# Tabs and Panes

Tabs let you keep multiple files open. Panes let you place work side by side. Together they form the working layout for reading, writing, comparing, and navigating.

## Tabs

Use tabs for files or views you expect to return to during the same session. A tab can hold a note, canvas, graph, settings page, AI page, or another app surface.

Common tab habits:

- Keep the current writing note in the first visible tab.
- Open source notes in neighboring tabs.
- Close tabs when they no longer support the task.
- Use quick switcher for files you do not need to keep open.

## Panes

A pane is a region of the workspace that can hold one or more tabs. Splitting a pane is useful when two things need to be visible at once.

Use splits for:

- Draft beside source note.
- Note beside graph.
- Canvas beside project plan.
- Markdown source beside preview.
- Search results beside the strongest result.

## Active tab behavior

Many contextual surfaces use the active tab. The right sidebar, outline, backlinks, and outgoing links generally follow the note you are working in. If a panel seems to show the wrong context, click the note tab you want to inspect.

## Layout discipline

Open layouts grow quickly. A practical rule is to keep only one active task visible. If a tab belongs to a different task, close it or move it into a separate window or future session.

## Continue learning

- [Workspace](<Workspace.md>)
- [Editor](<Editor.md>)
- [Knowledge Graph](<Knowledge Graph.md>)