> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.zerve.ai/zerve-docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.zerve.ai/zerve-docs/notebooks/layers.md).

# Layers

Separate a canvas into workflows, such as development, deployment and scheduled jobs.

{% hint style="info" %}
Layers are only available in the **canvas view**. In the notebook view, deployments and scheduled jobs are set up from their own screens. See [The notebook and canvas](/zerve-docs/notebooks/notebook-and-canvas.md).
{% endhint %}

**Layers** split a canvas into separate workflows, each with its own blocks. A project might have one layer for developing a model, one for serving it as an API, and one for retraining it on a schedule.

Open the layers sidebar with **Ctrl+1** (Windows) or **⌘+1** (Mac).

## Layer types

| Layer                         | What it's for                                                                                                                       |
| ----------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Development**               | Writing and running code: data preparation, modeling and analysis. Every canvas has one.                                            |
| **Deployment (API)**          | Building APIs from API Controller and API Route blocks. See [APIs](/zerve-docs/ship-your-work/apis.md#building-apis-in-the-canvas). |
| **Scheduled Jobs**            | Running blocks on a schedule. See [Scheduled jobs](/zerve-docs/ship-your-work/scheduled-jobs.md).                                   |
| **AWS SageMaker Deployments** | Deploying models as SageMaker endpoints                                                                                             |

Blocks in one layer can use variables from another, so a deployment layer can use the model trained in the development layer. When you retrain the model and redeploy, the deployment uses the new version.

## Grouping blocks

In a development layer, you can group related blocks by naming them `groupName.blockName`. Blocks with the same group name are shown together. For example, naming blocks `data.load` and `data.clean` groups them under `data`.


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