Configuration Inspector
Understanding exactly how something is configured is the first step to changing it correctly. In the builder, visual controls represent configuration — but sometimes you need to see the underlying definition itself. What fields are actually defined? What are the exact values? Is this definition inheriting from a parent scope or standalone?
The configuration inspector answers all of these questions, directly in the builder.
Open and See Everything
Select any component on the canvas and click the inspector icon in the sidebar. The inspector panel expands to show the full definition for that component — the actual configuration structure that drives its behavior.
The view is formatted for readability, not compactness. Keys are labeled. Values are syntax-highlighted by type. Inherited values from parent scopes are visually distinguished from locally set values. You can see at a glance what's configured, what's inherited, and what's using a default.
Useful in Multiple Scenarios
Debugging unexpected behavior: A component isn't displaying data as expected. Open the inspector and check what data source is configured, what filters are active, and what the column definitions actually say. Often the issue is immediately visible — a filter that was set in a parent scope, a column pointing to the wrong field name.
Understanding inherited configuration: Swifty's definition system supports scope-based inheritance. A platform-level definition provides defaults; tenant-level definitions override specific values. The inspector shows both layers — what's set at each scope — making inheritance legible.
Verifying builder changes: After making a change through the visual controls, the inspector confirms the underlying representation updated correctly. For developers, this provides a reliable sanity check.
Copying configuration patterns: See how a working component is configured and apply the same pattern to a new one. The inspector provides the exact values, not a visual approximation.
Read-Only with Direct Edit Access
The inspector is primarily a read-only view — you're looking at the definition as it is. For straightforward components, changes should go through the visual controls in the sidebar, which update the underlying definition correctly.
For advanced users and developers, the inspector also offers a raw edit mode. This is the escape hatch for configurations that the visual controls don't expose — advanced options, custom behaviors, precise overrides. Edit with care; the raw definition is the source of truth.
Transparency Builds Confidence
The inspector reflects a broader principle: the platform shouldn't hide how things work. Visual tools are great for common operations, but power users and developers benefit from being able to see exactly what's happening. Transparency about configuration — what's set, where it comes from, what it does — makes the system trustworthy rather than magical.