# Introduction {% hint style="warning" %} **Welcome to Our New API Docs!** This is the new home for all things API (previously at [Canvas LMS REST API Documentation](https://api.instructure.com)). {% endhint %} ## External Tools Introduction Canvas, like many LMSs, supports loading external resources inline using the [IMS LTI standard](http://www.imsglobal.org/lti/). These tools can be deployed on a course or account level. Once configured, tools can be surfaced [as links in course modules](https://developerdocs.instructure.com/services/canvas/external-tools/lti/placements/file.link_selection_placement) or used to [deliver custom assignment experiences](https://developerdocs.instructure.com/services/canvas/external-tools/lti/placements/file.assignment_selection_placement). Canvas supports some additional integration points using LTI (see the "Placements" dropdown in the left hand navigation here) to offer a more integrated experience and to allow for more customization of the Canvas product. This is accomplished by [configuring additional settings](https://developerdocs.instructure.com/services/canvas/external-tools/lti/file.lti_dev_key_config) on external tools used inside of Canvas and by leveraging [LTI Advantage services](https://www.imsglobal.org/lti-advantage-overview). Because tools can be deployed at any level in the system hierarchy, they can be as general or specific as needed. The Chemistry Department can add chemistry-specific tools without those tools cluttering everyone else's interfaces. Or, a single teacher who is trying out some new web service can do so without needing the tool to be set up at the account level. ### Types of Tool Integrations Canvas currently supports the following types of tool placements. **External tool** [**assignments integrations**](https://developerdocs.instructure.com/services/canvas/external-tools/lti/file.assignment_tools)**:** This type of integration is part of the [LTI 1.1 Outcomes Service](http://www.imsglobal.org/LTI/v1p1/ltiIMGv1p1.html) or [LTI 1.3 Assignment and Grade Services](http://www.imsglobal.org/spec/lti-ags/v2p0/) and allows external services to synchronize grades, and other assignment details. Example use cases might include: * Administering a timed, auto-graded coding project * Evaluating a student's ability to correctly draw notes at different musical intervals * Giving students credit for participating in an interactive lesson on the Civil War **Adding a link/tab to the** [**course navigation**](https://developerdocs.instructure.com/services/canvas/external-tools/placements/file.navigation_tools#course_navigation)**:** Example use cases might include: * Building a specialized attendance/seating chart tool * Adding an "ebooks" link with course required reading * Connecting to study room scheduling tool * Linking to campus communication hub * Displaying a course-level dashboard (ex: analytics, student engagement, risk assessment, etc.) **Adding a link/tab to the** [**account navigation**](https://developerdocs.instructure.com/services/canvas/external-tools/placements/file.navigation_tools#account_navigation)**:** Example use cases might include: * Including outside reports in the Canvas UI * Building helper libraries for campus-specific customizations * Leveraging single sign-on for access to other systems, like SIS **Adding a link/tab to the** [**user profile navigation**](https://developerdocs.instructure.com/services/canvas/external-tools/placements/file.navigation_tools#user_navigation)**:** Example use cases might include: * Leveraging single sign-on to student portal from within Canvas * Linking to an external user profile **Selecting content to add to a variety of locations as** [**LTI deep links**](https://developerdocs.instructure.com/services/canvas/external-tools/lti/file.content_item)**:** Example use cases might include: * adding a button to [embed content to the Rich Content Editor](https://developerdocs.instructure.com/services/canvas/external-tools/lti/placements/file.editor_button_placement): * Embedding resources from campus video/image repository * Inserting custom-designed chemistry diagrams into quiz question text * Building integrations with new or subject-area-specialized web authoring services * [selecting links for modules](https://developerdocs.instructure.com/services/canvas/external-tools/lti/placements/file.link_selection_placement) * Building and then linking to a remixed version of an online Physics textbook * Selecting from a list of pre-built, interactive quizzes on blood vessels * Choosing a specific chapter from an e-textbook to add to a module * [creating custom assignments for Canvas](https://developerdocs.instructure.com/services/canvas/external-tools/lti/file.assignment_tools) * Creating a Canvas assignment that launches the student to a custom assessment that can be automatically graded by the tool and synced with the Canvas Gradebook * Launching the student to an assessment with interactive videos. Once complete, the tool returns an LTI launch url that allows the teacher to see the submission without leaving Canvas. * [allowing a student to submit attachments to assignments](https://developerdocs.instructure.com/services/canvas/external-tools/lti/placements/file.homework_submission_placement) * A student launches a custom video recording tool and submits the recording to Canvas * A student chooses an item from a portfolio tool and submits the item to Canvas **Subscribing to notifications with** [**Platform Notification Service**](https://developerdocs.instructure.com/services/canvas/external-tools/lti/file.pns)**:** Platform Notification Service (PNS) enables server-to-server communication by allowing the Platform to send messages, known as Notices, to Tools outside the scope of an active user session. Tools can register a "webhook" or handler endpoint using PNS to receive specific types of Notices, facilitating seamless integration and automation. ### How to Configure/Import Integrated Tools #### LTI 1.1 Tool's placements can be configured using [LTI configuration XML](https://developerdocs.instructure.com/services/canvas/external-tools/lti/file.tools_xml) as specified in the IMS Common Cartridge specification, or using the [external tools API](https://developerdocs.instructure.com/services/canvas/resources/external_tools). Configuration XML contains all non-account-specific settings (except the consumer key and shared secret, which must always be entered manually). The user can [configure the tool by a tool-provided URL](https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Instructor-Guide/How-do-I-configure-an-external-app-for-a-course-using-a-URL/ta-p/884) (recommended), or [paste in the XML](https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Admin-Guide/How-do-I-configure-an-external-app-for-an-account-using-XML/ta-p/221) that the tool provides. For information on how to programmatically configure external tools, so users don't have to copy and paste URLs or XML, please see the Canvas [external tools API](https://developerdocs.instructure.com/services/canvas/resources/external_tools). #### LTI 1.3 Similar to LTI 1.1, tools built on the [LTI 1.3 specification](https://www.imsglobal.org/spec/lti/v1p3/) can be configured by either supplying clients with a JSON block or URL that hosts the JSON. This JSON is used to determine the behavior of the tool within Canvas by [configuring an LTI Developer Key](https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Admin-Guide/How-do-I-configure-an-LTI-key-for-an-account/ta-p/140). Once the developer key is created and turned on, users with sufficient permissions can [install the tool using the developer key's client ID](https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Admin-Guide/How-do-I-configure-an-external-app-for-an-account-using-a-client/ta-p/202). **LTI Advantage Services permissions** When setting up Developer Keys, the section “LTI Advantage Services” allows you to enable or disable permissions for access via that developer key. Below is the list of permissions available: | Permission name | What it does | IMS / Canvas scope | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Can create and view assignment data in the gradebook associated with the tool** | Allows use of all functionality of the [LTI LineItems API](https://developerdocs.instructure.com/services/canvas/resources/line_items) | | | **Can view assignment data in the gradebook associated with the tool** | Allows use of the “show” and “list” endpoints of the [LTI LineItems API](https://developerdocs.instructure.com/services/canvas/resources/line_items) | | | **Can view submission data for assignments associated with the tool.** | Allows use of the [LTI Advantage Result API](https://developerdocs.instructure.com/services/canvas/resources/result) | | | **Can create and update submission results for assignments associated with the tool** | Allows use of the [LTI Advantage Score API](https://developerdocs.instructure.com/services/canvas/resources/score) | | | **Can view Progress records associated with the context the tool is installed in** | Allows use of the [Canvas LTI Progress API](https://developerdocs.instructure.com/services/canvas/resources/progress), which is used during Score creation with an associated file | | | **Can retrieve user data associated with the context the tool is installed in** | Allows use of the [LTI Advantage Names and Roles Provisioning Service](https://developerdocs.instructure.com/services/canvas/resources/names_and_role) | | | **Can register to receive asynchronous notifications from Canvas** | Allows use of the 1EdTech Platform Notification Service. | | | **Can retrieve submissions from Document Processor Assignments (experimental)** | Allows use of the Asset Service (part of the 1EdTech Asset Processor specification). *Under development and not available yet for general use.* | | | **Can send reports for Document Processor Assignments (experimental)** | Allows use of the Asset Report Service (part of the 1EdTech Asset Processor specification). *Under development and not available yet for general use.* | | | **Can track if EULA has been accepted (experimental)** | Allows use of the EULA Acceptance Service (part of the 1EdTech Asset Processor specification). *Under development and not available yet for general use.* | | | **Can reset EULA acceptance status (experimental)** | Allows use of the EULA Deployment Service (part of the 1EdTech Asset Processor specification). *Under development and not available yet for general use.* | | | **Can update public jwk for LTI services** | Allows use of the [LTI Public JWK API](https://developerdocs.instructure.com/services/canvas/resources/public_jwk) to update the tool's developer key's public JWK | | | **Can lookup Account information** | Allows use of the [Canvas LTI Account API](https://developerdocs.instructure.com/services/canvas/resources/accounts_-lti) (read only) | | | **Can view the content of a page the tool is launched from** | Allows use of the [lti.getPageContent](https://developerdocs.instructure.com/services/canvas/external-tools/file.lti_window_post_message#lti-getpagecontent) postMessage | | | **Can view LTI registrations associated with the tool** | Allows readonly access to the tool's own registration | | | **Can send automatic updates to be approved by an Administrator** | Allows the tool to view and push update requests to it's own registration | | NOTE: scopes with `https://canvas.instructure.com` are Canvas specific while others are LTI specifications *** This documentation is generated directly from the Canvas LMS source code, available [on Github](https://github.com/instructure/canvas-lms).