Configuring Column Display and Behavior
Customize how columns appear and behave in the Data Explorer. Configure display names, visibility, searchability, filtering, sorting, and editability.
When you sync a table, Supamode automatically infers column settings from your PostgreSQL schema. You can customize these settings to control how each column appears and behaves in the Data Explorer.
Accessing Column Settings
- Navigate to Settings > Tables
- Select a table
- Click on a column to open its settings
Column Settings Reference
Display Name
Override the database column name with a human-readable label.
| Database Column | Display Name |
|---|---|
first_name | First Name |
created_at | Created |
usr_email | Email Address |
is_active | Active |
The display name appears in:
- Table headers
- Form labels
- Filter dropdowns
- Search results
Description
Add context that appears below the field label in forms. Useful for:
- Explaining expected formats
- Noting character limits
- Clarifying business rules
Example: For a slug field: "URL-friendly identifier. Lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens only."
UI Data Type
The UI Data Type determines what input control Supamode renders. See Data Types for the complete list.
Supamode infers types from PostgreSQL, but you can override for better UX:
| PostgreSQL Type | Auto-detected | Better Option |
|---|---|---|
text | Plain Text | Markdown (for content) |
text | Plain Text | Email (for email columns) |
text | Plain Text | URL (for links) |
varchar | Plain Text | Long Text (for descriptions) |
text | Plain Text | Image (for file URLs) |
Visibility Settings
Control where columns appear in the Data Explorer.
Visible in Table
When enabled, the column shows in the list view (table grid).
Disable for:
- Long text fields (descriptions, content)
- JSON/JSONB columns
- Internal IDs
- Technical metadata
This keeps your table view scannable. Users can still see hidden columns in the detail view.
Visible in Detail
When enabled, the column appears on the record detail/edit page.
Disable for:
- Auto-generated columns (ID, timestamps)
- Columns managed by triggers
- Internal system fields
Hidden columns are still stored and updated; they're just not shown in the form.
Search and Filter Settings
Searchable
When enabled, this column is included in global search (Cmd+K).
Enable for:
- Names and titles
- Email addresses
- Unique identifiers
- Slugs and URLs
Disable for:
- Large text content (slows search)
- Numeric columns
- Boolean flags
- JSON data
- Internal metadata
Search Performance
Each searchable column adds to query complexity. For tables with millions of rows, limit searchable columns to 3-5 high-value fields with appropriate database indexes.
Filterable
When enabled, users can filter the table by this column.
Best candidates for filtering:
- Status fields (
draft,published,archived) - Boolean flags (
is_active,is_featured) - Category/type enums
- Date fields (
created_at,published_at) - Foreign keys (filter by relationship)
Filterable columns show a filter control in the table toolbar.
Sortable
When enabled, clicking the column header sorts the table.
Enable for:
- Dates and timestamps
- Names (alphabetical sorting)
- Numbers (price, quantity)
- Status fields
Disable for:
- Long text columns
- JSON columns
- Columns without meaningful order
Editability
When Editable is enabled, users can modify this column's value in forms.
Disable for:
- Primary keys
- Auto-generated timestamps (
created_at,updated_at) - Computed columns
- Columns managed by database triggers
- Foreign keys that shouldn't be changed
Non-editable columns still display if Visible in Detail is enabled, but in read-only mode.
Column Ordering
Drag and drop columns in the table settings to change their display order.
Recommendations:
- Put identifiers and names first
- Group related fields together
- Move timestamps to the end
- Hide technical columns entirely
The order applies to both the table view and detail forms.
Example: Configuring a Users Table
Here's a practical configuration for a users table:
| Column | Display Name | Visible (Table) | Visible (Detail) | Searchable | Filterable | Sortable | Editable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
id | ID | No | No | No | No | No | No |
email | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | |
full_name | Full Name | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
role | Role | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
is_active | Active | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
avatar_url | Avatar | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes |
bio | Biography | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes |
created_at | Created | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No |
updated_at | Updated | No | No | No | No | No | No |
Result:
- Table view shows: Email, Full Name, Role, Active, Avatar, Created
- Search works on: Email, Full Name
- Filter controls for: Role, Active, Created
- Sort by: Email, Full Name, Role, Created
Best Practices
Start with Core Fields
Configure your most-used columns first. For a typical table:
- Configure the identifier/name columns
- Set up status filters
- Add date sorting
- Hide technical columns
Match User Mental Models
Name columns the way your team thinks about the data, not how the database stores it.
Instead of: usr_fname, usr_lname, usr_dob Use: First Name, Last Name, Date of Birth
Don't Over-Index Search
More searchable columns means slower searches. Pick 3-5 columns that users actually search for.
Keep Tables Scannable
If your table view has more than 6-7 visible columns, consider hiding less critical fields. Users can always see them in the detail view.