# Left Pane

### Overview

The left pane is where all the graphical objects are available for you to use in the design area. You can also do the following: 

* Select a specific cloud provider from the supported ones.
* Set the version of the selected cloud provider. 
* Switch between Terraform/OpenTofu resources and data sources.

Once you select a cloud provider of your choice, the **left pane's** graphical object categories are refreshed to show the relevant design elements.

For example, if you select **GCP** (Google Cloud Platform), then ***AlloyDB*** appears under **Database** as a design element with other relevant options. However, if you select **Microsoft Azure** as your cloud service provider, then **MYSQL, CosmosDB** and other relevant database options are populated as design elements.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Custom Brainboard sections:** Custom design elements options are also available, such as **Containers** and **Modules**. 
{% endhint %}

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Azure" %}

<figure><img src="/files/Aq9soVjonuG6EuZuGoVB" alt="" width="247"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="AWS" %}

<figure><img src="/files/yUdSwsJtxEI4QTZ9PsAA" alt="" width="241"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="GCP" %}

<figure><img src="/files/RICN3pkjncSVnU5W4Us0" alt="" width="242"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

### Components of the left pane

Please refer to the image shared below to have a look at the main components on the left pane. Explanation is provided below it.&#x20;

<figure><img src="/files/shNj9oT0qBJKLE4MSqX8" alt="" width="260"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

1. **Cloud providers selector:** It allows you to select the cloud provider to use in the current architecture.

{% hint style="info" %}
The **"Custom configuration"** button under it allows you to customize the **Terraform/OpenTofu** provider block, as demonstrated in the image shared below.
{% endhint %}

<figure><img src="/files/WOSQ0UtnRaqADHR3hVCc" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

2. **Cloud provider version:** This is the **Terraform/OpenTofu** version of the selected provider.

{% hint style="info" %}

* Brainboard automatically update the left pane whenever there is a new Terraform/OpenTofu version of the provider.
* When you select a version, the left pane will be updated for you to reflect the resources available in this specific version.
  {% endhint %}

3. **Resource type selector:** It allows you to switch between cloud resources and data sources.

{% hint style="info" %}
When you select a resource type, the left pane will be updated accordingly to reflect the resources available within the selected resource type.
{% endhint %}

4. **Search bar:** It allows you to search resources by:
   1. Full Terraform name, like *<mark style="color:$primary;">azurerm\_virtual\_network,</mark>* *<mark style="color:$primary;">aws\_vpc</mark>* <mark style="color:$primary;"></mark><mark style="color:$primary;">or</mark> <mark style="color:$primary;"></mark>*<mark style="color:$primary;">google\_compute\_network</mark>*.
   2. Abbreviations.
   3. Part of the word.
5. **Buttons** to easily access the configuration of **variables, locals and outputs.**
6. **An arrow** option to **collapse or expand** the left pane.
7. **Category of resources:** It contains all the resources that belong to the same category as specified by the cloud providers.

{% hint style="info" %}
Every item is a sub-category, so you need to click on it to see all its resources.
{% endhint %}

### How to use these elements in your design?

To build your cloud infrastructure, you can **drag and drop** resources from the left pane into your design space, and then you can set up their cloud configuration.


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