Platform concepts
Frontend development
Backend development
Client API
Server API
Reference
Regions
Canva exists in two regions:
- Global (everywhere except China)
- China
No data is shared between these regions.
This means there are two, completely independent versions of the Developer Portal:
This has a few implications that are relevant to developers.
Terms and conditions
Apps created via
canva.cn must adhere to the following terms and conditions:These terms and conditions are unique to the China region.
The key differences include:
- Your app must adhere to all applicable laws, including:
- Your app's terms of use must not permit users under the age of 14 to use the app.
Personally Identifiable Information (PII)
China's data privacy laws require that personal data of Chinese users must be stored on servers within Chinese territories.
Multi-region apps
Apps created via
canva.com are independent of apps created via canva.cn. (The reverse is also true.) If you want to release your app in the Global and China regions, you need to create and maintain the apps in both regions.Documentation
The documentation always refers to the
canva.com domain. If you’re developing an app for China, it’s important to replace references to canva.com with canva.cn.Receiving requests
Throughout the lifecycle of an app, Canva may send HTTP requests to your app. The referring domain of these requests depends on the app’s region:
- Apps created in the Global region receive requests from the
canva.comdomain. - Apps created in the China region receive requests from the
canva.cndomain.
Sending requests
Throughout the lifecycle of an app, your app may need to send HTTP requests to Canva. The target domain of these requests depends on the app’s region:
- Apps created in the Global region must send requests to the
canva.comdomain. - Apps created in the China region must send requests to the
canva.cndomain.
At the moment, this is only relevant when an app supports authentication, as apps must redirect users back to Canva at the end of an authentication flow.
Translations
When Canva releases a public app in the Global region, it translates the app's copy into a variety of different languages.
In the China region, developers can either:
- Provide copy in English. Canva will translate the copy into Simplified Chinese.
- Provide copy in Simplified Chinese. Canva won't translate the copy.
The end result is that, in the China region, apps are only available in Simplified Chinese.
Timeout durations
All HTTP requests that Canva sends to an app have a timeout duration. If the app fails to respond to the request within this duration, the request fails. The exact duration depends on the request.
In the China region, the timeout durations are sometimes longer than the durations in the Global region. This accounts for the slower, less reliable internet speeds in China.
Last modified 6mo ago