---
name: cmdk-actions
description: Guide for adding new actions to Sentry's Command+K palette. Use when implementing new cmdk actions, registering page-level or global actions, building async resource pickers, or adding contextual actions to a view.
---
# Adding Actions to the Command Palette (cmdk)
Sentry's Command+K palette is built on a tree-collection system where `CMDKAction` components register themselves via React context. Actions render wherever in the component tree they live — no central registry to update.
## Core files
- **`static/app/components/commandPalette/ui/cmdk.tsx`** — `CMDKAction` component (the only primitive you need)
- **`static/app/components/commandPalette/types.tsx`** — public types + `cmdkQueryOptions` helper
- **`static/app/components/commandPalette/ui/commandPaletteSlot.tsx`** — `CommandPaletteSlot` for scoping
- **`static/app/components/commandPalette/ui/commandPaletteGlobalActions.tsx`** — always-on global actions
---
## The Three Slots
Slots control sort order and lifetime. Import from `commandPaletteSlot.tsx`:
```tsx
import {CommandPaletteSlot} from 'sentry/components/commandPalette/ui/commandPaletteSlot';
```
| Slot | Order in palette | Lifetime | Use for |
| -------- | ------------------------ | ------------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `task` | First (highest priority) | Reserved — not yet used in production | Future transient workflow steps |
| `page` | Second | Tied to the page component's mount/unmount | Contextual actions for the current view (issue details, settings pages) |
| `global` | Last | Always present for any org | Org-wide navigation, create actions, help |
Wrap page-level actions in the slot provider:
```tsx
// In a page component or its sub-tree
```
Global actions are registered once in `GlobalCommandPaletteActions` — add to that component rather than creating a new global slot consumer.
---
## `CMDKAction` Props
```ts
interface CMDKActionProps {
// Required: what the user sees
display: {
label: string; // primary text
details?: string; // secondary description line
icon?: React.ReactNode; // icon on the left — use default size for section icons,
// size={16} for avatars (ProjectAvatar, ActorAvatar, TeamAvatar)
trailingItem?: React.ReactNode; // right-side decoration (overrides link indicator)
};
// Optional: improve search recall
keywords?: string[];
// Optional stable key. Prefix with "cmdk:supplementary:" to sort last in
// search results regardless of fuzzy score (used for the Help section).
id?: string;
// --- Choose one action type (TypeScript union enforces mutual exclusivity) ---
// 1. Navigate
to?: LocationDescriptor;
// 2. Callback
onAction?: () => void;
// 3. Group/resource — requires children or resource to render anything.
// Without at least one of those the component returns null.
resource?: (query: string, context: CMDKResourceContext) => CMDKQueryOptions;
children?: React.ReactNode | ((data: CommandPaletteAction[]) => React.ReactNode);
// --- Group display ---
// Overrides the input placeholder when the user drills into this action.
// Has no effect without children or resource — the node still needs content
// to drill into.
prompt?: string;
// Max results shown before a "See all" expansion item appears.
// Default: 4 when resource is set and children is a render-prop function.
// No default for static children.
limit?: number;
}
```
---
## Action Patterns
### 1. Navigation link
```tsx
import {CMDKAction} from 'sentry/components/commandPalette/ui/cmdk';
import {IconIssues} from 'sentry/icons';
,
}}
keywords={['bugs', 'errors', 'problems']}
to={`/organizations/${org.slug}/issues/`}
/>;
```
### 2. Callback action
```tsx
handleResolve(group.id)}
/>
```
### 3. Static group
Nest `CMDKAction` children to create a drillable group. The parent label appears as a breadcrumb prefix in search results (e.g. `Set Priority > High`), so use a label that identifies the context.
**Group icon as current-state indicator**: set the group's own icon to reflect the current value so the user can see the state before drilling in. Both the priority and assignee selectors do this:
```tsx
// Icon reflects current priority — user sees state at a glance
,
}}
>
}}
onAction={() => setPriority('high')}
/>
}}
onAction={() => setPriority('medium')}
/>
}}
onAction={() => setPriority('low')}
/>
;
// Icon reflects current assignee — avatar when assigned, generic icon when not
const assigneeIcon = group.assignedTo ? (
) : (
);
{/* children */}
;
```
### 4. Async resource picker
Use `resource` + `cmdkQueryOptions` to load items from an API. The user types to filter. The loading spinner activates automatically while the query is in flight.
Note: when the user drills into a resource node the palette clears the query. Your `resource` function will initially receive an empty string — design your query params accordingly.
```tsx
import {cmdkQueryOptions} from 'sentry/components/commandPalette/types';
import {apiOptions} from 'sentry/utils/api/apiOptions';
import {ProjectAvatar} from '@sentry/scraps/avatar';
cmdkQueryOptions({
...apiOptions.as()('/organizations/$organizationIdOrSlug/projects/', {
path: {organizationIdOrSlug: org.slug},
query: {query, per_page: 20},
staleTime: 30_000,
}),
// Only fetch once the user has drilled into this node
enabled: context.state === 'selected',
select: projects =>
projects.map(project => ({
display: {
label: project.slug,
icon: ,
},
to: `/organizations/${org.slug}/projects/${project.slug}/`,
})),
})
}
/>;
```
**Rules for `resource`:**
- **Always** wrap with `cmdkQueryOptions(...)` — this injects `meta: { cmdk: true }` so the palette's loading spinner tracks the request via `useIsFetching`.
- Use `enabled: context.state === 'selected'` to defer fetching until the user actually drills in.
- The `select` field must transform the API response into `CommandPaletteAction[]`.
- `query` is the live search input value (not debounced) — pass it through as a search param.
- Use `staleTime: Infinity` for data that rarely changes (project lists, settings nav items). Use `staleTime: 30_000` for user/session data.
### 5. Resource with render-prop children
Use a render-prop when you need custom rendering or want to mix static and async items.
`CommandPaletteAction` is a union that includes groups (which have `actions`, not `children`). Don't blindly spread items into `CMDKAction` — type-narrow to only handle `to` and `onAction` variants, as the codebase's own `renderAsyncResult` helper does:
```tsx
// Type-safe helper — skip groups, which can't be spread into CMDKAction
function renderAsyncResult(item: CommandPaletteAction, index: number) {
if ('to' in item) return ;
if ('onAction' in item) return ;
return null;
}
cmdkQueryOptions({
queryKey: ['members', org.slug, query],
queryFn: () => fetchMembers(org.slug, query),
enabled: context.state === 'selected',
select: members =>
members.map(m => ({
display: {label: m.name, details: m.email},
onAction: () => assignTo(m.id),
})),
})
}
>
{members => (
<>
{/* Static first entry */}
{/* Dynamic entries from resource */}
{members.map(renderAsyncResult)}
>
)}
;
```
**Auto-render limitation**: when `children` is _not_ a render-prop (static children + `resource`), resource results that are `CommandPaletteActionGroup` items are silently skipped. Only `to` and `onAction` results are auto-rendered. Use the render-prop pattern if you need groups from a resource.
### 6. Static async children via hook
When a dataset is small and already cached, fetch it with a hook and render it as static JSX children. The palette's built-in fuzzy search handles filtering client-side — no `resource` prop needed:
```tsx
// useProjectMembers fetches once and caches; palette fuzzy-searches the results
const {data: members = []} = useProjectMembers(project.id);
const assignableUsers = members.filter(m => m.id !== currentUser.id);
handleAssign(currentUser)}
/>
{assignableUsers.map(member => (
),
}}
onAction={() => handleAssign(member)}
/>
))}
{teams.map(team => (
,
}}
onAction={() => handleAssign(team)}
/>
))}
;
```
**When to use static children vs `resource`:**
| | Static children via hook | `resource` prop |
| ------------- | -------------------------- | ----------------------- |
| Dataset size | Small, bounded | Large or unbounded |
| Filtering | Client-side fuzzy search | Server-side search |
| Fetch timing | Eager (on component mount) | Deferred (on drill-in) |
| Query updates | Fixed at render | Responds to typed query |
**Key naming for mixed entity lists**: prefix keys with the entity type to prevent collisions — `member-${id}`, `team-${id}`, `${owner.type}-${owner.id}`, `coding-agent:${id}`.
### 7. `trailingItem` — marking the active item
Use `trailingItem` with a `"Current"` badge only for **entity selections** where the user is switching between distinct objects — projects, organizations, users, environments, and similar. The badge answers the question "which one am I on right now?" when the items are otherwise indistinguishable.
**Do not** use `"Current"` for settings or modes (sort order, theme, display density, etc.). Those have a single correct value at any time, and the group's own label or icon already reflects it (see the group-icon-as-state-indicator pattern above). A `"Current"` badge on a settings option duplicates information without adding clarity.
```tsx
import {Tag} from '@sentry/scraps/badge';
// ✅ Entity selection — badge makes sense: user sees which project they're on
cmdkQueryOptions({...})}
>
{/* Current project rendered statically so it always appears first */}
,
trailingItem: {t('Current')},
}}
to={`/organizations/${org.slug}/projects/${currentProject.slug}/`}
/>
// ❌ Settings/mode — do not use a badge; the group label already shows the active value
,
}}
>
{sortKeys.map(key => (
{t('Current')} : undefined
// ❌ Don't do this — the group label already communicates the active sort
}}
onAction={() => onSortChange(key)}
/>
))}
```
### 7. Query-content-gated resource
A resource can activate based on what the user has typed, not just drill-in state. Use this for contextual lookup tools that only make sense for a specific query shape:
```tsx
const DSN_PATTERN = /^https?:\/\/.+@.+\/.+/;
cmdkQueryOptions({
...apiOptions.as()(/* ... */),
// Only fetch when the query looks like a DSN
enabled: context.state === 'selected' && DSN_PATTERN.test(query),
select: result => result.navTargets.map(/* ... */),
})
}
/>;
```
### 8. State-conditional actions
Render different actions based on current entity state — not just feature flags. Actions that don't apply to the current state should simply not render:
```tsx
}>
{!isResolved && !isArchived && (
)}
{!isResolved && !isArchived && (
)}
{isResolved && (
)}
{isArchived && (
)}
```
### 9. Supplementary (always-last) section
Prefix `id` with `cmdk:supplementary:` to sort the section after all other results, regardless of search score. Reserved for content like Help links that should never surface above real actions.
```tsx
```
---
## Splitting Actions Across Components
When a page's action set is complex, split it across multiple components. Child components that register actions **do not need their own slot** — they inherit the slot context from the parent that established it. Just emit `` nodes directly:
```tsx
// views/issueDetails/groupPriorityActions.tsx
// No slot here — registers under whatever parent mounts this
function GroupPriorityActions({group}: {group: Group}) {
return (
setPriority('high')} />
setPriority('medium')} />
setPriority('low')} />
);
}
// views/issueDetails/seerActions.tsx
// Returns a Fragment of siblings — adds actions into the parent group without
// creating an extra nesting level
function SeerActions({group}: {group: Group}) {
if (!canShowSeer) return null;
return (
}}
onAction={startAutofix}
/>
);
}
// views/issueDetails/issueCommandPaletteActions.tsx
// Only this component owns the slot
function IssueCommandPaletteActions({group, issue}: Props) {
return (
,
}}
>
);
}
```
Use `` (not a wrapping ``) when a child component contributes flat siblings into an existing parent group.
---
## Registering Global Actions
Add to `GlobalCommandPaletteActions` in `commandPaletteGlobalActions.tsx`. Don't create a second `global` slot consumer — there is one slot outlet in the navigation shell, so a second consumer would compete with it rather than extend it. It's a JSX component — just insert a new `CMDKAction` in the relevant group or create a new named group:
```tsx
// Inside GlobalCommandPaletteActions render:
{/* existing actions... */}
}}
to={`/organizations/${organization.slug}/crons/`}
/>
```
---
## Registering Page-Level Actions
Create a component that wraps actions in `` and mount it inside the relevant page component. The actions register and deregister automatically with the page's mount/unmount lifecycle.
```tsx
// views/myFeature/myFeatureCommandPaletteActions.tsx
function MyFeatureCommandPaletteActions({item}: {item: MyItem}) {
return (
archiveItem(item.id)}
/>
);
}
// views/myFeature/myFeaturePage.tsx
function MyFeaturePage() {
return (
{/* rest of page */}
);
}
```
---
## Feature Flag and Permission Gates
Gate on additional flags or permissions inline:
```tsx
{
organization.features.includes('my-feature') && (
);
}
{
user.isStaff && ;
}
```
**Gate the entire slot when a page is disabled** — don't render individual disabled actions; don't render the slot at all:
```tsx
// ✅ Gate at the slot level
{
!disabled && (
{/* all actions */}
);
}
```
---
## Capability Config
When an entity type determines which actions are available, derive that from a config object rather than inline conditionals. `getConfigForIssueType(group, project)` returns per-action capability flags:
```tsx
const config = useMemo(() => getConfigForIssueType(group, project), [group, project]);
const {
actions: {resolve: resolveCap, delete: deleteCap},
} = config;
// Only render actions the issue type supports
{
resolveCap.enabled && (
);
}
```
For new entity types, follow the same pattern: define a config shape that carries capability flags, then gate rendering on those flags rather than scattered `group.type === '...'` checks.
---
## Workflow / Sequential State Machine
When actions represent steps in a multi-stage workflow, show only the _next valid action_ — not all possible steps at once. Gate each step on the previous step being complete and the next not yet started:
```tsx
// Extract state into a dedicated hook in the same file
function useSeerState(group: Group, project: Project) {
const autofix = useExplorerAutofix(group.id);
const sections = getOrderedAutofixSections(autofix.runState);
return {
autofix,
completedRootCause: sections.some(
s => isRootCauseSection(s) && s.status === 'completed'
),
completedSolution: sections.some(
s => isSolutionSection(s) && s.status === 'completed'
),
completedCodeChanges: sections.some(
s => isCodeChangesSection(s) && s.status === 'completed'
),
hasPR: sections.some(isPullRequestsSection),
runId: autofix.runState?.run_id,
isPolling: autofix.isPolling,
};
}
function WorkflowActions({group, project}: Props) {
const {
autofix,
completedRootCause,
completedSolution,
completedCodeChanges,
hasPR,
runId,
isPolling,
} = useSeerState(group, project);
// Guard: can only advance the workflow when not mid-operation and run exists
const canContinue = !isPolling && defined(runId);
return (
{(!autofix.runState || autofix.runState.status === 'error') && (
)}
{canContinue && completedRootCause && !completedSolution && (
nextStep('solution', runId)}
/>
)}
{canContinue && completedSolution && !completedCodeChanges && (
nextStep('code_changes', runId)}
/>
)}
{canContinue && completedCodeChanges && !hasPR && (
createPR(runId)}
/>
)}
);
}
```
Key points:
- Extract the state logic into a dedicated `use*State` hook within the action component file — keeps the JSX clean.
- Use a `canContinue` guard to prevent showing progress actions while an async operation is in flight.
- Return `null` early at the top of the component when the feature isn't applicable:
```tsx
// Guard clause — return null before any hooks if possible, else after
if (!aiConfig.areAiFeaturesAllowed || !isExplorer || !issueTypeSupportsSeer || !event) {
return null;
}
```
---
## Dynamic Labels
Embed the current value in an action label to give context without requiring the user to drill in first:
```tsx
// Shows who is currently assigned
handleAssigneeChange(null)}
/>
// Shows the current value being changed
```
Use `t('... %s', value)` (printf-style) rather than template literals so strings remain translatable.
---
## Checklist
- [ ] Wrap page-level actions in ``; add global actions to `GlobalCommandPaletteActions`
- [ ] Child components that split a page action set do **not** add their own slot — they inherit from the parent
- [ ] All `resource` functions use `cmdkQueryOptions(...)`
- [ ] `resource` functions set `enabled: context.state === 'selected'` to defer fetching (or a query-content check for contextual resources)
- [ ] `select` in resource options returns `CommandPaletteAction[]`
- [ ] `prompt` is set on any drill-target that replaces the search placeholder
- [ ] `limit` is set on resource nodes to avoid overwhelming the list (default 4 only applies when `resource` AND `children` is a render-prop function; auto-render mode has no default)
- [ ] `staleTime: Infinity` for stable lists (projects, nav items); `staleTime: 30_000` for dynamic data
- [ ] `id="cmdk:supplementary:..."` on any section that should always sort last
- [ ] `keywords` added for non-obvious actions to improve search recall
- [ ] Section/group icons use default size; avatar icons (`ProjectAvatar`, `ActorAvatar`, `TeamAvatar`) use `size={16}`
- [ ] State-conditional actions (resolved, archived, etc.) are rendered conditionally rather than disabled
- [ ] `disabled` state gates the entire ``, not individual actions
- [ ] Group icon reflects the current value of the setting it controls (priority, assignee, theme)
- [ ] Dynamic action labels use `t('... %s', value)` not template literals, so strings stay translatable
- [ ] Workflow action components extract state logic into a dedicated `use*State` hook and use a `canContinue` guard
- [ ] Components that are not applicable return `null` early via a guard clause before rendering any JSX
- [ ] Entity capability config (e.g. `getConfigForIssueType`) drives action availability rather than scattered type checks
- [ ] Dynamic list keys use `type-id` format (`member-${id}`, `team-${id}`) to prevent cross-type collisions