Workspace
Canvas-based scientific workspace — chat with Lobster, build knowledge graphs, manage data, and visualize results
The Workspace is the main analysis environment in Omics-OS Cloud. It combines a chat panel, a node-based canvas, and a data drawer into a single surface where you converse with Lobster, search biological databases, visualize results, and manage datasets.
From Cockpit to Workspace
After sign-in you land on the Cockpit — a launcher that shows:
- Recent sessions with timestamps (e.g., "2h ago", "3d ago")
- Use case cards — curated analysis workflows you can open with one click
- Product dock — links to Workspace, Playground, Editor, and Docs. BioVault is coming soon for early-access users.
- Tour pill — guided onboarding walkthrough
Click Workspace in the dock (or open a use case) to enter the workspace. If you have no sessions, the workspace opens empty and creates your first session when you send a message.
Layout
The workspace has three main areas:
| Area | Position | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Chat panel | Left side | Conversation with Lobster. Natural language analysis requests. |
| Canvas | Center | Visual workspace. Nodes represent search results, plots, structures, datasets. |
| Data panel | Right drawer | Files, loaded datasets, plots, team packages, templates. |
The OmniBar overlays the canvas (Cmd+Space) for quick searches and assistant interactions.
Chat Panel
- Streamed agent responses with tool call visibility
- Agent assignments shown in real-time (which specialist handles your request)
- File upload via drag-and-drop or upload button
- Slash commands (
/help,/status,/tokens) - Deep Work Mode expands chat to a full sidebar
Canvas
A node-based visual workspace powered by React Flow. Nodes appear when you:
- Search a database via OmniBar (proteins, genes, pathways, structures)
- Generate plots (UMAP, volcano, heatmap)
- Load datasets
- Create knowledge graph connections
Nodes are interactive: rotate Mol* structures, zoom into pathways, click entities to drill down.
Data Panel
Three sections in the drawer:
| Section | Contents |
|---|---|
| Active | Datasets currently loaded in the session (grouped by lineage) |
| Files | Your uploaded files — drag-and-drop, preview, download, delete |
| Team Data | Org-shared data, analysis packages, and templates |
Supported file formats for loading: .h5ad, .h5mu, .h5, .csv, .tsv, .xlsx, .loom, .mtx, .zarr.
Sessions
Each workspace session maintains:
- Full chat history with agent context
- Loaded datasets and their modality records
- Canvas layout (node positions, connections)
- Generated plots and visualizations
- File uploads
Sessions persist across browser refreshes. Previous sessions are accessible from the cockpit.
Session Lifecycle
| Event | Behavior |
|---|---|
| First message sent | Session created automatically |
| Browser reload | Session state restored |
| Open use case | New session bootstrapped with sample data + canvas |
| Open package | New session with package data pre-loaded |
| Open template | New session with canvas layout pre-configured |
Sharing Sessions
Use Fork & Continue to share a snapshot of your session. Recipients get their own editable copy — the original is untouched. Learn more about Fork & Continue.
Identity Bar
The workspace navbar shows your display name and provides access to:
- Account settings
- API key management
- Billing
- Appearance settings
- Sign out
Use Cases
Curated use cases appear on the cockpit and in the workspace. Each use case:
- Bootstraps a complete session (data, chat history, canvas)
- Shows preview stats (plot count, messages, datasets)
- Runs a 5-phase bootstrap: create workspace → copy data → restore workspace → load chat → set up canvas
Use cases are immutable snapshots — opening one always starts fresh.
Workspace Tour
First-time users see a tour pill offering a guided walkthrough. The tour highlights key workspace areas (chat, canvas, data panel, OmniBar). Retake it from the identity bar dropdown.