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In-App Help System

NetPad includes a comprehensive, context-aware help system accessible from anywhere in the platform. With 100+ help topics covering all platform features, you can quickly find answers without leaving your current task.

Accessing Help​

Keyboard Shortcuts​

The fastest way to access help:

ShortcutPlatformAction
Cmd + /macOSOpen help search
Ctrl + /Windows/LinuxOpen help search
F1AllOpen help search
Cmd + Shift + ?macOSOpen help search (alternative)
Ctrl + Shift + ?Windows/LinuxOpen help search (alternative)

Global Help Button​

A help button is always visible in the upper-right navbar (next to the marketplace icon). Click it to open the help search dialog.

Context-Sensitive Help Buttons​

Throughout the platform, you'll find subtle help buttons (? icons) near complex features. These open help directly relevant to that feature.

Inline Help Icons​

Within labels and descriptions, tiny help icons provide instant access to related documentation.

Context-Aware Intelligence​

The help system automatically detects where you are in the platform and tailors results accordingly.

Automatic Context Detection​

When you open help, the system detects your current page or feature:

  • Form Builder
  • Workflow Editor
  • Marketplace
  • Data Explorer
  • Settings
  • And more...

Smart Topic Boosting​

Context-relevant help topics are automatically:

  • Boosted in search results - Appear higher in the list
  • Visually highlighted - Green border and background
  • Marked as relevant - "Relevant to: [Feature Name]" indicator

No Search Required​

Even without typing anything, the most relevant topics for your current page appear first. This makes it easy to discover help for the feature you're actively using.

Search Capabilities​

Type to search across:

  • Topic titles
  • Topic descriptions
  • Keywords and tags

Relevance Scoring​

Results are ranked by:

  1. Exact matches - Highest priority
  2. Title matches - High priority
  3. Keyword matches - Medium priority
  4. Context relevance - Boosted when matching current page

Category Filtering​

Results are organized by category with color-coded icons:

  • Form Builder (blue)
  • Workflows (purple)
  • MongoDB (green)
  • Templates (orange)
  • Conversational Forms (teal)
  • Projects (indigo)
  • Organizations (red)
  • Connections (cyan)
  • Deployment (pink)
  • Admin (gray)

Keyboard Navigation​

Navigate search results efficiently:

  • ↑ / ↓ - Navigate between topics
  • Enter - Select highlighted topic
  • Escape - Close help dialog

Help Topics Coverage​

The help system includes 100+ topics covering:

Getting Started​

  • Platform overview
  • Quick start guides
  • Account setup

Form Builder​

  • Creating forms
  • Field types and configuration
  • Validation rules
  • Conditional logic
  • Theming and branding
  • Publishing forms

Workflows​

  • Creating workflows
  • Node types
  • Triggers and execution
  • Error handling

Data Management​

  • MongoDB connections
  • Data browser
  • Import/export

AI & Conversational​

  • Conversational forms
  • RAG knowledge-guided forms
  • AI agents
  • Document management

Platform Features​

  • Organizations and teams
  • Projects and environments
  • Marketplace
  • Billing and subscriptions

Deployment​

  • Cloud deployment
  • Self-hosted setup
  • Standalone apps

Troubleshooting​

  • Common issues
  • Error messages
  • FAQs

Context-Sensitive Help Components​

ContextHelpButton​

A reusable help button component for complex features:

Variants:

  • Subtle - Low opacity (0.3), becomes visible on hover
  • Visible - More prominent, always visible

Features:

  • Opens specific help topics or general search
  • Customizable placement and size
  • Seamlessly integrates with any feature

InlineHelpIcon​

A tiny inline help icon for use within text and labels:

Features:

  • Very subtle (0.3 opacity) until hovered
  • Perfect for inline help within form labels
  • Non-intrusive design

Tips for Using Help​

Quick Answers​

  1. Press Cmd/Ctrl + / from anywhere
  2. Start typing your question
  3. Select from context-aware results

Exploring Features​

  1. Navigate to a feature (e.g., Form Builder)
  2. Open help without searching
  3. Browse the automatically relevant topics

Deep Dives​

  1. Open a help topic
  2. Follow "Related Topics" links
  3. Explore connected documentation