Overview
Review the options for implementing Canny into your product, from low/no-code options to advanced custom implementations.
Benefits
Make it easy for customers to provide feedback directly through your website or product
Provide seamless user authentication when integrated with the Canny Identify SDK, eliminating additional login steps
Tailor Canny to your product to provide a consistent branded experience for people giving feedback
How to install Canny in your product
Option 1: Link to the Canny Portal (No-Code or Low-Code Option)
What it is:
A simple way to direct users to your Canny boards, hosted at a public URL (e.g., yourcompany.canny.io). When you sign up for Canny, you get your own Canny page (portal) at yoursubdomain.canny.io. You can set and edit your subdomain in the Branding tab of the general settings page in Canny:
Your Canny feedback portal looks something like this:
How it works:
You place a link or button in your product (like in a help center or resource center) that opens your Canny board. This gives users a full view of your feature requests or roadmap without requiring any code. Here’s how that installation might look visually:
Setup steps:
Go to your board’s public URL, such as yourcompany.canny.io/feature-requests
Share that link anywhere inside your app or help center
Optionally, link directly to the post creation view by appending /create
Example: yourcompany.canny.io/feature-requests/create
Optional: To automatically authenticate users, you can embed the Canny SDK code snippet for a seamless login experience. This is optional, but strongly recommended
If you are not using the Canny SDK, users will have to create a separate login for Canny to leave feedback
When to use this option:
You want a no-code solution (or low-code if you’re using the Canny SDK)
You are okay with users leaving your app to submit feedback
You want to move quickly without development work
Notes:
If you use the Canny SDK, you can authenticate your users so that they won't need to log in after navigating to Canny.
Option 2: Embed the Canny Widget (Low-Code Option)
What it is:
The Canny widget allows you to embed a full Canny board directly inside your web or mobile app, so users never leave your product.
How it works:
Using a short code snippet, your team can embed a specific board on a page in your app. This lets users browse, search, vote, and submit posts inline.
Setup steps:
Add a <div data-canny></div> to your product UI
Add the provided Canny JavaScript snippet to your page
Pass in your board token, theme, and optionally an SSO token for user authentication
If using a private board, SSO is required
Documentation links:
When to use this option:
You want a native, in-app feedback experience
You have engineering support to embed and test the widget
You want a seamless user experience that allows users to login but remain within your app
By default, users can log into Canny within the widget
If you provide an SSO token, users will be automatically authenticated
Option 3: Build a Custom Feedback UI Using the Canny API (Advanced)
What it is:
A fully custom solution where your team builds its own feedback interface using the Canny API.
How it works:
You create your own form or feedback list in your product. When a user submits or interacts with feedback, your server sends the data to Canny via API.
What you can do with the API:
Create new posts
Fetch lists of posts by board, tag, or status
Register upvotes and comments
Link posts to Jira or other tools
Setup steps:
Design and build your own frontend (form, list, or voting buttons)
Set up a backend route to securely call the Canny API
Use your authentication system to identify users
Send data to Canny using the relevant endpoints
Documentation links:
When to use this option:
You want full control over how feedback is displayed and collected
You want to blend feedback into existing UI or workflows
You have engineering resources to maintain a custom setup
Engineering Effort Comparison
Integration Option | Setup Time | Engineering Skill Level | Maintenance Needed | Notes |
Option 1: Link to Portal | None | None | None | Just hyperlink to your Canny board. No code required. |
Option 2: Embed the Widget | ~30 minutes to an hour | Frontend developer | Low | Add JS snippet and optional SSO token. Easy to install and test. |
Option 3: Custom UI with Canny API | Days to weeks | Full-stack engineer | Medium to High | Build your own feedback form, backend route, and handle API auth + error handling. |
Key Details to Consider:
Option 1 is best for speed. Great for MVPs or if your team wants to start gathering feedback today.
Option 2 strikes a good balance. It is easy to implement but still gives your users an embedded experience.
Option 3 gives the most control but also the most engineering overhead. Best suited for teams with dedicated developers and clear UI/UX goals.
If you’re not sure which option is best, just start a chat or email us at support@canny.io and we’ll be happy to help!
Things to note :
The Canny Identify SDK provides a seamless user experience and bypasses further authentication. It is strongly recommended, but not required. Users who arrive on a board with no authentication have other options.
If neither Canny Identify nor an SSO redirect is established to identify users and provide a seamless authentication experience, Canny will give them the option to identify themselves using their Google, Facebook, or GitHub accounts. As a last resort, Canny will offer them the choice to create an email and password combination.
You can set up a custom domain such as feedback.yourcompany.com (rather than the default yourcompany.canny.io). Learn more
Put the link somewhere it's easy to find!
We recommend no more than 2 clicks away from anywhere in your product
A settings menu, support page, or anywhere users are toggling/setting up your product rather than actively using your product is usually an ideal place for a Canny link.
You can add multiple links on more than one page. Add links anywhere that is relevant/convenient.
We recommend linking users to a specific board rather than the main Canny homepage.
For instance, feedback.canny.io**/feature-requests** rather than just feedback.canny.io. This skips a click and makes the user more likely to give feedback.
Consider embedding a Canny widget to keep people within your product as they give feedback.
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