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Artifacts: Live, Runnable Outputs

Beginner

Artifacts are outputs Claude renders in a side panel next to the chat — a document, a deck, a chart, a working app — that you can see, use, and iterate on, separate from the conversation text.

Since the September 2026 merge, the panel is also where the templates live. That makes "artifact" the container and "template" the starting shape. The October 8, 2026 release took Docs, Slides and Design out of beta and added two more: see Dashboards & Motion.

What you'll learn
  • Know what the artifact panel can produce, and which outputs are generally available versus still in beta
  • Pick between a Doc, a deck, a design, a dashboard, an animation, a runnable app, and a downloadable file — without trial and error
  • Iterate on an artifact in plain language instead of re-asking from scratch
  • Know which artifacts you can export, in which formats, and on which plans

What you can make​

OutputWhat it isPlan
Mini web apps & toolsA calculator, a quiz, a form, a small interactive demoAll plans
Charts & diagramsVisuals and simple one-off charts from data in the chatAll plans
CodeSomething you can read and runAll plans
Claude DocsA living, multi-tab document you co-edit with Claude and your teamAll plans
Claude SlidesA deck built from your notes or the conversation, presentable in placeAll plans
Claude DesignVisuals, mockups, prototypes and landing pages against your design systemAll plans
Claude DashboardsCharts backed by a live SQL query against your warehouse or a connected appPro, Max, Team, Enterprise — beta
Claude MotionA short animation written as editable code, exported as MP4Team, Enterprise — beta

Exports differ by type: Docs go to Word, PDF, Markdown and Google Docs; Slides to PowerPoint and PDF; Designs as a .zip, PDF, PowerPoint or standalone HTML; Motion as MP4.

Why it's powerful for non-developers​

You can build something usable — "make me a tip calculator for a group dinner," "a dashboard from this CSV" — by describing it, then refine it conversationally ("add a service-charge field," "make the buttons bigger"). It's the clearest example of building with AI without writing code yourself.

How to work with artifacts​

Guided walkthrough1 of 4
  1. State the purpose, the inputs, the audience and the look. Vagueness is the main reason a first artifact misses — the same rule as ordinary prompting.

A specific artifact brief beats a vague one

Build me an interactive artifact: a tip calculator for a group dinner.

Inputs: bill total, number of people, tip percentage (slider, 0-30%,
default 18), and a toggle for "service charge already included".
Output: tip amount, total, and per-person share, updating live.

Audience: my friends on their phones — big tap targets, works at
375px wide, no explanation text.

Tips​

  • Be concrete about inputs/outputs and audience — same as good prompting.
  • Iterate small. One change at a time is easier to get right.
  • Verify any logic/numbers an artifact computes for important uses (Hallucinations).
  • Charts inside a Doc don't refresh themselves. Change the data and the chart keeps the old values until you ask Claude to rebuild it. If you want a chart that does stay current, that's what Dashboards is for.

Quiz​

Check yourself

0/3
  1. You're on the Free plan and ask Claude to turn a conversation into a shareable multi-tab document. What do you get?
  2. Claude built an artifact that's close but the buttons are too small. What's the efficient move?
  3. You want a chart that stays current as the underlying data changes. Which artifact do you reach for?
Key takeaways
  • Artifact = the side panel container; template = the starting shape. There are five: Docs, Slides, Design, Dashboards and Motion.
  • Docs, Slides and Design are generally available on every plan including Free since October 8, 2026. Dashboards is beta on paid plans; Motion is beta on Team and Enterprise only.
  • Iterate in plain language on the same artifact — don't restart the conversation.
  • Always verify computed numbers, and rebuild snapshot charts after the data changes — only Dashboards charts are query-backed.

Next​