[GH-ISSUE #6060] Add group descriptions/info tooltips in group assignment UI #12086

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opened 2026-08-05 01:32:23 -04:00 by saavagebueno · 0 comments
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Originally created by @maheshrijal on GitHub (May 4, 2026).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/netbirdio/netbird/issues/6060

Problem

When assigning groups in the NetBird dashboard, operators only see the group name and counts for related peers/resources. In environments with many groups, short or overloaded group names are not enough to understand the intent, blast radius, ownership, or expected use of a group.

This makes group assignment risky because an operator may need to leave the current workflow, inspect other pages, or rely on tribal knowledge before deciding whether a user, peer, resource, policy, or setup key should be associated with a group.

Proposed solution

Add an optional description/purpose field for groups and surface it in the dashboard wherever groups are assigned or selected.

In group assignment controls, show an informational icon/button next to each group. Hovering or clicking it should display enough context for operators to make a safe assignment decision, for example:

  • what the group is for
  • who owns or maintains it
  • what kind of access it grants
  • expected users/peers/resources
  • warnings or operational notes

A tooltip, popover, or compact details panel would all work, as long as the information is available without leaving the assignment flow.

Example workflow

On the user details page, under Auto-assigned groups, the group selector currently lists groups such as infra, prod-developer, prod-k8s-servers, and prod-servers with peer/resource counts. An info button beside each group could explain the purpose of the group before the operator checks the assignment box.

Why this helps

  • Reduces accidental over-permissioning
  • Helps new operators understand group intent without tribal knowledge
  • Makes short group names usable without encoding the full policy meaning into the name
  • Improves assignment workflows for users, peers, resources, policies, setup keys, and routes

Related but broader/different:

  • #2777 asks for broader group management UX improvements and a per-group page
  • #2122 asks to display group members
  • #4666 asks to show longer group names in the UI

This request is specifically about group descriptions/context being visible at assignment time.

Originally created by @maheshrijal on GitHub (May 4, 2026). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/netbirdio/netbird/issues/6060 ## Problem When assigning groups in the NetBird dashboard, operators only see the group name and counts for related peers/resources. In environments with many groups, short or overloaded group names are not enough to understand the intent, blast radius, ownership, or expected use of a group. This makes group assignment risky because an operator may need to leave the current workflow, inspect other pages, or rely on tribal knowledge before deciding whether a user, peer, resource, policy, or setup key should be associated with a group. ## Proposed solution Add an optional description/purpose field for groups and surface it in the dashboard wherever groups are assigned or selected. In group assignment controls, show an informational icon/button next to each group. Hovering or clicking it should display enough context for operators to make a safe assignment decision, for example: - what the group is for - who owns or maintains it - what kind of access it grants - expected users/peers/resources - warnings or operational notes A tooltip, popover, or compact details panel would all work, as long as the information is available without leaving the assignment flow. ## Example workflow On the user details page, under **Auto-assigned groups**, the group selector currently lists groups such as `infra`, `prod-developer`, `prod-k8s-servers`, and `prod-servers` with peer/resource counts. An info button beside each group could explain the purpose of the group before the operator checks the assignment box. ## Why this helps - Reduces accidental over-permissioning - Helps new operators understand group intent without tribal knowledge - Makes short group names usable without encoding the full policy meaning into the name - Improves assignment workflows for users, peers, resources, policies, setup keys, and routes ## Related issues Related but broader/different: - #2777 asks for broader group management UX improvements and a per-group page - #2122 asks to display group members - #4666 asks to show longer group names in the UI This request is specifically about group descriptions/context being visible at assignment time.
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Reference: DYNR/netbird#12086