SmartDashboard

SmartDashboard is a Java-based dashboard application developed by WPILib for the FIRST Robotics Competition. It provides teams with a graphical interface to monitor robot sensor data, send commands, and visualize robot state in real-time during competitions. The tool was designed to simplify robot interaction without requiring deep programming expertise, though it is now deprecated and will be removed in 2027.

Key Features

• Real-time Monitoring — Displays live sensor data, motor outputs, and other robot variables through a customizable dashboard.
• Robot Control — Allows operators to send commands and adjust robot parameters during matches via an intuitive UI.
• Network Tables Integration — Communicates with robot code using the legacy Network Tables v3 protocol for data exchange.
• Custom Widgets — Supports drag-and-drop widgets for visualizing data like gauges, graphs, and buttons.
• Cross-Platform — Runs on any system with Java 11, making it accessible across Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Philosophy

SmartDashboard embodies WPILib's mission to 'raise the floor, not lower the ceiling' by providing an accessible, no-code tool for teams to interact with their robots, while staying out of the way of advanced users who prefer programmatic dashboards.