Starting Page Modes - User Manual
Overview
The Starting Page feature allows administrators and users to control which page (dashboard) is displayed when a user navigates to the application. Instead of always landing on the default Welcome Page, users can be redirected to a specific dashboard based on configurable rules, user roles, and access modes.
There are two levels of configuration:
- Administrator-level configuration - Platform-wide rules managed in the Namespace Management settings.
- User-level configuration - Personal starting page preferences managed in the user's Profile Settings.
Access Modes
The core concept of the Starting Page feature is the Access Mode, which determines when the redirect to the configured starting page occurs. There are three available modes:
1. Welcome Page Only (default)
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Label in UI | Welcome Page Only |
| Internal value | WELCOME_PAGE_ONLY |
Behavior: The system redirects to the configured starting page only when the user is on the Welcome Page (/welcome). If the user navigates directly to any other URL (e.g., via a bookmark or shared link), no redirect occurs.
Use case: This is the least intrusive mode. It simply replaces the Welcome Page with a specific dashboard while preserving all direct navigation. This is the default mode when no other mode is selected.
2. After Login
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Label in UI | After Login |
| Internal value | AFTER_LOGIN |
Behavior: The system redirects to the configured starting page once immediately after the user performs a fresh login. The redirect happens regardless of which URL the user was trying to access. After the first redirect, subsequent navigation within the same session is not affected.
Key details:
- The redirect occurs only once per login session.
- If the user was navigating to a specific URL (e.g., a shared deep link), the original URL is captured and stored. A "Go Back to Original Link" action can be used to return to that URL.
- Opening new browser tabs within the same session does not trigger additional redirects.
Use case: Ideal when you want users to always see a specific dashboard first after logging in (e.g., a daily overview or announcements dashboard), while still allowing them to return to any shared links they originally clicked.
3. Always
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Label in UI | Always |
| Internal value | ALWAYS |
Behavior: The system redirects to the configured starting page once per browser tab on the first authenticated navigation. Every time a new tab is opened with the application, the user is redirected to the starting page.
Key details:
- The redirect occurs once per browser tab (not per click or navigation).
- Like the "After Login" mode, the original URL is captured before the redirect so it can be restored later via the "Go Back to Original Link" action.
- Once the redirect has occurred in a given tab, subsequent navigation within that tab is unaffected.
Use case: Suitable when every new tab session should begin on a specific dashboard, ensuring users always start from a consistent entry point regardless of how they opened the application.
Access Mode Comparison
| Behavior | Welcome Page Only | After Login | Always |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redirects from Welcome Page | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Redirects from other pages | No | Yes (once after login) | Yes (once per tab) |
| Captures original URL for "Go Back" | No | Yes | Yes |
| Redirect frequency | Every visit to /welcome | Once per login | Once per browser tab |
Administrator Configuration (Start Page Rules)
Administrators with the "Edit start page" permission can configure starting page rules for the entire namespace. This configuration is accessible from:
Namespace Management > Settings > Start Page Configuration
Default Welcome Page
The default starting page is shown when no role-specific rules match the current user. It requires:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Application | The application context to use for resolving the dashboard. |
| Dashboard | The specific dashboard to display as the starting page. |
| Access Mode | When the redirect should occur (Welcome Page Only, After Login, or Always). |
Role-Based Rules
In addition to the default, administrators can create prioritized rules that target specific user roles. Each rule consists of:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| User Role | The Keycloak realm role this rule applies to. |
| Application | The application context for the dashboard. |
| Dashboard | The dashboard to display for users with this role. |
| Priority | The order in which rules are evaluated (lower number = higher priority). |
How Rules Are Evaluated
- Rules are evaluated in priority order (lowest number first).
- The system checks if the current user has the role specified in each rule.
- The first matching rule determines the starting page.
- If no rules match, the Default Welcome Page configuration is used.
- If no default is configured, the system falls back to the first dashboard or microfrontend found in the navigation menu.
Managing Rules
- Add a rule: Click the "Add Rule" button to create a new rule entry.
- Reorder rules: Drag and drop rules using the drag handle on the left side of each rule card to change their priority.
- Remove a rule: Click the delete icon on the right side of a rule card.
- Save changes: Click the "Save Changes" button at the bottom. The button is only enabled when there are unsaved changes and the form is valid.
Validation
The configuration editor enforces the following validations:
- All fields (Application, Dashboard, User Role for rules) are required.
- User roles must be unique across all rules - you cannot create two rules for the same role.
- The form cannot be saved while validation errors exist. An error icon appears in the footer showing the count and details of all errors.
User-Level Configuration (Profile Settings)
Individual users can override the administrator configuration by setting their own starting page preference. This is accessible from:
Profile > Settings > Starting page settings
The user-level configuration includes:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Application | Select the application context. Clearing this field removes the user's custom starting page. |
| Dashboard | Select the dashboard to use as the starting page (only available after selecting an application). |
| Access Mode | Choose when the redirect occurs (only available after selecting an application). |
Priority of Settings
The system resolves the starting page in the following order:
- User-level setting (from Profile Settings) - if the user has configured a personal starting page, it takes precedence.
- Administrator role-based rules - if no user-level setting exists, the first matching role-based rule is used.
- Administrator default setting - if no role-based rules match, the default configuration is applied.
- Menu fallback - if no configuration exists at all, the system navigates to the first dashboard or microfrontend found in the navigation menu.
Original Link Capture and "Go Back" Functionality
When the After Login or Always access mode is active and a redirect occurs, the system captures the URL the user was originally trying to visit. This is useful when users click shared links or bookmarks that point to specific pages.
How It Works
- The user clicks a shared link (e.g.,
https://example.com/dashboard/reports/overview). - The starting page redirect intercepts the navigation and sends the user to the configured starting page.
- The original URL (
/dashboard/reports/overview) is stored in the browser's session storage. - A "Go Back to Original Link" dynamic action (if configured on the starting page dashboard) allows the user to navigate back to the originally requested page.
Notes
- The original URL is stored once per session - only the first intercepted URL is captured.
- The "Go Back to Original Link" action can be configured to open the original URL in the same tab or a new tab.
- If no original URL was captured (e.g., the user navigated directly to the application without a specific target), the action reports a "not found" result.
- In Welcome Page Only mode, the original URL is never captured because the redirect only occurs from the generic Welcome Page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What happens if I set my personal starting page but the administrator also has rules?
Your personal starting page setting takes precedence over all administrator-configured rules.
Q: Can I remove my personal starting page setting?
Yes. In Profile > Settings, clear the Application field in the starting page settings section and save. The system will then fall back to the administrator configuration.
Q: What happens if neither the administrator nor I have configured a starting page?
The system navigates to the first dashboard or microfrontend found in the navigation menu. If the menu is empty, the Welcome Page is displayed.
Q: Does the "After Login" mode redirect me every time I open a new tab?
No. "After Login" only redirects once per login session. If you want a redirect every time a new tab is opened, use the "Always" mode.
Q: Can I still access shared links when a starting page redirect is active?
Yes, with "After Login" and "Always" modes, the original shared link URL is captured and can be accessed using the "Go Back to Original Link" action on the starting page. With "Welcome Page Only" mode, shared links are not intercepted at all.
Q: Who can configure the administrator-level starting page rules?
Only users with the "Administratior" permission (configured in Namespace Permissions) can access and modify the Start Page Configuration settings.