> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.cognite.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Spaces

> Manage spaces for organizing data models in Cognite Data Fusion (CDF).

Spaces are the primary access control and organizational boundaries in CDF's data modeling system. Each space acts as a namespace for containers, views, data models, and instances. Spaces control who can read and write data within them.

For the conceptual overview, see [Spaces and instances](/cdf/dm/dm_concepts/dm_spaces_instances#space).

## What are spaces

A space is a logical container that groups all data modeling resources for a domain or project. Everything you create in the data modeling system—containers, views, data models, and instances—belongs to a space. Spaces provide clear boundaries for data ownership and access.

<Note>
  You must create a space before you can add containers, views, or data models. Space names must be unique within your CDF project.
</Note>

## Access control

Spaces govern permissions for the resources they contain. Access control lists (ACLs) define which users and groups can read or write data within a space. By organizing data into spaces, you can apply fine-grained access control at the space level.

## Key capabilities

* **Create** — Create new spaces for organizing your data modeling resources.
* **Update** — Modify space metadata or access control settings.
* **Delete** — Remove spaces when they are no longer needed. This may require that dependent resources are removed first.
* **List** — List all spaces in your CDF project.
* **Retrieve** — Fetch a specific space by ID or external ID.