---
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title: Get to Know Lightning Console
collection: developer
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/developer/current/en-us/service-cloud/api-console/guides/api-console/lightning-api/sforce-api-console-js-lex-intro.md
canonical_url: https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/service/api-console/guide/sforce-api-console-js-lex-intro.html
source_site: developer.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 551552dfa6b084628cb0ffbef247bcdbfb4da491a8a3cf1921fea11389461471
products:
  - Salesforce Console Developer Guide
  - Service Cloud Developer Content
---

# Get to Know Lightning Console

Get started with the Salesforce console in Lightning Experience.

Use workspace API methods from Lightning pages either in the utility bar or in a Lightning console app. Here’s how a Lightning console app works:

![Screen shot of a custom Lightning console app.](https://developer.salesforce.com/media/api-console/console_lex.png "Lightning Console App User Interface")

-   The App Launcher (1) lets you switch between apps. To switch to another console app or back to a standard app, use the App Launcher. The name of the app you’re currently in is displayed next to the App Launcher.
-   The navigation menu (2) displays the navigation item you currently have selected. To open the navigation menu, click . From there, you can view or edit your navigation items. Selecting a navigation item opens the navigation item’s home page. Objects open in table view. Opening a record changes the view to split view. Once in split view, click the navigation item again to switch back to table view, or use the **Display as** dropdown.
-   Records open in workspace tabs, and related records opened from inside a workspace tab open in subtabs (3). You can refresh, pin, customize, and close a tab using the tab menu. You can also open navigation items in a new workspace tab by using **Ctrl+click** or **Cmd+click**.
-   The split view panel (4) can be hidden with. Records opened from the split view panel open in new workspace tabs.
-   The utility bar (5) lets you access common processes and tools like History and Notes.