Widgets
Widgets are the building blocks of Crow's Nest. Each widget is a self-contained visual component — a chart, a table, a status display, or anything else you can build with HTML, JavaScript, and CSS. Widgets fetch data from your data connections and render it in the browser.
The widget list
Navigate to Widgets in the left sidebar to see all widgets in your organization. The list shows:
- Widget name and author
- Number of connected data sources
- Last updated date
- Which dashboard the widget belongs to (widgets are grouped by dashboard)
Use the Search box to filter by name. Toggle My Widgets to see only widgets you own. Widgets not placed on any dashboard appear in an "Unclaimed Widgets" section at the bottom.
Actions
From the list, you can:
- Click a widget name to open it
- Click the pencil icon to edit
- Click the copy icon to duplicate a widget
- Click the trash icon to delete
View-only users can view widgets but cannot edit, duplicate, or delete them.
Creating a widget
Click New Widget to create a blank widget. You'll land in the widget editor where you can write code, connect data sources, and preview your widget in real time.
If your organization has example widgets set up, you can also use those as starting points.
Widget properties
Each widget has:
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Display name shown in lists and dashboards |
| HTML | The markup that defines the widget's structure |
| JavaScript | Code that fetches data and manipulates the DOM |
| Chart.js | Optional section for Chart.js chart rendering (shares scope with JavaScript) |
| CSS | Styles applied to the widget |
| Data connections | Which data sources the widget fetches from |
| Inputs | Parameters that dashboards can pass into the widget (see Widget Inputs) |
| Max width / Max height | Layout constraints used when the widget is placed on a dashboard |
| Owner | The user who owns the widget |
What's next
- The Widget Editor — Learn about the editing interface
- Using getData() — Fetch data in your widget code
- Widget Inputs — Make widgets configurable from dashboards
- Write Your First Widget — Step-by-step tutorial