ds-int-tabs

name

ds-int-tabs

description

Splunk Dashboard Studio tabbed layouts — split a single dashboard into multiple panel groups, each with its own grid layout, sharing the same global inputs and data sources. Provides patterns for 3-tab analyst workflows, tab-scoped inputs (input_host_filter only on Detail tab), tab-bar position, and the global vs tab-scoped input split. Use when the user asks about tabs, tabbed dashboards, multiple pages in one dashboard, layoutDefinitions, tab bar position, or splitting workflows by audience in Splunk Dashboard Studio.

ds-int-tabs — tabbed layouts

Verified against Splunk Enterprise 10.2.1. Live test bench: splunk-knowledge-testing/ds_interactivity_tabs_dark.

A tabbed layout splits a dashboard into N independently-laid-out sections. The user clicks a tab to switch between them.

When to use tabs (vs separate dashboards)

Use tabs when...	Use separate dashboards when...
Multiple views share the same input filters.	Distinct audiences (execs vs operators).
User workflow moves between views without changing context.	URL needs to be shareable / bookmarkable per-view.
Each view is small enough that it doesn't deserve own URL.	Filter scope differs (different time horizons, different inputs).

Common production pattern: "summary" dashboard (no tabs) + "detail" dashboard (with tabs for sub-sections). Drill from summary to detail via linkToDashboard.

Required shape

CRITICAL: This tabs + layoutDefinitions wrapper is mandatory for ALL Dashboard Studio dashboards — not just tabbed ones. Single-page dashboards use the same format with one tab entry and "showTabBar": false. The flat format ("layout": { "type": "absolute", ... }) is rejected by the current schema validator.

Single-page (no visible tabs):

"layout": {
  "globalInputs": [],
  "tabs": {
    "items": [{ "layoutId": "layout_main", "label": "Overview" }],
    "options": { "barPosition": "top", "showTabBar": false }
  },
  "layoutDefinitions": {
    "layout_main": {
      "type": "absolute",
      "options": { "width": 1920, "height": 1080 },
      "structure": [...]
    }
  }
}

Multi-page (visible tabs):

"layout": {
  "globalInputs": ["input_global_time"],
  "tabs": {
    "items": [
      { "layoutId": "layout_overview", "label": "Overview" },
      { "layoutId": "layout_details",  "label": "Details" },
      { "layoutId": "layout_threats",  "label": "Threats" }
    ],
    "options": {
      "barPosition": "top",
      "showTabBar": true
    }
  },
  "layoutDefinitions": {
    "layout_overview": { "type": "grid", "structure": [ ... ] },
    "layout_details":  { "type": "grid", "structure": [ ... ] },
    "layout_threats":  { "type": "grid", "structure": [ ... ] }
  }
}

Three keys at layout-level:

• globalInputs — array of input IDs visible across all tabs.
• tabs.items — [{layoutId, label}]. Order matches tab order.
• tabs.options — tab-bar styling.
• layoutDefinitions — keyed by tab ID. Each entry is a layout block (type, structure, optional inputs).

Do / Don't

✅ Do	❌ Don't
Tabbed dashboard: omit layout.type at root.	Set both layout.type: "absolute" AND layout.tabs — tabs ignored.
layoutId matches tabs.items[].layoutId exactly.	Typo in either — blank tab.
Each tab needs type AND structure in its layoutDefinitions entry.	Skip type on the inner layout — outer omission doesn't propagate.
Tab-scoped inputs: declare in layoutDefinitions[].inputs.	Add tab-only inputs to globalInputs — they render across all tabs.
globalInputs for shared filters (time picker, account picker).	Duplicate the same input across every tab's inputs array.
Mix grid + absolute only with a specific reason.	Mix layout types arbitrarily — visually disorienting.
Performance: gate searches in hidden tabs with visibility if cost matters.	Trust hidden tabs to defer searches — they dispatch on dashboard load by default.
Tabs are flat — no nesting.	Embed a tabbed layout inside another tab — not supported.

tabs.options

Option	Type	Default	Notes
barPosition	"top" | "bottom"	"top"	Tab bar above or below content.
showTabBar	boolean	true	false for programmatic tab switching only.

Tab-scoped inputs

"layoutDefinitions": {
  "layout_details": {
    "type": "grid",
    "inputs": ["input_host_filter"],
    "structure": [ ... ]
  }
}

The input renders only when that tab is active. Inputs declared neither globally nor in any tab's inputs array do not render.

Quick recipes

3-tab dashboard with shared time picker

"layout": {
  "globalInputs": ["input_global_time"],
  "tabs": {
    "items": [
      { "layoutId": "tab_summary", "label": "Summary" },
      { "layoutId": "tab_detail",  "label": "Detail" },
      { "layoutId": "tab_audit",   "label": "Audit" }
    ],
    "options": { "barPosition": "top", "showTabBar": true }
  },
  "layoutDefinitions": {
    "tab_summary": { "type": "grid", "structure": [...] },
    "tab_detail":  { "type": "grid", "structure": [...] },
    "tab_audit":   { "type": "grid", "structure": [...] }
  }
}

Tab with its own host filter

"layoutDefinitions": {
  "tab_detail": {
    "type": "grid",
    "inputs": ["input_host_filter"],
    "structure": [
      { "item": "viz_host_breakdown", "type": "block",
        "position": { "x": 0, "y": 0, "w": 1440, "h": 600 } }
    ]
  }
}

Hidden tab bar (programmatic switching)

"tabs": {
  "items": [
    { "layoutId": "view_a", "label": "A" },
    { "layoutId": "view_b", "label": "B" }
  ],
  "options": { "barPosition": "top", "showTabBar": false }
}

Pair with an input.dropdown driving tab selection via token. (Token-driven tab selection is documented but beyond verified scope — test before relying on it.)

See also: ds-ref-jsonata for token expression syntax used in tab-switching conditions; ds-int-tokens for token binding patterns and the $eval:name$ reference.

Caveats

• No URL-level tab state by default. Bookmarking always lands on first tab. Token-driven workarounds exist.
• globalInputs always render above the tab bar regardless of barPosition. Tab-scoped inputs render inside tab content.
• labels are user-visible — internationalise. layoutId is internal — keep stable.

See also

• ds-int-inputs — globalInputs vs tab-scoped inputs.
• ds-int-defaults — global time wiring works the same in tabbed dashboards.
• ds-int-drilldowns — linkToDashboard.tokens to land on a specific tab (token-driven only).
• ds-ref-syntax — full layout reference.