# Components perspective

In the Components perspective, you add and set up the different components that make up your dashboard. These components are the central elements of a dashboard. They link the layout elements with the data sources.

There are three types of components:

* **Visual and Data Components**

  Components are displayed in your dashboard, including text boxes, tables, charts (such as pie, bar, and line), selectors (such as radio buttons and date pickers), OLAP views, and reports.
* **Parameters**

  Parameters represent values which are shared by the components. These are essential for the various types of component interaction.
* **Scripts**

  Pieces of JavaScript code which let you customize the look and feel or behavior of other components.

## Components overview

Components simplify the building of dashboard objects. A component is a simple JavaScript object which encapsulates all the object properties and behaviors, allowing for a finer degree control of the dashboard's components. For example, a component can adjust its behavior when reacting to changes in dashboard parameters that affect it. These adjustments in behavior can be defined before, during, and after the component's execution, which allows components to interact with each other. Customizing components allows you to personalize the look and feel of the whole dashboard.

* [Component lifecycle](/pba-ctools/9.3-ctools/cde-dashboard-overview/community-dashboard-editor-cde-perspectives-ctools/components-perspective-ctools-cde/component-lifecycle.md)
* [Adding and setting up components](/pba-ctools/9.3-ctools/cde-dashboard-overview/community-dashboard-editor-cde-perspectives-ctools/components-perspective-ctools-cde/adding-and-setting-up-components.md)
* [List of components](/pba-ctools/9.3-ctools/cde-dashboard-overview/community-dashboard-editor-cde-perspectives-ctools/components-perspective-ctools-cde/list-of-components.md)

For more information about the Components perspective, see the following topics: 

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