• text variable type
  • Simple syntax
  • Full syntax
• custom variable type
  • Simple syntax
  • Full syntax
• metric_label_values variable type
  • Full syntax

Templating variables for metrics dashboards

Templating variables can be used to make your metrics dashboard more versatile.

templating is a top-level key in the dashboard YAML. Define your variables in the variables key, under templating. The value of the variables key should be a hash, and each key under variables defines a templating variable on the dashboard, and may contain alphanumeric and underscore characters.

A variable can be used in a Prometheus query in the same dashboard using the syntax described in Using Variables.

text variable type

For each text variable defined in the dashboard YAML, a free text field displays on the dashboard UI, allowing you to enter a value for each variable.

The text variable type supports a simple and a full syntax.

Simple syntax

This example creates a variable called variable1, with a default value of default value:

templating:
  variables:
    variable1: 'default value'     # `text` type variable with `default value` as its default.

Full syntax

This example creates a variable called variable1, with a default value of default. The label for the text box on the UI is the value of the label key:

templating:
  variables:
    variable1:                       # The variable name that can be used in queries.
      label: 'Variable 1'            # (Optional) label that will appear in the UI for this text box.
      type: text
      options:
        default_value: 'default'     # (Optional) default value.

custom variable type

Each custom variable defined in the dashboard YAML creates a dropdown selector on the dashboard UI, allowing you to select a value for each variable.

The custom variable type supports a simple and a full syntax.

Simple syntax

This example creates a variable called variable1, with a default value of value1. The dashboard UI displays a dropdown with value1, value2 and value3 as the choices.

templating:
  variables:
    variable1: ['value1', 'value2', 'value3']

Full syntax

This example creates a variable called variable1, with a default value of value_option_2. The label for the text box on the UI is the value of the label key. The dashboard UI displays a dropdown with Option 1 and Option 2 as the choices.

If you select Option 1 from the dropdown, the variable is replaced with value option 1. Similarly, if you select Option 2, the variable is replaced with value_option_2:

templating:
  variables:
    variable1:                           # The variable name that can be used in queries.
      label: 'Variable 1'                # (Optional) label that will appear in the UI for this dropdown.
      type: custom
      options:
        values:
          - value: 'value option 1'        # The value that will replace the variable in queries.
            text: 'Option 1'               # (Optional) Text that will appear in the UI dropdown.
          - value: 'value_option_2'
            text: 'Option 2'
            default: true                  # (Optional) This option should be the default value of this variable.

metric_label_values variable type

Full syntax

This example creates a variable called variable2. The values of the dropdown are all the different values of the backend label in the Prometheus series described by up{env="production"}.

templating:
  variables:
    variable2:                           # The variable name that can be interpolated in queries.
      label: 'Variable 2'                # (Optional) label that will appear in the UI for this dropdown.
      type: metric_label_values
      options:
        series_selector: 'up{env="production"}'
        label: 'backend'