Layout

Sections are the top-level content containers of your document. Every document has a sections array containing one or more sections. Each section holds a content array of elements.

Flow section

The most common section type. Content flows across pages automatically.

{
  "type": "flow",
  "newPage": true,
  "columns": { "count": 2, "space": 1.27, "separate": true },
  "content": [
    { "type": "h1", "text": "Chapter 1" },
    { "type": "text", "text": "Content flows across pages automatically." }
  ]
}

Properties

Property	Type	Required	Default	Description
`type`	string	Yes	—	Must be `"flow"`
`id`	string	No	—	Optional unique identifier. Max: 100 chars.
`newPage`	boolean	No	`true`	Start this section on a new page. Set to `false` to continue on the same page as the previous section.
`columns`	object	No	—	Multi-column layout. See Columns.
`content`	array	Yes	—	Array of content elements. Max: 5000 elements.

Elements inside a flow section can use a pagination object:

{
  "keepTogether": true,
  "keepWithNext": true,
  "pageBreakBefore": false,
  "widowControl": true
}

Pagination behavior can vary by output format and element type. Inspect the rendered result for critical page breaks and grouped content.

Columns

Enable multi-column layout for a flow section.

{
  "type": "flow",
  "columns": { "count": 2, "space": 1.5, "separate": true },
  "content": [ ... ]
}

Property	Type	Required	Default	Description
`count`	number	Yes	—	Number of columns (1–4).
`space`	number	No	`1.27`	Space between columns in cm (0–5).
`separate`	boolean	No	`false`	Show a vertical separator line between columns.

Page section

A single positioned page — useful for cover pages, title pages, or any content that needs precise vertical positioning. Content does not flow to the next page.

{
  "type": "page",
  "align": "center",
  "content": [
    { "type": "h1", "text": "My Document", "align": "center" },
    { "type": "text", "text": "A subtitle", "align": "center" }
  ]
}

Properties

Property	Type	Required	Default	Description
`type`	string	Yes	—	Must be `"page"`
`id`	string	No	—	Optional unique identifier. Max: 100 chars.
`align`	string	No	`"top"`	Vertical alignment: `"top"`, `"center"`, `"bottom"`
`startY`	number	No	—	Y position in cm from top (0–100). Overrides `align`.
`orientation`	string	No	—	`\"portrait\"` or `\"landscape\"`.
`backgroundColor`	string	No	—	Backward-compatible page background color.
`background`	object	No	—	Page background color and/or image with fit, position, and opacity.
`margins`	object	No	—	Per-side page margins in cm.
`showHeader`	boolean	No	inherited	Override header visibility for this page.
`showFooter`	boolean	No	inherited	Override footer visibility for this page.
`content`	array	Yes	—	Array of content elements. Max: 200 elements.

Page sections are limited to a single page. If the content exceeds the page height, it will be clipped. Use flow sections for content that should span multiple pages.

Page background example

{
  "type": "page",
  "align": "center",
  "orientation": "portrait",
  "background": {
    "color": "#0f172a",
    "image": {
      "src": "/image/asset-id",
      "fit": "cover",
      "positionX": 50,
      "positionY": 40,
      "opacity": 0.35
    }
  },
  "margins": { "top": 1.5, "right": 1.5, "bottom": 1.5, "left": 1.5 },
  "showHeader": false,
  "showFooter": false,
  "content": [
    { "type": "h1", "text": "Annual Report", "color": "#ffffff" }
  ]
}

Semantic layout

Use a layout element when columns need independent content while remaining editable. This differs from flow-section columns: content does not automatically flow from one layout column into the next.

{
  "type": "layout",
  "gap": 12,
  "style": {
    "backgroundColor": "#f8fafc",
    "border": { "width": 1, "color": "#cbd5e1", "style": "solid" },
    "padding": { "top": 8, "right": 8, "bottom": 8, "left": 8 }
  },
  "pagination": { "keepTogether": true },
  "columns": [
    {
      "width": "1fr",
      "verticalAlign": "top",
      "content": [
        { "type": "h2", "text": "Summary" },
        { "type": "text", "text": "Editable left-column content." }
      ]
    },
    {
      "width": "2fr",
      "verticalAlign": "center",
      "style": { "backgroundColor": "#ecfdf5" },
      "content": [
        { "type": "text", "text": "Wider right-column content." }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Semantic layout properties

Property	Type	Required	Description
`type`	string	Yes	Must be `\"layout\"`.
`columns`	array	Yes	1–4 independently editable columns.
`gap`	number	No	Gap between columns in points.
`style`	object	No	Background, border, and per-side padding for the whole layout.
`spacing`	object	No	Spacing before and after the layout.
`pagination`	object	No	Page-break and keep controls.

Column width accepts fixed centimeters as a number, percentages such as \"35%\", fractional units such as \"1fr\", or \"auto\". Each column can define verticalAlign (top, center, bottom) and its own background, border, and padding. Semantic layout content remains editable in supported office-document outputs.

Fixed canvas

Use a canvas element for deliberately fixed compositions such as cover pages, certificates, or decorative title panels.

{
  "type": "canvas",
  "height": 100,
  "backgroundColor": "#0f172a",
  "pagination": { "pageBreakBefore": true, "keepTogether": true },
  "elements": [
    {
      "kind": "shape",
      "shape": "rectangle",
      "x": 0,
      "y": 0,
      "width": 100,
      "height": 100,
      "fillColor": "#0f172a",
      "zIndex": 0
    },
    {
      "kind": "text",
      "text": "Annual Report",
      "x": 10,
      "y": 30,
      "width": 80,
      "height": 20,
      "fontSize": 36,
      "fontWeight": "bold",
      "color": "#ffffff",
      "align": "center",
      "zIndex": 2
    },
    {
      "kind": "image",
      "src": "/image/asset-id",
      "x": 70,
      "y": 8,
      "width": 22,
      "height": 20,
      "fit": "contain",
      "zIndex": 1
    }
  ]
}

Canvas properties

Property	Type	Required	Description
`type`	string	Yes	Must be `\"canvas\"`.
`height`	number	Yes	Canvas height as 10–100% of the page content area.
`elements`	array	Yes	Positioned text, image, and shape items.
`backgroundColor`	string	No	Canvas background color.
`spacing`	object	No	Spacing before and after the canvas.
`pagination`	object	No	Page-break and keep controls.

Every item uses percentage-based x, y, width, and height. Common optional properties are id, rotation, opacity, and zIndex. Image items also support fit and focalPoint.

Individual canvas items remain editable in Autype but not in exported office documents. Form fields are not supported inside a canvas; use semantic layout for editable text and form controls.

Page break

Forces a page break at the current position. Optionally changes the page orientation for subsequent pages.

{ "type": "pageBreak" }

With orientation change:

{ "type": "pageBreak", "orientation": "landscape" }

Properties

Property	Type	Required	Default	Description
`type`	string	Yes	—	Must be `"pageBreak"`
`id`	string	No	—	Optional unique identifier. Max: 100 chars.
`orientation`	string	No	—	Change page orientation after the break: `"portrait"` or `"landscape"`. If omitted, the current orientation is kept.

Spacer

Adds vertical whitespace between elements.

{ "type": "spacer", "height": 2 }

The height can be specified as a number (line units) or a pixel string:

{ "type": "spacer", "height": "40px" }

Properties

Property	Type	Required	Default	Description
`type`	string	Yes	—	Must be `"spacer"`
`id`	string	No	—	Optional unique identifier. Max: 100 chars.
`height`	number \| string	No	`1`	Height as line count (0.5–50) or pixel string (e.g., `"20px"`, `"50.5px"`).

Complete example

{
  "document": { "type": "pdf", "size": "A4" },
  "sections": [
    {
      "type": "page",
      "align": "center",
      "content": [
        { "type": "h1", "text": "Annual Report 2025", "align": "center" },
        { "type": "spacer", "height": 2 },
        { "type": "text", "text": "Acme Corporation", "align": "center", "fontSize": 18 }
      ]
    },
    {
      "type": "flow",
      "content": [
        { "type": "toc", "title": "Table of Contents" },
        { "type": "pageBreak" }
      ]
    },
    {
      "type": "flow",
      "content": [
        { "type": "h1", "text": "Executive Summary" },
        { "type": "text", "text": "This section provides an overview of the year." }
      ]
    },
    {
      "type": "flow",
      "columns": { "count": 2, "space": 1.5 },
      "content": [
        { "type": "h1", "text": "Financial Data" },
        { "type": "text", "text": "Left column content..." },
        { "type": "text", "text": "Right column content..." }
      ]
    },
    {
      "type": "flow",
      "content": [
        { "type": "pageBreak", "orientation": "landscape" },
        { "type": "h1", "text": "Appendix: Wide Tables" },
        { "type": "text", "text": "This section uses landscape orientation for wide tables." }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Overview

Document JSON Syntax

Tools Guides

Images

Rendering

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Projects & Documents

Templates

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Reusable Blocks

Records

Tools File Management

Tools PDF Actions

Tools Document Actions

Lens (AI)

Tools Jobs

Flow section

Properties

Columns

Page section

Properties

Page background example

Semantic layout

Semantic layout properties

Fixed canvas

Canvas properties

Page break

Properties

Spacer

Properties

Complete example

​Flow section

​Properties

​Columns

​Page section

​Properties

​Page background example

​Semantic layout

​Semantic layout properties

​Fixed canvas

​Canvas properties

​Page break

​Properties

​Spacer

​Properties

​Complete example

Flow section

Properties

Columns

Page section

Properties

Page background example

Semantic layout

Semantic layout properties

Fixed canvas

Canvas properties

Page break

Properties

Spacer

Properties

Complete example