Getting Started
Three short videos covering the basics: what blockr is, how to load data, and how to arrange your workspace into a dashboard.
What is blockr?
A 90-second overview of the blockr framework. blockr lets you build data pipelines visually by connecting blocks on a canvas. Each block performs one operation (load data, filter rows, create a chart) and blocks connect into a directed acyclic graph (DAG) that runs automatically. The result is a reactive pipeline that updates in real time as you change inputs.
Importing data
How to get data into blockr. The dataset block gives you access to built-in example datasets (like palmerpenguins). For your own files, the read block supports CSV, Excel, Parquet, and many other formats. You can upload, browse the filesystem, or load from a URL.
Try it yourself
Open an empty workflow and add a dataset block to get started.
Creating dashboards
Once you have a working pipeline, you can turn it into a polished dashboard. Drag windows to rearrange the layout, group them into tabs, resize panels, and toggle input/output visibility to control what your audience sees. The Build a dashboard tutorial walks through this in detail.
Saving and restoring workflows
Blockr automatically manages workflow versioning. You can save snapshots, restore previous versions, and switch between different workflows.
- Rename your workflow by editing the top-left corner text box
- Save the current state with the save button
- Restore a previous version via the workflow manager. Press the workflow button in the top-left, then open the History tab
- Switch workflows using the Workflows tab to jump between entirely different pipelines
Each save point is timestamped. The "View all versions" button provides finer-grained controls for restoration and deletion.
Next steps
- Build your first app: hands-on written tutorial
- Filtering and selecting data: next video topic