[✨ Triage] dotnet/aspire#13642 by afscrome - Too Many Resources #61
Description
Triage for dotnet/aspire#13642.
Repo filter: area-dashboard issues.
MihuBot version: 617ebc.
Ping MihaZupan for any issues.
This is a test triage report generated by AI, aimed at helping the triage team quickly identify past issues/PRs that may be related.
Take any conclusions with a large grain of salt.
Tool logs
dotnet/aspire#13642: Too Many Resources by afscrome
[Tool] Searching for dashboard too many resources, dashboard clutter, dashboard resource noise, dashboard simplify, dashboard collapse expand, dashboard service boundaries, dashboard architectural layers, dashboard reduce resources, dashboard filtering (IncludeOpen=True, IncludeClosed=True, IncludeIssues=True, IncludePullRequests=False, Repository=dotnet/aspire)
[Tool] Searching for #13427, #11603, #13634 (IncludeOpen=True, IncludeClosed=True, IncludeIssues=True, IncludePullRequests=False, Repository=dotnet/aspire)
[Tool] Found 29 issues, 25 comments (26373 ms)
[Tool] Found 40 issues, 61 comments (40491 ms)
Here is a thorough triage of issue #13642 ("Too Many Resources") and a summary of related issues and discussions:
Directly Mentioned Issues
Issue #13427 (Fixed in 13.1)
- Title: [Not provided in search results]
- Status: Fixed in version 13.1.
- Summary: This issue is referenced as already fixed, suggesting some improvements to dashboard resource noise/clutter have been made.
Issue #11603
- Title: [Not provided in search results]
- Summary: Mentioned as related, but no details surfaced in search. May relate to dashboard resource management or filtering.
Issue #13634
- Title: [Not provided in search results]
- Summary: Mentioned as related, but no details surfaced in search. Likely relevant to dashboard complexity or resource display.
Highly Relevant Issues & Discussions
Issue #6139 (October 2024) - Resource grouping annotation for dashboard
- Summary: Proposes a
GroupAnnotationfor visually grouping resources in the dashboard, with options to expand/collapse, set order, and assign icons. Extensive discussion about grouping not just for UI, but also for architectural, networking, and team boundaries. There is strong interest in supporting subsystem groups, network groups, and architectural layers, with UI features like collapsing/hiding internals and marking public/internal services. - Recent Comments: Suggest grouping should support architectural boundaries and allow collapsing/hiding internals for clarity. There is overlap with the current issue's request for reducing dashboard clutter and focusing on what matters.
Issue #10457 (July 2025) - Collapsible child resources in Graph View
- Summary: Requests the ability to collapse/expand child resources in the Graph View, similar to Table View, to reduce visual clutter in large applications. Discussion includes UI ideas (badges, chevrons, aggregated edges) and acknowledges complexity but sees value in the feature.
Issue #13263 (December 2025) - Option to prevent resources group to auto-expand in Dashboard
- Summary: Requests an option to prevent resource groups from auto-expanding, especially useful for users with many resources (e.g., 30+ databases) where auto-expansion pushes important services out of view.
Issue #7258 (January 2025) - Problems with child resources not visible by default
- Summary: Reports that collapsed child resources hide errors, making it hard to spot issues. Suggests expanding child resources by default or aggregating error states/icons to indicate problems. Also requests persistence of expanded/collapsed state and "expand/collapse all" options.
Issue #8742 (April 2025) - Remember user dashboard choices
- Summary: Requests dashboard to remember user preferences (expand/collapse state, theme) using local storage, so settings persist between refreshes and launches.
Issue #6868 (December 2024) - Allow to define the default order of resources listed in the dashboard (or help identifying important resources)
- Summary: Suggests allowing users to define resource order or highlight important resources, making it easier to find key services in large lists. Proposes APIs for position and icons.
Issue #4628 (June 2024) - Consider filtering dashboard by state
- Summary: Requests ability to filter out resources by state (e.g., finished, not important) or category, to reduce dashboard clutter.
Issue #1190 (December 2023) - Filter resources with errors on dashboard
- Summary: Suggests adding filters for resource states, especially errors, to help users focus on problematic resources in large apps.
Issue #2571 (March 2024) - Standardize filter options and display between Resource and Structured Logs view
- Summary: Tracking work to standardize filtering (by type, name, state, start time) across dashboard views, prioritizing the Resources page.
Issue #9482 (May 2025) - Persist dashboard
- Summary: Reports that dashboard filter settings do not persist between runs; requests persistence of filter state.
Related Filtering and Clutter Issues
Issue #896 (November 2023) - Standardize sorting, filtering, & searching UX for dashboard views
- Summary: Proposes standardized filtering/sorting/searching across dashboard views, including multi-column filtering and consistent UX. Discussion includes prioritizing improvements for the Resources page.
Issue #892 (November 2023) - Show all resources on a single page in the dashboard
- Summary: Suggests a unified Resources page with filtering by type, reducing the need to switch between pages and improving overview for large apps.
Issue #8437 (March 2025) - Dashboard - Allow bi-directional sorting and configurable filtering based on trace duration
- Summary: Requests sorting and filtering by trace duration and other columns for easier analysis in large apps.
Architectural/Grouping Discussions
Issue #8428 (March 2025) - Decouple hiddenness in the dashboard from the resource state
- Summary: Suggests separating the concept of "hidden" resources in the dashboard from their runtime state, allowing users to show/hide resources independently.
Issue #439 (October 2023) - Allow collapsing operations in the trace view
- Summary: Requests ability to collapse trace operations at any level for focused debugging.
Summary of Conclusions and Discussions
- Grouping and Collapsing: There is strong demand for resource grouping, collapsing/expanding groups, and architectural boundaries in the dashboard. This helps manage complexity in large app hosts.
- Filtering and Sorting: Multiple issues request improved filtering (by type, state, error, category), sorting, and searching to reduce dashboard noise and focus on important resources.
- Persistence: Users want dashboard settings (expand/collapse state, filters) to persist across sessions.
- UI Improvements: Suggestions include badges/icons for collapsed groups, aggregated error states, and options to prevent auto-expansion.
- Architectural Layers: Some discussions propose supporting architectural, networking, and team boundaries in the dashboard, not just visual grouping.
- Recent Fixes: Some improvements have shipped (e.g., #13427 fixed in 13.1), but holistic solutions are still in discussion.
Most Relevant Issues for Further Action
- #6139 (Resource grouping annotation for dashboard)
- #10457 (Collapsible child resources in Graph View)
- #13263 (Option to prevent resources group to auto-expand)
- #7258 (Problems with child resources not visible by default)
- #8742 (Remember user dashboard choices)
- #6868 (Define default order of resources)
- #4628 (Filtering dashboard by state)
- #1190 (Filter resources with errors)
- #2571 (Standardize filter options)
- #9482 (Persist dashboard)
- #896 (Standardize filtering UX)
- #892 (Show all resources on one page)
- #8437 (Sorting/filtering traces)
- #8428 (Decouple hiddenness from state)
Conclusion
The issue "Too Many Resources" is well-supported by existing discussions and feature requests. The community and team have repeatedly asked for:
- Better grouping, collapsing, and architectural boundaries in the dashboard.
- More granular filtering and sorting options.
- Persistent user preferences for dashboard state.
- UI improvements to reduce noise and focus on important resources.
Several related issues are open or have been recently fixed, but holistic solutions for large/complex app hosts are still under active discussion. This issue is timely and aligns with ongoing work and user feedback.
If you need further details on any specific issue or want full comment histories, let me know!