Canvas · OpenAPI Overlay 1.0.0
API Evangelist conversational phrasing for Canvas LMS REST Roles API
10 actions
10 updates
phrasing
extends
openapi/canvas-roles-api-openapi.yml
Generated by API Evangelist
Written by API Evangelist tooling for Canvas's API. It is a proposal applied on top of the contract, not a document Canvas publishes.
What the actions change
x-apievangelist-phrasing
Targets 10
$.info
$.paths['/v1/accounts/{account_id}/roles'].get
$.paths['/v1/accounts/{account_id}/roles'].post
$.paths['/v1/accounts/{account_id}/roles/{id}'].get
$.paths['/v1/accounts/{account_id}/roles/{id}'].put
$.paths['/v1/accounts/{account_id}/roles/{id}'].delete
$.paths['/v1/accounts/{account_id}/roles/{id}/activate'].post
$.paths['/v1/accounts/{account_id}/roles/permissions'].get
$.paths['/v1/permissions/{context_type}/{permission}/help'].get
$.paths['/v1/permissions/groups'].get
OpenAPI Overlay
# Generated by API Evangelist (build-phrasing.py). Our phrasing, not observed demand.
overlay: 1.0.0
info:
title: API Evangelist conversational phrasing for Canvas LMS REST Roles API
version: 1.0.0
extends: openapi/canvas-roles-api-openapi.yml
actions:
- target: $.info
update:
x-apievangelist-phrasing:
method: generated
generated: '2026-10-01'
generator: build-phrasing.py
label: Generated by API Evangelist
operations: 9
- target: $.paths['/v1/accounts/{account_id}/roles'].get
update:
x-apievangelist-phrasing:
intent: List an account's roles
effect: read
questions:
- Which custom and built-in roles exist in my account?
- Can I include roles inherited from parent accounts, or filter to inactive ones?
instructions:
- text: List the roles in account {account_id}.
slots:
account_id: path.account_id
- text: Show roles in account {account_id} with state {state}.
slots:
account_id: path.account_id
state: query.state
method: generated
generated: '2026-10-01'
- target: $.paths['/v1/accounts/{account_id}/roles'].post
update:
x-apievangelist-phrasing:
intent: Create a custom role
effect: write
questions:
- How do I create a custom course-level role like Grader?
- Can a new role be based on the Teacher or TA enrollment type?
instructions:
- text: Create a role labeled {label} in account {account_id}.
slots:
label: requestBody.label
account_id: path.account_id
- text: Create role {label} in account {account_id} based on {base_role_type}.
slots:
label: requestBody.label
account_id: path.account_id
base_role_type: requestBody.base_role_type
method: generated
generated: '2026-10-01'
- target: $.paths['/v1/accounts/{account_id}/roles/{id}'].get
update:
x-apievangelist-phrasing:
intent: Get one role and its permissions
effect: read
questions:
- What permissions does a particular role have?
- Can I look up a role's settings by its id?
instructions:
- text: Show role {id} in account {account_id}.
slots:
id: path.id
account_id: path.account_id
- text: Get the permission set of role {role_id} in account {account_id} (path id {id}).
slots:
role_id: query.role_id
account_id: path.account_id
id: path.id
method: generated
generated: '2026-10-01'
- target: $.paths['/v1/accounts/{account_id}/roles/{id}'].put
update:
x-apievangelist-phrasing:
intent: Update a role's permissions
effect: write
questions:
- Can I change the permissions on the built-in Teacher role?
- Is it possible to rename a custom role?
instructions:
- text: Rename role {id} in account {account_id} to {label}.
slots:
id: path.id
account_id: path.account_id
label: requestBody.label
- text: Update the permissions of role {id} in account {account_id}.
slots:
id: path.id
account_id: path.account_id
method: generated
generated: '2026-10-01'
- target: $.paths['/v1/accounts/{account_id}/roles/{id}'].delete
update:
x-apievangelist-phrasing:
intent: Deactivate a custom role
effect: destructive
questions:
- What happens to users who already hold a role I deactivate?
- Can I stop a custom role from being assigned to new people?
instructions:
- text: Deactivate role {role_id} in account {account_id} (path id {id}).
slots:
role_id: query.role_id
account_id: path.account_id
id: path.id
- text: Retire custom role {id} in account {account_id}, role id {role_id}.
slots:
role_id: query.role_id
account_id: path.account_id
id: path.id
method: generated
generated: '2026-10-01'
- target: $.paths['/v1/accounts/{account_id}/roles/{id}/activate'].post
update:
x-apievangelist-phrasing:
intent: Reactivate an inactive role
effect: write
questions:
- Can I bring back a role I previously deactivated?
- Once reactivated, can a role be assigned to new users again?
instructions:
- text: Reactivate role {role_id} in account {account_id} (path id {id}).
slots:
role_id: requestBody.role_id
account_id: path.account_id
id: path.id
- text: Restore inactive role {id} in account {account_id} using role id {role_id}.
slots:
role_id: requestBody.role_id
account_id: path.account_id
id: path.id
method: generated
generated: '2026-10-01'
- target: $.paths['/v1/accounts/{account_id}/roles/permissions'].get
update:
x-apievangelist-phrasing:
intent: List permissions that roles can be granted
effect: read
questions:
- Which permissions can I grant to roles in my account?
- Can I search the grantable permissions by keyword?
instructions:
- text: List the assignable permissions in account {account_id}.
slots:
account_id: path.account_id
- text: Search account {account_id}'s grantable permissions for {search_term}.
slots:
account_id: path.account_id
search_term: query.search_term
method: generated
generated: '2026-10-01'
- target: $.paths['/v1/permissions/{context_type}/{permission}/help'].get
update:
x-apievangelist-phrasing:
intent: Explain what a permission does
effect: read
questions:
- What does a specific Canvas permission actually allow?
- Is there localized help text for a permission in a course or account context?
instructions:
- text: Explain permission {permission} in the {context_type} context.
slots:
permission: path.permission
context_type: path.context_type
- text: Get the help text for {permission} as it applies to {context_type}.
slots:
permission: path.permission
context_type: path.context_type
method: generated
generated: '2026-10-01'
- target: $.paths['/v1/permissions/groups'].get
update:
x-apievangelist-phrasing:
intent: List permission groups
effect: read
questions:
- How are granular permissions grouped together?
- Where can I get the labels for each group of granular permissions?
instructions:
- text: List the granular permission groups.
- text: Show each permission group key with its label.
method: generated
generated: '2026-10-01'