<!-- enhance-docs page=reference/mcp/canvas-read -->
<!-- enhance-docs release-sha256=8a804cfc9a6fc6b942b8daf6a82266ad6e308291ae4351abee3346bc696d1258 -->

# canvas.read

<span class="reference-badge">query</span> <span class="reference-badge">read</span>

Use when current canvas state is missing from the task context.

## Before calling

- Authenticate as the accountable Enhance person.
- Use only resource identifiers returned by an earlier capability result or supplied by the person.

## Input

<details class="reference-schema">
<summary>Show complete JSON Schema</summary>

```json
{"$schema":"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema","anyOf":[{"oneOf":[{"type":"object","properties":{"view":{"type":"string","const":"resources"},"limit":{"default":30,"type":"integer","minimum":1,"maximum":100},"cursor":{"type":"string","minLength":1,"maxLength":16384},"canvasRef":{"type":"string","minLength":1,"description":"Canvas UUID or full canvas/selection URL. Preserve the supplied scope."},"expectedVersion":{"type":"integer","exclusiveMinimum":0,"maximum":9007199254740991}},"required":["view","canvasRef"],"additionalProperties":false},{"type":"object","properties":{"canvasRef":{"type":"string","minLength":1,"description":"Canvas UUID or full canvas/selection URL. Preserve the supplied scope."},"expectedVersion":{"type":"integer","exclusiveMinimum":0,"maximum":9007199254740991},"view":{"type":"string","const":"editable"},"rootNodeId":{"type":"string","minLength":1}},"required":["canvasRef","view","rootNodeId"],"additionalProperties":false},{"type":"object","properties":{"canvasRef":{"type":"string","minLength":1,"description":"Canvas UUID or full canvas/selection URL. Preserve the supplied scope."},"expectedVersion":{"type":"integer","exclusiveMinimum":0,"maximum":9007199254740991},"view":{"type":"string","const":"source"},"nodeId":{"type":"string","minLength":1},"transcript":{"type":"object","properties":{"startMs":{"default":0,"type":"integer","minimum":0,"maximum":9007199254740991},"endMs":{"type":"integer","minimum":0,"maximum":9007199254740991},"limit":{"default":30,"type":"integer","minimum":1,"maximum":100},"cursor":{"type":"string","minLength":1,"maxLength":16384}},"additionalProperties":false}},"required":["canvasRef","view","nodeId"],"additionalProperties":false},{"type":"object","properties":{"canvasRef":{"type":"string","minLength":1,"description":"Canvas UUID or full canvas/selection URL. Preserve the supplied scope."},"expectedVersion":{"type":"integer","exclusiveMinimum":0,"maximum":9007199254740991},"view":{"type":"string","const":"outline"},"rootNodeIds":{"minItems":1,"maxItems":1000,"type":"array","items":{"type":"string","minLength":1}},"depth":{"default":2,"type":"integer","minimum":0,"maximum":64},"limit":{"default":50,"type":"integer","minimum":1,"maximum":100},"cursor":{"type":"string","minLength":1,"maxLength":16384}},"required":["canvasRef","view"],"additionalProperties":false}],"type":"object"},{"type":"object","properties":{"canvas":{"type":"string","minLength":1,"description":"Complete canvas, page or selection URL, or canvas UUID. Preserve the supplied scope."},"nodeId":{"description":"Optional subtree within the supplied page or selection.","type":"string","minLength":1}},"required":["canvas"],"additionalProperties":false}],"type":"object"}
```
</details>

### Example

<details class="reference-schema">
<summary>Show example input</summary>

```json
{
 "canvasRef": "00000000-0000-4000-8000-000000000010",
 "view": "outline",
 "depth": 2,
 "limit": 50
}
```
</details>

## Result

Returns a typed canvas.read result from the Enhance API without transport-specific prose.


[Show complete result JSON Schema (JSON file)](/docs/reference/mcp/canvas-read.output-schema.json)

### Example result

<details class="reference-schema">
<summary>Show example result</summary>

```json
{
 "canvasId": "00000000-0000-4000-8000-000000000010",
 "version": 1,
 "scope": {
  "rootNodeIds": [
   "root"
  ]
 },
 "view": "outline",
 "complete": true,
 "returnedCount": 1,
 "total": 1,
 "nextCursor": null,
 "omittedDescendants": false,
 "nodes": [
  {
   "id": "root",
   "label": "Canvas",
   "kind": "root",
   "parentId": null,
   "sortKey": null,
   "depth": 0,
   "childCount": 0,
   "childrenOmitted": false,
   "locked": false,
   "visible": true,
   "editable": true,
   "bounds": null
  }
 ],
 "warnings": []
}
```
</details>

## Recovery

- BAD_REQUEST: correct the named fields and call again.
- UNAUTHORIZED: restore Enhance authentication, then retry once.
- FORBIDDEN or NOT_FOUND: check the supplied resource and selection; do not substitute unrelated content. Ask for corrected access or scope if needed.
- CONFLICT: read the current resource, merge the intended change, and retry with its version.
- INTERNAL: run Enhance diagnostics, report the failure, and stop repeating the call.

## Continue with

- Use the returned identifiers and version in the next canvas operation.

## Versions

Compatibility: `7b34016c1431ab074fd0c22ea17f82d65a528f284e1e798854551e6fb1f114c3`.

Minimum tested versions: Enhance CLI and MCP runtime 0.1.40, plugin 1.0.38, Node.js 24. No older floor is published.