# General user overview

The Nodes app is split into three main sections, accessed through the side bar.

They are shortly discussed below, and presented further in-depth in the following subchapters:  

[explore](https://docs.desci.com/general-user-overview/explore "mention") <img src="https://3561840309-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FMYxRLCpbB6u9NiTwuU16%2Fuploads%2FiwidUlrwVG6f9qI1C6PU%2FExplorerButton.jpg?alt=media&#x26;token=2761c4ac-32c9-45b4-ba47-832574dbb4de" alt="ExplorerButton.jpg" data-size="line">

[node-workspace](https://docs.desci.com/general-user-overview/node-workspace "mention") <img src="https://3561840309-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FMYxRLCpbB6u9NiTwuU16%2Fuploads%2F1EAnZD80s6Gg1mqEz17a%2FCurrent%20Node%20Button.jpg?alt=media&#x26;token=1c9ceb6e-b3d3-4ff6-ae03-9add530be33c" alt="Current Node Button.jpg" data-size="line">

and your [profile](https://docs.desci.com/general-user-overview/profile "mention") <img src="https://3561840309-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FMYxRLCpbB6u9NiTwuU16%2Fuploads%2FmyTB2ReNpAJLXInqTBoN%2FScreenshot%202024-01-19%20at%2014.14.33.jpg?alt=media&#x26;token=c3a4128b-a327-4732-a2a0-6e7024d2071e" alt="Screenshot 2024-01-19 at 14.14.33.jpg" data-size="line">

<figure><img src="https://3561840309-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FMYxRLCpbB6u9NiTwuU16%2Fuploads%2F0WJZUvsMxWtU0oa9lMXX%2FNodesOverview1_Pic_MarkedText.jpg?alt=media&#x26;token=3f4fddf6-6dc1-4673-bea2-384200460539" alt="" width="563"><figcaption><p>Nodes App main sections overview</p></figcaption></figure>

## Explore <img src="https://3561840309-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FMYxRLCpbB6u9NiTwuU16%2Fuploads%2FY5unvZ03xmfch2PgXcMC%2FExplore_Button.jpg?alt=media&#x26;token=473197b3-8a4c-4916-a339-6579bdbe4c7b" alt="Explore_Button.jpg" data-size="line">

Explore provides an overview of published Nodes: those most recently published as well as a curated selection of popular or impactful Nodes published by others.&#x20;

More information on the Explore page features is found here: [explore](https://docs.desci.com/general-user-overview/explore "mention")

{% hint style="warning" %}
**In development: Node Curation**\
In the future, you will be able to subscribe to certain [Communities](https://docs.desci.com/create-and-publish/interact-and-reuse/communities), or Nodes curation groups, that will present a selection of their favourite nodes, curated according to their own principles.&#x20;

For example Nodes that use particularly FAIR data, high quality Node publications in a particular field, or Node publications that have particularly interesting new ideas that challenge the status-quo.&#x20;

These will be shown on the Explore page - giving you the option to *tailor your* Explore page to *your* interests.&#x20;
{% endhint %}

## Node <img src="https://3561840309-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FMYxRLCpbB6u9NiTwuU16%2Fuploads%2F1EAnZD80s6Gg1mqEz17a%2FCurrent%20Node%20Button.jpg?alt=media&#x26;token=1c9ceb6e-b3d3-4ff6-ae03-9add530be33c" alt="Current Node Button.jpg" data-size="line">

If you click on any Node - visible on your Profile for your own Nodes, or presented in the Explore page for those of others - you will be brought to the [node-workspace](https://docs.desci.com/general-user-overview/node-workspace "mention"). This is where the action happens. The Node workspace has three main spaces, as well as a [**navigation bar** ](https://docs.desci.com/general-user-overview/node-workspace/navigation-bar)across the top:&#x20;

* the [node-drive-panel](https://docs.desci.com/general-user-overview/node-workspace/node-drive-panel "mention") in the lefthand panel: including an overview of the uploaded [**components**](https://docs.desci.com/create-and-publish/create-a-node/add-components) (Drive) and [**contributors**](https://docs.desci.com/create-and-publish/create-a-node/add-information/add-contributors) (Contributors)**.**&#x20;
* the [viewer](https://docs.desci.com/general-user-overview/node-workspace/viewer "mention")in the middle: for (pre)viewing file components such as manuscripts (PDFs), data and code - with options to make comments (and, in the future, edits on your owned & collaborated Nodes) to the viewed components.
* The [information-panel](https://docs.desci.com/general-user-overview/node-workspace/information-panel "mention") in the righthand panel: giving you metadata information on the component selected in the drive (and viewed in the reader space), or the possibility to perform actions on these components. Here, you can copy (or in the future even compute) code, or export a citation from a published PDF in a number of different citation formats.

<figure><img src="https://3561840309-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FMYxRLCpbB6u9NiTwuU16%2Fuploads%2FimeGdQk4NCwT9JuANY4S%2FNodeWorkspace_withSidepanels_Pic.jpg?alt=media&#x26;token=b164598e-802c-4305-8c2d-190b64c65228" alt="" width="563"><figcaption><p>Node Workspace (with sidepanels)</p></figcaption></figure>

##

## Profile <img src="https://3561840309-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FMYxRLCpbB6u9NiTwuU16%2Fuploads%2FmyTB2ReNpAJLXInqTBoN%2FScreenshot%202024-01-19%20at%2014.14.33.jpg?alt=media&#x26;token=c3a4128b-a327-4732-a2a0-6e7024d2071e" alt="Current Node Button.jpg" data-size="line">

#### Your profile

To access your Profile you need to log into or set up your profile. This is relatively easy to do - you can follow the steps in our [sign-up-and-login](https://docs.desci.com/create-and-publish/sign-up-and-login "mention") section. &#x20;

#### Actions from Profile

* [Edit your profile information.](https://docs.desci.com/broken-reference)
* [Connect and manage your Digital Signatures.](https://docs.desci.com/create-and-publish/publish#connect-your-digital-id)

## Moving Between Sections

You can navigate between your latest [node-workspace](https://docs.desci.com/general-user-overview/node-workspace "mention"), [explore](https://docs.desci.com/general-user-overview/explore "mention"), and [profile](https://docs.desci.com/general-user-overview/profile "mention")from anywhere in the app.&#x20;

Icons for accessing each of these are in the navigation bar on the left hand side.&#x20;

<figure><img src="https://3561840309-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FMYxRLCpbB6u9NiTwuU16%2Fuploads%2F0WJZUvsMxWtU0oa9lMXX%2FNodesOverview1_Pic_MarkedText.jpg?alt=media&#x26;token=3f4fddf6-6dc1-4673-bea2-384200460539" alt="" width="563"><figcaption><p>Sidebar navigation for the main Nodes app sections</p></figcaption></figure>