User Guide
Disclaimer: Many of the features described in this guide are still in planning or active development. Some functionality may not yet be available in your instance.
Welcome to the Scientific Data Layer (SDL) platform — a flexible, semantic ecosystem designed to support scientific data creation, exploration, and management through linked data principles.
Getting Started
SDL is accessed via your web browser. Once you log in, you'll be directed to your default workspace.
Requirements
- Modern browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari)
- Web access to your SDL instance
Logging In
You’ll receive credentials from your institution or administrator. Use these to log in via the /login page.
Understanding Workspaces
Workspaces are your organizational units within SDL. Each workspace:
- Contains semantic documents, datasets, and workflows
- Has its own permissions and visibility
- Can be shared among teams or collaborators
You can switch between workspaces using the workspace selector in the top-left corner of the UI.
Navigating the Interface
SDL offers a clean, block-based interface. Key UI elements include:
- Sidebar: Workspace navigation, search, recent items
- Main View: Displays pages, datasets, or visualizations
- Toolbar: Actions like add block, save, export, etc.
Keyboard shortcuts and drag-and-drop features are available for power users.
Creating and Managing Content
You can create new documents, datasets, or visual workflows using the "+ New" button.
Each page is composed of semantic blocks:
- Text blocks with annotations
- Data blocks that connect to RDF resources
- Visualization blocks (e.g., graphs, charts)
All content is stored with semantic annotations and version history.
Semantic Editing
SDL allows inline semantic annotation and RDF-backed editing.
You can:
- Link terms to ontologies (e.g., SSN, DCAT)
- Create typed resources directly from the editor
- Autocomplete vocabulary terms
Use the right-click menu or toolbar to apply semantic types.
Searching and Filtering Data
Use the global search bar or workspace-specific filters to:
- Find pages, resources, datasets, or types
- Filter by date, author, class, or tags
- Preview RDF triples inline before opening items
Advanced SPARQL queries are supported for power users.
Importing and Exporting
You can import/export content in various formats:
- Import: JSON-LD, Turtle, CSV
- Export: JSON-LD, Turtle, PDF, HTML
Data is validated during import and matched to known ontologies.
User Preferences and Settings
From the settings menu (top-right avatar):
- Change theme (light/dark)
- Manage notification preferences
- Update profile info
- Manage API tokens
Support and Feedback
- Visit the User FAQ user_faq
- Join the Community Forum
- Contact Support via the Help menu or support@example.org
We welcome feedback! Please suggest improvements via the in-app feedback form.
Thank you for using SDL!