collaborate in real time. Agents update the canvas as they work, and users can directly manipulate information through actions like clicking, editing, and swiping. User interactions are either passed back to the agent or processed locally within the canvas, enabling continuous iteration.

Canvases can be created using the /create-canvas command and can be used in a variety of forms, including:

• Issue Triage Helper: An interface that visualizes GitHub Issues as cards, allowing quick triage and processing through simple swipe actions.
• Interactive Codebase Diagram: A tool that visualizes a project's structure and the relationships between components as a dynamic, explorable diagram.
• Sessions Worktree View: A view for visualizing and managing active Copilot sessions and git worktrees.

These canvases go beyond simple text responses, providing an active workflow where users can directly explore and control information.