---
title: Front Components
description: Build React components that render inside Twenty's UI with sandboxed isolation.
icon: "window-maximize"
---

Front components are React components that render directly inside Twenty's UI. They run in an **isolated Web Worker** using Remote DOM — your code is sandboxed but renders natively in the page, not in an iframe.

## Where front components can be used

Front components can render in two locations within Twenty:

- **Side panel** — Non-headless front components open in the right-hand side panel. This is the default behavior when a front component is triggered from the command menu.
- **Widgets (dashboards and record pages)** — Front components can be embedded as widgets inside [page layouts](/developers/extend/apps/layout/page-layouts). When configuring a dashboard or a record page layout, users can add a front component widget.

A front component on its own isn't reachable from the UI — you need to *surface* it. The two ways to do that are:

- **Pair it with a [command menu item](/developers/extend/apps/layout/command-menu-items)** — registers it in the command menu (Cmd+K) and, optionally, as a pinned quick-action.
- **Embed it as a widget in a [page layout](/developers/extend/apps/layout/page-layouts)** — places it on a record's detail page or dashboard.

## Basic example

The quickest way to see a front component in action is to pair it with a [`defineCommandMenuItem`](/developers/extend/apps/layout/command-menu-items), so it appears as a quick-action button in the top-right corner of the page:

```tsx src/front-components/hello-world.tsx
import { defineFrontComponent } from 'twenty-sdk/define';

const HelloWorld = () => {
  return (
    <div style={{ padding: '20px', fontFamily: 'sans-serif' }}>
      <h1>Hello from my app!</h1>
      <p>This component renders inside Twenty.</p>
    </div>
  );
};

export default defineFrontComponent({
  universalIdentifier: '74c526eb-cb68-4cf7-b05c-0dd8c288d948',
  name: 'hello-world',
  description: 'A simple front component',
  component: HelloWorld,
});
```

```ts src/command-menu-items/hello-world.command-menu-item.ts
import { defineCommandMenuItem } from 'twenty-sdk/define';

export default defineCommandMenuItem({
  universalIdentifier: 'd4e5f6a7-b8c9-0123-defa-456789012345',
  shortLabel: 'Hello',
  label: 'Hello World',
  icon: 'IconBolt',
  isPinned: true,
  availabilityType: 'GLOBAL',
  frontComponentUniversalIdentifier: '74c526eb-cb68-4cf7-b05c-0dd8c288d948',
});
```

After syncing with `yarn twenty dev` (or running a one-shot `yarn twenty dev --once`), the quick action appears in the top-right corner of the page:

<div style={{textAlign: 'center'}}>
  <img src="/images/docs/developers/extends/apps/quick-action.png" alt="Quick action button in the top-right corner" />
</div>

Click it to render the component inline.

## Configuration fields

| Field | Required | Description |
|-------|----------|-------------|
| `universalIdentifier` | Yes | Stable unique ID for this component |
| `component` | Yes | A React component function |
| `name` | No | Display name |
| `description` | No | Description of what the component does |
| `isHeadless` | No | Set to `true` if the component has no visible UI (see below) |

## Placing a front component on a page

Beyond commands, you can embed a front component directly into a record page by adding it as a widget in a **page layout**. See [Page Layouts](/developers/extend/apps/layout/page-layouts) for details.

## Headless vs non-headless

Front components come in two rendering modes controlled by the `isHeadless` option:

**Non-headless (default)** — The component renders a visible UI. When triggered from the command menu it opens in the side panel. This is the default behavior when `isHeadless` is `false` or omitted.

**Headless (`isHeadless: true`)** — The component mounts invisibly in the background. It does not open the side panel. Headless components are designed for actions that execute logic and then unmount themselves — for example, running an async task, navigating to a page, or showing a confirmation modal. They pair naturally with the SDK Command components described below.

```tsx src/front-components/sync-tracker.tsx
import { defineFrontComponent } from 'twenty-sdk/define';
import { useRecordId, enqueueSnackbar } from 'twenty-sdk/front-component';
import { useEffect } from 'react';

const SyncTracker = () => {
  const recordId = useRecordId();

  useEffect(() => {
    enqueueSnackbar({ message: `Tracking record ${recordId}`, variant: 'info' });
  }, [recordId]);

  return null;
};

export default defineFrontComponent({
  universalIdentifier: '...',
  name: 'sync-tracker',
  description: 'Tracks record views silently',
  isHeadless: true,
  component: SyncTracker,
});
```

Because the component returns `null`, Twenty skips rendering a container for it — no empty space appears in the layout. The component still has access to all hooks and the host communication API.

## SDK Command components

The `twenty-sdk` package provides four Command helper components designed for headless front components. Each component executes an action on mount, handles errors by showing a snackbar notification, and automatically unmounts the front component when done.

Import them from `twenty-sdk/command`:

- **`Command`** — Runs an async callback via the `execute` prop.
- **`CommandLink`** — Navigates to an app path. Props: `to`, `params`, `queryParams`, `options`.
- **`CommandModal`** — Opens a confirmation modal. If the user confirms, executes the `execute` callback. Props: `title`, `subtitle`, `execute`, `confirmButtonText`, `confirmButtonAccent`.
- **`CommandOpenSidePanelPage`** — Opens a specific side panel page. Props: `page`, `pageTitle`, `pageIcon`.

Here is a full example of a headless front component using `Command` to run an action from the command menu:

```tsx src/front-components/run-action.tsx
import { defineFrontComponent } from 'twenty-sdk/define';
import { Command } from 'twenty-sdk/command';
import { CoreApiClient } from 'twenty-sdk/clients';

const RunAction = () => {
  const execute = async () => {
    const client = new CoreApiClient();

    await client.mutation({
      createTask: {
        __args: { data: { title: 'Created by my app' } },
        id: true,
      },
    });
  };

  return <Command execute={execute} />;
};

export default defineFrontComponent({
  universalIdentifier: 'e5f6a7b8-c9d0-1234-efab-345678901234',
  name: 'run-action',
  description: 'Creates a task from the command menu',
  component: RunAction,
  isHeadless: true,
});
```

```ts src/command-menu-items/run-action.command-menu-item.ts
import { defineCommandMenuItem } from 'twenty-sdk/define';

export default defineCommandMenuItem({
  universalIdentifier: 'f6a7b8c9-d0e1-2345-fabc-456789012345',
  label: 'Run my action',
  icon: 'IconPlayerPlay',
  frontComponentUniversalIdentifier: 'e5f6a7b8-c9d0-1234-efab-345678901234',
});
```

And an example using `CommandModal` to ask for confirmation before executing:

```tsx src/front-components/delete-draft.tsx
import { defineFrontComponent } from 'twenty-sdk/define';
import { CommandModal } from 'twenty-sdk/command';

const DeleteDraft = () => {
  const execute = async () => {
    // perform the deletion
  };

  return (
    <CommandModal
      title="Delete draft?"
      subtitle="This action cannot be undone."
      execute={execute}
      confirmButtonText="Delete"
      confirmButtonAccent="danger"
    />
  );
};

export default defineFrontComponent({
  universalIdentifier: 'a7b8c9d0-e1f2-3456-abcd-567890123456',
  name: 'delete-draft',
  description: 'Deletes a draft with confirmation',
  component: DeleteDraft,
  isHeadless: true,
});
```

## Accessing runtime context

Inside your component, use SDK hooks to access the current user, record, and component instance:

```tsx src/front-components/record-info.tsx
import { defineFrontComponent } from 'twenty-sdk/define';
import {
  useUserId,
  useRecordId,
  useFrontComponentId,
} from 'twenty-sdk/front-component';

const RecordInfo = () => {
  const userId = useUserId();
  const recordId = useRecordId();
  const componentId = useFrontComponentId();

  return (
    <div>
      <p>User: {userId}</p>
      <p>Record: {recordId ?? 'No record context'}</p>
      <p>Component: {componentId}</p>
    </div>
  );
};

export default defineFrontComponent({
  universalIdentifier: 'b2c3d4e5-f6a7-8901-bcde-f23456789012',
  name: 'record-info',
  component: RecordInfo,
});
```

Available hooks:

| Hook | Returns | Description |
|------|---------|-------------|
| `useUserId()` | `string` or `null` | The current user's ID |
| `useSelectedRecordIds()` | `string[]` | All selected record IDs (empty array if none selected) |
| `useRecordId()` | `string` or `null` | **Deprecated.** Use `useSelectedRecordIds()` instead |
| `useFrontComponentId()` | `string` | This component instance's ID |
| `useFrontComponentExecutionContext(selector)` | varies | Access the full execution context with a selector function |

## Application variables

Application variables defined in [`defineApplication()`](/developers/extend/apps/config/application) with `isSecret: false` are available inside front components via the `getApplicationVariable` utility:

```tsx src/front-components/greeting.tsx
import { defineFrontComponent } from 'twenty-sdk/define';
import { getApplicationVariable } from 'twenty-sdk/front-component';

const Greeting = () => {
  const recipientName = getApplicationVariable('DEFAULT_RECIPIENT_NAME') ?? 'World';

  return <p>Hello, {recipientName}!</p>;
};

export default defineFrontComponent({
  universalIdentifier: '...',
  name: 'greeting',
  component: Greeting,
});
```

<Warning>
Secret variables (`isSecret: true`) are **not** exposed to front components. They are only available in [logic functions](/developers/extend/apps/logic/logic-functions), which run server-side. This prevents sensitive values like API keys from being sent to the browser.
</Warning>

The following system variables are always available via `process.env`:

| Variable | Description |
|----------|-------------|
| `TWENTY_API_URL` | Base URL of the Twenty API |
| `TWENTY_APP_ACCESS_TOKEN` | Short-lived token scoped to your app's role |

## Host communication API

Front components can trigger navigation, modals, and notifications using functions from `twenty-sdk`:

| Function | Description |
|----------|-------------|
| `navigate(to, params?, queryParams?, options?)` | Navigate to a page in the app |
| `openSidePanelPage(params)` | Open a side panel |
| `closeSidePanel()` | Close the side panel |
| `openCommandConfirmationModal(params)` | Show a confirmation dialog |
| `enqueueSnackbar(params)` | Show a toast notification |
| `unmountFrontComponent()` | Unmount the component |
| `updateProgress(progress)` | Update a progress indicator |

Here is an example that uses the host API to show a snackbar and close the side panel after an action completes:

```tsx src/front-components/archive-record.tsx
import { defineFrontComponent } from 'twenty-sdk/define';
import { useRecordId } from 'twenty-sdk/front-component';
import { enqueueSnackbar, closeSidePanel } from 'twenty-sdk/front-component';
import { CoreApiClient } from 'twenty-sdk/clients';

const ArchiveRecord = () => {
  const recordId = useRecordId();

  const handleArchive = async () => {
    const client = new CoreApiClient();

    await client.mutation({
      updateTask: {
        __args: { id: recordId, data: { status: 'ARCHIVED' } },
        id: true,
      },
    });

    await enqueueSnackbar({
      message: 'Record archived',
      variant: 'success',
    });

    await closeSidePanel();
  };

  return (
    <div style={{ padding: '20px' }}>
      <p>Archive this record?</p>
      <button onClick={handleArchive}>Archive</button>
    </div>
  );
};

export default defineFrontComponent({
  universalIdentifier: 'c9d0e1f2-a3b4-5678-cdef-789012345678',
  name: 'archive-record',
  description: 'Archives the current record',
  component: ArchiveRecord,
});
```

### Working with multiple records

Use `useSelectedRecordIds()` to handle multiple selected records. This is useful for bulk operations:

```tsx src/front-components/bulk-export.tsx
import { defineFrontComponent } from 'twenty-sdk/define';
import { useSelectedRecordIds, numberOfSelectedRecords } from 'twenty-sdk/front-component';
import { enqueueSnackbar, closeSidePanel } from 'twenty-sdk/front-component';
import { CoreApiClient } from 'twenty-sdk/clients';

const BulkExport = () => {
  const selectedRecordIds = useSelectedRecordIds();

  const handleExport = async () => {
    const client = new CoreApiClient();

    for (const recordId of selectedRecordIds) {
      await client.mutation({
        updateTask: {
          __args: { id: recordId, data: { exported: true } },
          id: true,
        },
      });
    }

    await enqueueSnackbar({
      message: `Exported ${selectedRecordIds.length} records`,
      variant: 'success',
    });

    await closeSidePanel();
  };

  return (
    <div style={{ padding: '20px' }}>
      <p>Export {selectedRecordIds.length} selected record(s)?</p>
      <button onClick={handleExport}>Export</button>
    </div>
  );
};

export default defineFrontComponent({
  universalIdentifier: 'd0e1f2a3-b4c5-6789-defa-012345678901',
  name: 'bulk-export',
  description: 'Export selected records',
  component: BulkExport,
  command: {
    universalIdentifier: 'd0e1f2a3-b4c5-6789-defa-012345678902',
    label: 'Bulk Export',
    availabilityType: 'RECORD_SELECTION',
    conditionalAvailabilityExpression: numberOfSelectedRecords > 0,
  },
});
```

## Public assets

Front components can access files from the app's `public/` directory using `getPublicAssetUrl`:

```tsx
import { defineFrontComponent, getPublicAssetUrl } from 'twenty-sdk/define';

const Logo = () => <img src={getPublicAssetUrl('logo.png')} alt="Logo" />;

export default defineFrontComponent({
  universalIdentifier: '...',
  name: 'logo',
  component: Logo,
});
```

See the [public assets section](/developers/extend/apps/config/public-assets) for details.

## Styling

Front components support multiple styling approaches. You can use:

- **Inline styles** — `style={{ color: 'red' }}`
- **Twenty UI components** — import from `twenty-sdk/ui` (Button, Tag, Status, Chip, Avatar, and more)
- **Emotion** — CSS-in-JS with `@emotion/react`
- **Styled-components** — `styled.div` patterns
- **Tailwind CSS** — utility classes
- **Any CSS-in-JS library** compatible with React

```tsx
import { defineFrontComponent } from 'twenty-sdk/define';
import { Button, Tag, Status } from 'twenty-sdk/ui';

const StyledWidget = () => {
  return (
    <div style={{ padding: '16px', display: 'flex', gap: '8px' }}>
      <Button title="Click me" onClick={() => alert('Clicked!')} />
      <Tag text="Active" color="green" />
      <Status color="green" text="Online" />
    </div>
  );
};

export default defineFrontComponent({
  universalIdentifier: 'e5f6a7b8-c9d0-1234-efab-567890123456',
  name: 'styled-widget',
  component: StyledWidget,
});
```
