1. A method of displaying data file associations, comprising: receiving a search query; using a processor to identify, in response to the search query, results including at least one data composition or at least one data file corresponding to the search query, wherein each data composition comprises metadata and references to one or more data files, and wherein each data file is referenced by one or more data compositions; displaying a listing of the identified results; receiving a selection of a data composition or a data file from the listing of identified results; displaying a selectable option to present an association view corresponding to the selection from the listing of identified results; upon selection of said selectable option: determining whether the selection from the listing of identified results is a data composition or a data file; upon determination that the selection from the listing of identified results is a data composition, generating and displaying on a first association view a listing of data files that are referenced by the data composition that is the selection from the listing of identified results; and upon determination that the selection from the listing of identified results is a data file, generating and displaying within a first association view a listing of data compositions that reference the data file that is the selection from the listing of identified results, wherein the displaying of the association view listing data files referenced by a data composition provides an indication of which data files are activated, and wherein the listing provided within the first association view permits selection of an item within the listing, wherein a second association view is generated and displayed listing the data files referenced by the item if the item is a data composition or listing the data compositions that reference the item if the item is a data file from the first association view, and wherein selections from the second association view update the listing of the first association view and selections from the first association view update the listing of the second association view in an ongoing bi-directional manner.