• 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 (DEPRECATED)

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 list 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 list 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 list with Option 1 and Option 2 as the choices.

If you select Option 1 from the dropdown list, 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 list 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'