diff --git a/docs/source/developer/ui_helpers.rst b/docs/source/developer/ui_helpers.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..ba32fbb803b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/source/developer/ui_helpers.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+User Interface Helpers
+----------------------
+
+JupyterLab comes with helpers to show or request simple information to user.
+Those speed up development and ensure a common look & feel.
+
+Dialogs
+~~~~~~~
+
+File Dialogs
+''''''''''''
+
+Two helper functions to ask a user to open a file or a directory are 
+available in the ``filebrowser`` package under the namespace ``FileDialog``.
+
+Here is an example to request a file.
+
+.. code:: typescript
+
+    const dialog = FileDialog.getExistingDirectory({
+      manager, // IDocumentManager
+      filter: model => model.type == 'notebook' // optional (model: Contents.IModel) => boolean
+    });
+
+    const result = await dialog;
+
+    if(result.button.accept){
+      let files = result.value;
+    }
+
+
+And for a folder.
+
+.. code:: typescript
+
+    const dialog = FileDialog.getExistingDirectory({
+      manager // IDocumentManager
+    });
+
+    const result = await dialog;
+
+    if(result.button.accept){
+      let folders = result.value;
+    }
+
+.. note:: The document manager can be obtained in a plugin by requesting 
+    ``IFileBrowserFactory`` service. The manager will be accessed through
+    ``factory.defaultBrowser.model.manager``.
diff --git a/docs/source/index.rst b/docs/source/index.rst
index 9683809f890d..02c05ed1fa46 100644
--- a/docs/source/index.rst
+++ b/docs/source/index.rst
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ JupyterLab is the next-generation web-based user interface for Project Jupyter.
    developer/virtualdom
    developer/adding_content
    developer/examples
+   developer/ui_helpers
    developer/terminology
    developer/xkcd_extension_tutorial