---
id: designer
title: "The workspace"
summary: "Find your way around the designer - the left rail, the environment selector, the repository browser and its system folders, the Flow explorer, document tabs and keyboard shortcuts."
audience: user
keywords: "designer, workspace, rail, environment, repository browser, flow explorer, favorites, tabs, shortcuts, keyboard"
---
# The workspace

The designer is where you build, run and watch your flows. It runs in the browser and works on one environment at a
time.

## The left rail

| Item | What it opens |
|---|---|
| **Flow explorer** | The folders and flows of the repository, with search, sorting and favorites |
| **Repository browser** | A side panel with the repository tree and the environment selector |
| **Environment explorer** | Hosts and running flows, with CPU and memory. The badge counts running flows. |
| **Network explorer** | Sites, connected clients and network routes |
| **Logs** | The log viewer |
| **Alarms** | Raised alarms. The red badge counts alarms not yet cleared. |
| **Viaducta AI** | The [assistant](/documentation/ai/), when AI is enabled on the server |

At the top, your initials show who is signed in. The dot on them is green while the designer is connected to the
server. The cog at the bottom opens **Settings** and **Logout**.

## Environments

The **environment selector** sits at the top of the Repository browser. It shows the environment's name and the host
name of its controller. Pick another environment from its menu; the one marked **default** loads when you open the
designer. The (i) button shows the environment's details and sets it as default.

Give each environment its own colour in **Settings**. The colour shows on the selector and on the document tabs, so
you always see whether you are working on test or production.

## The repository

The repository holds everything you build: folders, flows, test flows and the objects flows use. Click an object in
the Repository browser to open it; right-click it, or use its ⋮ button, for everything else: add, copy, move, delete,
start and stop, view logs, view change history, download and upload.

The `/usr` folder holds the environment's shared objects, each kind in its own folder:

| Folder | Holds |
|---|---|
| `/usr/config` | [Expression settings](./settings) packages |
| `/usr/dblinks` | Database links |
| `/usr/alarms` | Alarm definitions |
| `/usr/routes` | Network routes |
| `/usr/certs` | Certificates |

## The Flow explorer

![The Flow explorer](/documentation/img/flow-explorer.png)

The Flow explorer shows one folder at a time, with a breadcrumb back to the root. Its toolbar creates flows, test
flows and folders, uploads archives and starts or stops every flow in the folder.

- **Search** looks in names, descriptions, plugins, scripts, SQL, timers, types, URLs and more; pick the scope next to
  the search box.
- **Favorites**: star a flow to keep it at the top of the Flow explorer.
- **Sorting** and **Display** (list or details) are in the toolbar.

## Tabs

Every object opens in its own tab. A dot on a tab marks unsaved changes. Right-click a tab to close it, the others or
all. With more than one tab open, the chevron button lists them all.

## Keyboard shortcuts

| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+S | Save |
| F6 | Compile |
| F5 | Start, or continue when paused in the debugger |
| Ctrl+F5 | Debug |
| Shift+F5 | Stop |
| Ctrl+R | Save, recompile and restart |
| F10 / F11 / Shift+F11 | Step over / into / out, while debugging |
| Ctrl+F9 | Remove all breakpoints |
| F4 | Switch the panel layout |
| Ctrl+A | Select everything on the canvas |
| Ctrl+X / C / V | Cut / copy / paste |
| Ctrl+Z / Y | Undo / redo |
| Delete | Delete the selection |