Templating Dashboards in Grafana

Templating in Grafana allows you to create dynamic dashboards that can be customized based on variable inputs. This feature enhances the monitoring capabilities by enabling users to interactively filter and view data.

Variables

Variables in Grafana are placeholders that can represent different values. They help in filtering and customizing dashboard views.

Data Sources

Grafana supports multiple data sources like Prometheus, InfluxDB, and MySQL, which can be utilized in templating dashboards.

Dashboard Templates

Templates allow you to create reusable dashboards by defining a structure that can accommodate different sets of data based on the variables selected.

Creating a Templated Dashboard

1. Open Grafana and create a new dashboard.
2. Click on "Add new panel".
3. In the query section, select a data source.
4. Define a variable:
   • Go to the dashboard settings.
   • Navigate to "Variables".
   • Click on "Add variable".
   • Set the variable type (e.g., Query, Interval).
5. Use the variable in your queries:

   SELECT * FROM metrics WHERE instance = $instance

6. Repeat for additional panels, using the same variable or different ones as needed.
7. Save your dashboard.

• Use descriptive names for variables for easier identification.
• Group similar variables together to maintain organization in the dashboard.
• Limit the number of variables to avoid clutter and enhance performance.
• Regularly update your dashboard templates based on user feedback and data changes.