Skip to main content

Cells

Datalayer Cells provide a focused, cell-level editor for executable units of work. Use Cells when you want notebook power with tighter, modular control over individual code and markdown blocks.

What You Can Do​

  • Create and edit individual code or markdown cells.
  • Execute a single cell quickly without managing a full notebook flow.
  • Attach a runtime and iterate on isolated computations.
  • Inspect outputs per cell for faster debugging and validation.
  • Compose reusable cell-level workflows before promoting them to full notebooks.

Cell-Level Workflow in Datalayer​

  1. Create or open a cell-oriented workspace.
  2. Attach a runtime (local, browser, or managed remote runtime).
  3. Edit and run cells iteratively.
  4. Review outputs and adjust logic at a fine-grained level.
  5. Save or embed validated cells into broader notebook or document workflows.

Runtime Integration​

Cells are integrated with the same runtime lifecycle controls used by notebooks:

  • Runtime selection by resource profile.
  • Execution control (interrupt, restart, pause/resume, terminate).
  • Visibility into runtime state for reliable iteration.

For runtime operations, see Runtimes and Runtimes Snapshots.

Cells vs Notebooks​

  • Use Cells for focused, modular edits and fast execution loops.
  • Use Notebooks for narrative, multi-step, shareable analysis workflows.

Many teams start with Cells for rapid iteration, then consolidate into Notebooks for publishing and collaboration.

Best Practices​

  • Keep each cell scoped to one transformation or test.
  • Add concise markdown context when intent is not obvious.
  • Validate outputs incrementally to catch regressions early.
  • Promote stable cells into notebook workflows for reproducibility.

Next Steps​