Overview

dfx-gui is the official graphical user interface of the dfx dynamic dataflow execution platform.

Its purpose is to provide an intuitive, visual environment for creating, editing, and configuring dataflow graphs, without requiring direct manipulation of configuration files or command-line tools.

Scope and goals

dfx-gui focuses on graph authoring and clarity, not execution.

Its primary goals are:

• simplifying graph construction,
• improving readability and understanding of graph topology,
• reducing friction when preparing scenarios and configurations.

Execution, scheduling, and runtime control remain the responsibility of dfx, dfxd, and dfx-ctl.

Core features

Typical features provided by dfx-gui include:

• visual creation and editing of nodes and channels,
• graphical representation of ports and message flow,
• inspection and configuration of node parameters,
• validation and preparation of graph configurations before execution.

The interface is designed to make complex graphs easier to reason about, especially as size and connectivity grow.

Workflow integration

dfx-gui fits naturally into the dfx workflow:

• graphs are authored or edited visually,
• configurations are saved in a format consumable by dfx,
• execution and runtime control are handled by CLI tools or daemons.

This separation allows users to choose the most appropriate tool for each task:

• GUI for design and inspection,
• CLI and daemon for execution and automation.

What dfx-gui is (and is not)

dfx-gui is:

• a visual graph editor,
• a usability-focused companion to the dfx runtime,
• the recommended tool for interactive graph design.

dfx-gui is not:

• a graph execution engine,
• a replacement for dfx-ctl or dfxd,
• an orchestration or automation tool.