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Introduction to Templates in Grafana

What are Templates?

Templates are a way to create dynamic dashboards in Grafana, allowing users to filter and adjust the displayed data using variables. By setting up templates, you can create a flexible and reusable dashboard that can adapt to various data sources and user inputs.

Why Use Templates?

Templates enhance the user experience by allowing for interactive dashboards. They enable users to focus on specific metrics or timeframes without creating multiple static dashboards. This leads to better data analysis and decision-making.

Creating a Template Variable

To create a template variable in Grafana:

  1. Navigate to your dashboard and click on the settings (gear) icon.
  2. Go to the "Variables" section.
  3. Click on "Add variable".

For example, if you want to create a variable for your data source, you could name it datasource.

Defining Variable Queries

Once you've created a variable, you will need to define its query. This determines what data the variable will populate. For example:

Example Query:
SHOW TAG VALUES WITH KEY = "host"

This query will dynamically populate the host variable with available hosts from your data source.

Using Template Variables in Your Queries

After defining your template variable, you can use it in your dashboard queries. For instance, if you have a variable named ${host}, you could use it in a query like:

Example Query:
SELECT * FROM metrics WHERE host = '${host}'

Here, the query will filter data based on the host selected from the template variable.

Previewing and Testing Your Template

Once your template variable is set up, you can preview and test it directly in your dashboard. Simply select different values from the dropdown, and observe how the displayed data changes accordingly. This ensures that your templates are functioning as expected.

Conclusion

Templates in Grafana are powerful tools that allow you to create dynamic and interactive dashboards. By utilizing template variables, you can filter and analyze your data more effectively, making your dashboards more versatile and user-friendly. Experimenting with different variable types and queries will help you master templates in Grafana.