Views — Any Lens Over Your Data

Views are named queries combined with rendering configurations. They are interchangeable lenses over the same underlying data — change the view type and the same entities appear in a completely different layout, with no data duplication.

What is a view?

A view is a saved query plus a rendering configuration. The query defines which entities to show (by profile type, property filters, date ranges, tags, or any combination). The rendering configuration defines how to display them: as a table, a kanban board, a calendar, or any of the 12 implemented view types. Think of views as "saved searches with a presentation layer."

Because views are just lenses, the same entity can appear in many views simultaneously. A task entity might show up in a kanban board grouped by status, a calendar view placed on its due date, and a table view sorted by priority — all at the same time, always in sync.

The 12 view types

Table

The classic spreadsheet layout. Each entity is a row, each property is a column. Supports inline editing, column resizing, sorting by any column, and bulk selection. Best for data-heavy workflows where you need to see and edit many properties at once.

List

A simplified, compact row layout. Shows title and a few key properties without the full column structure of a table. Ideal for quick scanning and checklist-style workflows.

Grid

Entities displayed as cards in a responsive grid. Each card shows the entity title, profile icon, and key properties. Great for visual browsing when you want more information per item than a list but less density than a table.

Gallery

An image-focused grid layout. Designed for entities that have visual content — files, bookmarks with thumbnails, articles with cover images. The image is the primary element, with title and metadata below it.

Kanban

Columns grouped by a property value — typically status, but you can group by any select or multi-select property. Drag-and-drop between columns updates the grouping property automatically. The go-to view for task and project management.

Matrix

Two-dimensional grouping. Choose a row property and a column property, and entities are placed in the intersection. For example, tasks grouped by priority (rows) and project (columns). Powerful for cross-referencing two dimensions of your data.

Masonry / Feed

A Pinterest-style layout where cards have variable heights based on their content. Content flows vertically, filling available space naturally. The default view for the Library app, excellent for browsing mixed-content collections.

Calendar

Date-based rendering in day, week, or month layouts. Entities with date properties appear on the calendar at the appropriate position. Drag to reschedule, click to create new entities on a specific date. Essential for events, tasks with due dates, and scheduling.

Flow

A node-based canvas where entities are nodes and relationships are edges. Built on a flow editor, it visualizes how entities connect to each other. Useful for process flows, dependency mapping, and workflow design.

Bento

A 12-column dashboard grid where each block is a cell. Cells can be views, entity detail panels, widgets, or custom components. Bento views are the foundation of Synap's composable dashboard system. See the dedicated Bento Dashboards guide for details.

Branch Tree

A conversation tree visualization showing AI thread branching. When an AI conversation forks into multiple branches, this view shows the tree structure so you can follow the evolution of ideas.

Whiteboard

A free-form spatial canvas. Place entities, draw connections, add text annotations, and arrange content in any layout. The infinite canvas for brainstorming and spatial thinking.

Filters, sorting, and grouping

Every view supports filters (narrow which entities appear), sorting (control the order), and grouping (organize entities by a property value). Filters can be combined with AND/OR logic and saved as part of the view configuration. When you change a filter, the view updates instantly — no page reload, no re-query, just a new lens over the same data.

Creating and sharing views

Create a view by choosing a type, setting filters, and giving it a name. Views are workspace-scoped, so everyone in the workspace can access them. You can embed views inside bento dashboards, reference them in channels, or use them as the default display for a profile type. Views are the primary way you build custom workflows without writing any code.

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