Build with chat
Build with chat is the sparkles-mode panel in the Architect — chat docked beside the open canvas. You describe what to build or edit; Canoryn changes the workflow.
Chat (the main chat elsewhere in the app) can also build workflows, open boards, and work with the canvas. Use Build with chat when you want that conversation beside the live workflow you’re editing. Use Chat when you’re already chatting and want a workflow or board without switching sidebars first.
Prefer design phrasing (“build a workflow that…”) when you want a reusable workflow — not a one-off action right now.
Where it is
In the Architect window toolbar (top left, next to Home), use the two-button switch:
| Control | Icon | Opens |
|---|---|---|
| Projects / files | Grid | Projects sidebar — your workflow file tree |
| Build with chat | Sparkles | Chat linked to this canvas — header reads Linked persistent Chat · live canvas |
Build with chat replaces the left sidebar content while that mode is selected. The canvas stays in the center; the Inspector stays on the right for the selected node.
Open it
- Open the Architect (Window → Architect, or your usual shortcut).
- Open or create the workflow you want to work on.
- In the top toolbar, click the sparkles control (Build with chat).
- Describe what the workflow should do in the chat.
Example prompts:
Build a workflow that, every weekday at 9am, summarizes my calendar and speaks a short brief.Add a step that opens Safari to the project board after the AI finishes.Change the voice trigger phrase to "start focus mode" without rebuilding the rest.Press ⌘↩ to submit (see Controls & Shortcuts).
What you’ll see
- Nodes appear on the canvas as you chat — incrementally, so you can watch and steer.
- Clarification cards when something is unclear (location, schedule, missing tool). Pick a choice; don’t leave the chat guessing.
- Surgical edits — change one setting, swap a step, add or remove a node, or reconnect wires while keeping the rest of the workflow intact.
- Browse available steps — ask what’s possible, or explore the live list of steps (with inputs/outputs) before inventing something new.
TIP
Phrasing matters. “Build a workflow that plays focus music when I open Xcode” designs a workflow. “Play focus music” may run music now. Everyday shortcuts no longer fire the underlying action when you asked to design.
Enable vs Play
| Control | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Play | Run this workflow now on the canvas while drafting. Works even for schedule / app-event triggers so you can test. |
| Enable | Publish the workflow so scheduled runs, CLI, and external agents can use it. Enable still asks for consent when required. |
Drafting on the canvas does not require Enable. Turning a workflow on is what makes it available outside the Architect.
Custom tools
If a capability isn’t built in yet, Canoryn may propose a custom script tool:
- You see the full source before approving.
- After you approve, it appears as a normal canvas step.
- The source stays visible in the inspector so you’re never trusting a black box.
Tips
- Prefer short, concrete goals (“when X happens, do Y, then Z”).
- If the chat asks a question, answer it in the card — that keeps the workflow honest.
- After a build, use Play once, then Enable when you’re ready for schedules or external agents.
- You can still wire nodes by hand — Build with chat, Chat, and the palette work together. See Quick Start for a manual walkthrough.
Related
- Workflows — draft, Play, and Enable
- Research boards — live comparison workspaces that run as real workflows
- CLI & MCP — let other AI tools author and run the same workflows
- Architect Overview