Category boards vs Custom
Category boards are fixed one-pagers under /t/{asset}/… so you can stay on a stack without hopping: core-board (book, chain, calculator, quant), charts-board, volatility, greeks-board, flow-board, and tools-board (alerts, stats, sources, strategy). Blocks and futures boards follow the same pattern. Widgets match the child desks; drill in when you need the full surface.
Custom (/t/{asset}/custom) is a multi-page layout you edit: add, remove, span, reorder, lock and save. Overview (/t/{asset}/dashboard) is a factory command board using the same widget catalog. Neither is a broker ticket.
How to use them for research
Start on a category board to see KPIs plus the stack (vol index + term + skew, or GEX + levels + heat, or tape + flow). Open a child desk when you need studio charts, the full chain, or a workbench. Use Custom when you want a personal mix that is not the factory grid.
Respect provenance banners. A board of live, partial, or mock widgets is only as good as its feeds. Research here; execute only on venues you can access.