Kanvaz Guide
A complete, offline reference for every part of Kanvaz — how to use it,
not how it’s built (see docs/TECHNICAL_OVERVIEW.md for that side).
Written and verified against the real v9.7.0 codebase, not from memory.
Each guide below is self-contained — jump to whichever one matches what
you’re trying to do. New to Kanvaz? Start with the Quick Start.
Getting started
- Quick Start — install to your first board in under 5 minutes
- About Kanvaz — what Kanvaz is, what it isn’t, and where to find help
The three views
- Board View — the main canvas: cards, selection, annotations, grouping
- Map View — the connection graph between your cards
- Scratch Board — a freeform sketch/notes layer per board
Working with your references
- Import & Export — every way media gets in and out of Kanvaz
- Templates — built-in starter boards, saving your own, and the Template Maker plugin
- Shared Cards — the same card, live-linked across multiple boards
- Task Tracker — per-board checklists attached to your reference work
- Media Previews — what Kanvaz can open natively: 3D models, PSD, HDR/EXR, Krita, video, audio
Finding things fast
Making Kanvaz yours
- Side Panel — Properties, Layers, Task Tracker, Settings rail
- Settings — every option, what it does, and why it’s there
- Profiles — multiple people, one install, fully offline
- Plugins — the trust model, installing one, and the three official plugins
- MCP Bridge — letting an AI assistant drive your board directly
Every screenshot in this guide is real — captured from a running build,
never mocked up. Each page is stamped with the Kanvaz version it was
verified against; if you’re on a materially newer version and something
looks different, that’s why.