Cyclotomic $q$ -web categories (introduced jointly with Yaolong Shen and Linliang Song) have produced new Schur algebras sitting in between cyclotomic Hecke algebras and cyclotomic $q$ -Schur algebras.We will explain that a module category over a cyclotomic $q$ -web category for q a root of unity categorifies an integrable highest weight module over quantum affine \(\mathfrak{gl}_{p}\), and the projective indecomposable modules categorify the canonical basis. To that end, we connect the affine $q$ -webs to Hall algebra of the cyclic quiver and to geometric representation theory. This generalizes the classic works of Lascoux–Leclerc–Thibon, Ariki, and Varagnolo–Vasserot. Based on joint work with Linliang Song.