Right Panel
This article covers the information about the options/features available in the right panel, right panel controls, and best practices. You can also find links to the related articles at the end.
Overview
The Right Panel in Brainboard provides quick access to your architecture's resources, generated code, validation issues, and deployment configuration. It serves as a central hub for reviewing, configuring, and managing your cloud infrastructure.
Available tabs
The Right Panel features four main tabs, each serving a specific purpose:
Resources: View and manage all resources in your architecture.
Code: View and edit generated Terraform code.
Issues: Review architecture warnings and validation errors.
Deploy: Configure and monitor CI/CD deployment pipelines.
1. Resources
The Resources tab displays all cloud resources in your current architecture, providing a card-based interface for quick navigation and configuration.
Key Features
Resource Cards: Each resource is displayed as a card showing:
Resource icon and name.
Resource type and provider.
Key configuration parameters.
Reference relationships to other resources.
Search: Filter resources by name, type, or properties.
Quick Actions: Access common actions directly from resource cards:
Double-click to open the Resource Configuration panel for detailed editing.
View parameter values and references.
Navigate to connected resources.
Resources displayed in the right panel reflect the current state of your visual diagram. Changes made visually are immediately reflected in the right panel.
View Modes
The Resources tab supports two view modes:
Dynamic View: All resources displayed in a single scrollable list.
Group by file: Resources are organized by their Terraform file assignment.
You can switch between these modes by using the gear wheel settings icon ⚙️ and selecting Group by File / Dynamic View.
By default, the resources are listed in the Dynamic View.
Learn more about managing resources in the Resources List.
2. Code
The Code tab provides direct access to view and edit your auto-generated Terraform code. This feature is ideal for users who prefer code-centric workflows or need to make quick adjustments.
Key Features
File Selector: Switch between different Terraform files (main.tf, variables.tf, outputs.tf, etc.).
Syntax Highlighting: Full Terraform HCL syntax support.
Code Validation: Real-time validation with error reporting.
Keyboard Shortcuts:
CMD/CTRL+S- Save changes.CMD/CTRL+F- Search.CMD/CTRL+H- Find and replace.CMD/CTRL+SHIFT+R- Discard changes.
Changes made in the code editor are bidirectional - they update both the code and the visual diagram. However, some limitations apply to preserve Brainboard's structured approach.
Learn more about code editing in Code Edition.
3. Issues
The Issues tab displays architecture warnings and validation errors, helping you maintain best practices and catch configuration problems early.
Key Features
Architecture Warnings: Identifies potential configuration issues:
Missing required parameters.
Unconnected resources.
Security best practice violations.
Resource relationship inconsistencies.
Validation Errors: Shows Terraform validation errors before deployment.
Quick Navigation: Click any issue to navigate to the affected resource.
Regular review of the Issues tab helps maintain infrastructure quality and prevents deployment failures.
4. Deploy
The Deploy tab provides access to Brainboard's deployment pipeline configuration and monitoring capabilities.
Key Features
Pipeline Configuration: Set up and manage deployment workflows.
Environment Settings: Configure deployment targets.
Execution History: View past deployment runs and their status.
Quick Actions: Trigger deployments directly from the panel
Learn more about deployment in CI/CD Designer and Pipelines.
Panel Controls
Collapsing/expanding the Panel
Click the arrow icon at the top of the panel to collapse/expand it.
Keyboard Shortcuts
SHIFT+CMD+D/SHIFT+CTRL+D- Toggle Code tab.SHIFT+CMD+R/SHIFT+CTRL+R- Toggle Resources tab.
Resizing
Drag the left edge of the panel to resize its width according to your preference.
Best Practices
Use the Resources tab for quick parameter checks and navigation between resources.
Use the Code tab when you need to make bulk changes or prefer code-first workflows.
Check the Issues tab regularly, especially before running Terraform plan or apply.
Configure the Deploy tab once and use it to maintain consistent deployment workflows.
Related articles
Resources List: Detailed resource management.
Resource Configuration: Advanced resource configuration.
Code Edition: Code editing capabilities.
Design Area: Visual diagram interface.
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