1+++ 2title = "PostgreSQL" 3description = "Guide for using PostgreSQL in Grafana" 4keywords = ["grafana", "postgresql", "guide"] 5aliases = ["/docs/grafana/latest/features/datasources/postgres/"] 6weight = 1200 7+++ 8 9# PostgreSQL data source 10 11Grafana ships with a built-in PostgreSQL data source plugin that allows you to query and visualize data from a PostgreSQL compatible database. This topic explains options, variables, querying, and other options specific to this data source. For instructions about how to add a data source to Grafana, refer to [Add a data source]({{< relref "add-a-data-source.md" >}}). Only users with the organization admin role can add data sources. 12 13## PostgreSQL settings 14 15To access PostgreSQL settings, hover your mouse over the **Configuration** (gear) icon, then click **Data Sources**, and then click the PostgreSQL data source. 16 17| Name | Description | 18| ------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | 19| `Name` | The data source name. This is how you refer to the data source in panels and queries. | 20| `Default` | Default data source means that it will be pre-selected for new panels. | 21| `Host` | The IP address/hostname and optional port of your PostgreSQL instance. _Do not_ include the database name. The connection string for connecting to Postgres will not be correct and it may cause errors. | 22| `Database` | Name of your PostgreSQL database. | 23| `User` | Database user's login/username | 24| `Password` | Database user's password | 25| `SSL Mode` | Determines whether or with what priority a secure SSL TCP/IP connection will be negotiated with the server. When SSL Mode is disabled, SSL Method and Auth Details would not be visible. | 26| `SSL Auth Details Method` | Determines whether the SSL Auth details will be configured as a file path or file content. Grafana v7.5+ | 27| `SSL Auth Details Value` | File path or file content of SSL root certificate, client certificate and client key | 28| `Max open` | The maximum number of open connections to the database, default `unlimited` (Grafana v5.4+). | 29| `Max idle` | The maximum number of connections in the idle connection pool, default `2` (Grafana v5.4+). | 30| `Max lifetime` | The maximum amount of time in seconds a connection may be reused, default `14400`/4 hours (Grafana v5.4+). | 31| `Version` | Determines which functions are available in the query builder (only available in Grafana 5.3+). | 32| `TimescaleDB` | A time-series database built as a PostgreSQL extension. When enabled, Grafana uses `time_bucket` in the `$__timeGroup` macro to display TimescaleDB specific aggregate functions in the query builder (only available in Grafana 5.3+). | 33 34### Min time interval 35 36A lower limit for the [$__interval]({{< relref "../variables/variable-types/_index.md#the-interval-variable" >}}) and [$__interval_ms]({{< relref "../variables/variable-types/_index.md#the-interval-ms-variable" >}}) variables. 37Recommended to be set to write frequency, for example `1m` if your data is written every minute. 38This option can also be overridden/configured in a dashboard panel under data source options. It's important to note that this value **needs** to be formatted as a 39number followed by a valid time identifier, e.g. `1m` (1 minute) or `30s` (30 seconds). The following time identifiers are supported: 40 41| Identifier | Description | 42| ---------- | ----------- | 43| `y` | year | 44| `M` | month | 45| `w` | week | 46| `d` | day | 47| `h` | hour | 48| `m` | minute | 49| `s` | second | 50| `ms` | millisecond | 51 52### Database user permissions (Important!) 53 54The database user you specify when you add the data source should only be granted SELECT permissions on 55the specified database and tables you want to query. Grafana does not validate that the query is safe. The query 56could include any SQL statement. For example, statements like `DELETE FROM user;` and `DROP TABLE user;` would be 57executed. To protect against this we **highly** recommend you create a specific PostgreSQL user with restricted permissions. 58 59Example: 60 61```sql 62 CREATE USER grafanareader WITH PASSWORD 'password'; 63 GRANT USAGE ON SCHEMA schema TO grafanareader; 64 GRANT SELECT ON schema.table TO grafanareader; 65``` 66 67Make sure the user does not get any unwanted privileges from the public role. 68 69## Query editor 70 71{{< figure src="/static/img/docs/v53/postgres_query_still.png" class="docs-image--no-shadow" animated-gif="/static/img/docs/v53/postgres_query.gif" >}} 72 73You find the PostgreSQL query editor in the metrics tab in Graph or Singlestat panel's edit mode. You enter edit mode by clicking the 74panel title, then edit. 75 76The query editor has a link named `Generated SQL` that shows up after a query has been executed, while in panel edit mode. Click on it and it will expand and show the raw interpolated SQL string that was executed. 77 78### Select table, time column and metric column (FROM) 79 80When you enter edit mode for the first time or add a new query Grafana will try to prefill the query builder with the first table that has a timestamp column and a numeric column. 81 82In the FROM field, Grafana will suggest tables that are in the `search_path` of the database user. To select a table or view not in your `search_path` 83you can manually enter a fully qualified name (schema.table) like `public.metrics`. 84 85The Time column field refers to the name of the column holding your time values. Selecting a value for the Metric column field is optional. If a value is selected, the Metric column field will be used as the series name. 86 87The metric column suggestions will only contain columns with a text datatype (char,varchar,text). 88If you want to use a column with a different datatype as metric column you may enter the column name with a cast: `ip::text`. 89You may also enter arbitrary SQL expressions in the metric column field that evaluate to a text datatype like 90`hostname || ' ' || container_name`. 91 92### Columns, window, and aggregation functions (SELECT) 93 94In the `SELECT` row you can specify what columns and functions you want to use. 95In the column field you may write arbitrary expressions instead of a column name like `column1 * column2 / column3`. 96 97The available functions in the query editor depend on the PostgreSQL version you selected when configuring the data source. 98If you use aggregate functions you need to group your resultset. The editor will automatically add a `GROUP BY time` if you add an aggregate function. 99 100The editor tries to simplify and unify this part of the query. For example:<br> 101<br> 102 103The above will generate the following PostgreSQL `SELECT` clause: 104 105```sql 106avg(tx_bytes) OVER (ORDER BY "time" ROWS 5 PRECEDING) AS "tx_bytes" 107``` 108 109You may add further value columns by clicking the plus button and selecting `Column` from the menu. Multiple value columns will be plotted as separate series in the graph panel. 110 111### Filter data (WHERE) 112 113To add a filter click the plus icon to the right of the `WHERE` condition. You can remove filters by clicking on 114the filter and selecting `Remove`. A filter for the current selected timerange is automatically added to new queries. 115 116### Group by 117 118To group by time or any other columns click the plus icon at the end of the GROUP BY row. The suggestion dropdown will only show text columns of your currently selected table but you may manually enter any column. 119You can remove the group by clicking on the item and then selecting `Remove`. 120 121If you add any grouping, all selected columns need to have an aggregate function applied. The query builder will automatically add aggregate functions to all columns without aggregate functions when you add groupings. 122 123#### Gap filling 124 125Grafana can fill in missing values when you group by time. The time function accepts two arguments. The first argument is the time window that you would like to group by, and the second argument is the value you want Grafana to fill missing items with. 126 127### Text editor mode (RAW) 128 129You can switch to the raw query editor mode by clicking the hamburger icon and selecting `Switch editor mode` or by clicking `Edit SQL` below the query. 130 131> If you use the raw query editor, be sure your query at minimum has `ORDER BY time` and a filter on the returned time range. 132 133## Macros 134 135Macros can be used within a query to simplify syntax and allow for dynamic parts. 136 137| Macro example | Description | 138| ----------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | 139| `$__time(dateColumn)` | Will be replaced by an expression to convert to a UNIX timestamp and rename the column to `time_sec`. For example, _UNIX_TIMESTAMP(dateColumn) as time_sec_ | 140| `$__timeEpoch(dateColumn)` | Will be replaced by an expression to convert to a UNIX timestamp and rename the column to `time_sec`. For example, _UNIX_TIMESTAMP(dateColumn) as time_sec_ | 141| `$__timeFilter(dateColumn)` | Will be replaced by a time range filter using the specified column name. For example, _dateColumn BETWEEN FROM_UNIXTIME(1494410783) AND FROM_UNIXTIME(1494410983)_ | 142| `$__timeFrom()` | Will be replaced by the start of the currently active time selection. For example, _FROM_UNIXTIME(1494410783)_ | 143| `$__timeTo()` | Will be replaced by the end of the currently active time selection. For example, _FROM_UNIXTIME(1494410983)_ | 144| `$__timeGroup(dateColumn,'5m')` | Will be replaced by an expression usable in GROUP BY clause. For example, *cast(cast(UNIX_TIMESTAMP(dateColumn)/(300) as signed)*300 as signed),\* | 145| `$__timeGroup(dateColumn,'5m', 0)` | Same as above but with a fill parameter so missing points in that series will be added by grafana and 0 will be used as value. | 146| `$__timeGroup(dateColumn,'5m', NULL)` | Same as above but NULL will be used as value for missing points. | 147| `$__timeGroup(dateColumn,'5m', previous)` | Same as above but the previous value in that series will be used as fill value if no value has been seen yet NULL will be used (only available in Grafana 5.3+). | 148| `$__timeGroupAlias(dateColumn,'5m')` | Will be replaced identical to $\_\_timeGroup but with an added column alias (only available in Grafana 5.3+). | 149| `$__unixEpochFilter(dateColumn)` | Will be replaced by a time range filter using the specified column name with times represented as Unix timestamp. For example, _dateColumn > 1494410783 AND dateColumn < 1494497183_ | 150| `$__unixEpochFrom()` | Will be replaced by the start of the currently active time selection as Unix timestamp. For example, _1494410783_ | 151| `$__unixEpochTo()` | Will be replaced by the end of the currently active time selection as Unix timestamp. For example, _1494497183_ | 152| `$__unixEpochNanoFilter(dateColumn)` | Will be replaced by a time range filter using the specified column name with times represented as nanosecond timestamp. For example, _dateColumn > 1494410783152415214 AND dateColumn < 1494497183142514872_ | 153| `$__unixEpochNanoFrom()` | Will be replaced by the start of the currently active time selection as nanosecond timestamp. For example, _1494410783152415214_ | 154| `$__unixEpochNanoTo()` | Will be replaced by the end of the currently active time selection as nanosecond timestamp. For example, _1494497183142514872_ | 155| `$__unixEpochGroup(dateColumn,'5m', [fillmode])` | Same as $\_\_timeGroup but for times stored as Unix timestamp (only available in Grafana 5.3+). | 156| `$__unixEpochGroupAlias(dateColumn,'5m', [fillmode])` | Same as above but also adds a column alias (only available in Grafana 5.3+). | 157 158We plan to add many more macros. If you have suggestions for what macros you would like to see, please [open an issue](https://github.com/grafana/grafana) in our GitHub repo. 159 160## Table queries 161 162If the `Format as` query option is set to `Table` then you can basically do any type of SQL query. The table panel will automatically show the results of whatever columns and rows your query returns. 163 164Query editor with example query: 165 166 167 168The query: 169 170```sql 171SELECT 172 title as "Title", 173 "user".login as "Created By", 174 dashboard.created as "Created On" 175FROM dashboard 176INNER JOIN "user" on "user".id = dashboard.created_by 177WHERE $__timeFilter(dashboard.created) 178``` 179 180You can control the name of the Table panel columns by using regular `as ` SQL column selection syntax. 181 182The resulting table panel: 183 184 185 186## Time series queries 187 188If you set Format as to _Time series_, then the query must have a column named time that returns either a SQL datetime or any numeric datatype representing Unix epoch in seconds. In addition, result sets of time series queries must be sorted by time for panels to properly visualize the result. 189 190A time series query result is returned in a [wide data frame format]({{< relref "../developers/plugins/data-frames.md#wide-format" >}}). Any column except time or of type string transforms into value fields in the data frame query result. Any string column transforms into field labels in the data frame query result. 191 192> For backward compatibility, there's an exception to the above rule for queries that return three columns including a string column named metric. Instead of transforming the metric column into field labels, it becomes the field name, and then the series name is formatted as the value of the metric column. See the example with the metric column below. 193 194You can optionally customize the default series name formatting using instructions in [Standard field options/Display name]({{< relref "../panels/standard-options.md#display-name" >}}). 195 196**Example with `metric` column:** 197 198```sql 199SELECT 200 $__timeGroup("time_date_time",'5m'), 201 min("value_double"), 202 'min' as metric 203FROM test_data 204WHERE $__timeFilter("time_date_time") 205GROUP BY time 206ORDER BY time 207``` 208 209Data frame result: 210 211```text 212+---------------------+-----------------+ 213| Name: time | Name: min | 214| Labels: | Labels: | 215| Type: []time.Time | Type: []float64 | 216+---------------------+-----------------+ 217| 2020-01-02 03:05:00 | 3 | 218| 2020-01-02 03:10:00 | 6 | 219+---------------------+-----------------+ 220``` 221 222**Example using the fill parameter in the $\_\_timeGroup macro to convert null values to be zero instead:** 223 224```sql 225SELECT 226 $__timeGroup("createdAt",'5m',0), 227 sum(value) as value, 228 hostname 229FROM test_data 230WHERE 231 $__timeFilter("createdAt") 232GROUP BY time, hostname 233ORDER BY time 234``` 235 236Given the data frame result in the following example and using the graph panel, you will get two series named _value 10.0.1.1_ and _value 10.0.1.2_. To render the series with a name of _10.0.1.1_ and _10.0.1.2_ , use a [Standard field options/Display name]({{< relref "../panels/standard-options.md#display-name" >}}) value of `${__field.labels.hostname}`. 237 238Data frame result: 239 240```text 241+---------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------+ 242| Name: time | Name: value | Name: value | 243| Labels: | Labels: hostname=10.0.1.1 | Labels: hostname=10.0.1.2 | 244| Type: []time.Time | Type: []float64 | Type: []float64 | 245+---------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------+ 246| 2020-01-02 03:05:00 | 3 | 4 | 247| 2020-01-02 03:10:00 | 6 | 7 | 248+---------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------+ 249``` 250 251**Example with multiple columns:** 252 253```sql 254SELECT 255 $__timeGroup("time_date_time",'5m'), 256 min("value_double") as "min_value", 257 max("value_double") as "max_value" 258FROM test_data 259WHERE $__timeFilter("time_date_time") 260GROUP BY time 261ORDER BY time 262``` 263 264Data frame result: 265 266```text 267+---------------------+-----------------+-----------------+ 268| Name: time | Name: min_value | Name: max_value | 269| Labels: | Labels: | Labels: | 270| Type: []time.Time | Type: []float64 | Type: []float64 | 271+---------------------+-----------------+-----------------+ 272| 2020-01-02 03:04:00 | 3 | 4 | 273| 2020-01-02 03:05:00 | 6 | 7 | 274+---------------------+-----------------+-----------------+ 275``` 276 277## Templating 278 279Instead of hard-coding things like server, application and sensor name in your metric queries you can use variables in their place. Variables are shown as dropdown select boxes at the top of the dashboard. These dropdowns make it easy to change the data being displayed in your dashboard. 280 281Refer to [Templates and variables]({{< relref "../variables/_index.md" >}}) for an introduction to the templating feature and the different types of template variables. 282 283### Query variable 284 285If you add a template variable of the type `Query`, you can write a PostgreSQL query that can 286return things like measurement names, key names or key values that are shown as a dropdown select box. 287 288For example, you can have a variable that contains all values for the `hostname` column in a table if you specify a query like this in the templating variable _Query_ setting. 289 290```sql 291SELECT hostname FROM host 292``` 293 294A query can return multiple columns and Grafana will automatically create a list from them. For example, the query below will return a list with values from `hostname` and `hostname2`. 295 296```sql 297SELECT host.hostname, other_host.hostname2 FROM host JOIN other_host ON host.city = other_host.city 298``` 299 300To use time range dependent macros like `$__timeFilter(column)` in your query the refresh mode of the template variable needs to be set to _On Time Range Change_. 301 302```sql 303SELECT event_name FROM event_log WHERE $__timeFilter(time_column) 304``` 305 306Another option is a query that can create a key/value variable. The query should return two columns that are named `__text` and `__value`. The `__text` column value should be unique (if it is not unique then the first value is used). The options in the dropdown will have a text and value that allows you to have a friendly name as text and an id as the value. An example query with `hostname` as the text and `id` as the value: 307 308```sql 309SELECT hostname AS __text, id AS __value FROM host 310``` 311 312You can also create nested variables. Using a variable named `region`, you could have 313the hosts variable only show hosts from the current selected region with a query like this (if `region` is a multi-value variable then use the `IN` comparison operator rather than `=` to match against multiple values): 314 315```sql 316SELECT hostname FROM host WHERE region IN($region) 317``` 318 319#### Using `__searchFilter` to filter results in Query Variable 320 321> Available from Grafana 6.5 and above 322 323Using `__searchFilter` in the query field will filter the query result based on what the user types in the dropdown select box. 324When nothing has been entered by the user the default value for `__searchFilter` is `%`. 325 326> Important that you surround the `__searchFilter` expression with quotes as Grafana does not do this for you. 327 328The example below shows how to use `__searchFilter` as part of the query field to enable searching for `hostname` while the user types in the dropdown select box. 329 330Query 331 332```sql 333SELECT hostname FROM my_host WHERE hostname LIKE '$__searchFilter' 334``` 335 336### Using Variables in Queries 337 338From Grafana 4.3.0 to 4.6.0, template variables are always quoted automatically. If your template variables are strings, do not wrap them in quotes in where clauses. 339 340From Grafana 4.7.0, template variable values are only quoted when the template variable is a `multi-value`. 341 342If the variable is a multi-value variable then use the `IN` comparison operator rather than `=` to match against multiple values. 343 344There are two syntaxes: 345 346`$<varname>` Example with a template variable named `hostname`: 347 348```sql 349SELECT 350 atimestamp as time, 351 aint as value 352FROM table 353WHERE $__timeFilter(atimestamp) and hostname in($hostname) 354ORDER BY atimestamp ASC 355``` 356 357`[[varname]]` Example with a template variable named `hostname`: 358 359```sql 360SELECT 361 atimestamp as time, 362 aint as value 363FROM table 364WHERE $__timeFilter(atimestamp) and hostname in([[hostname]]) 365ORDER BY atimestamp ASC 366``` 367 368#### Disabling quoting for multi-value variables 369 370Grafana automatically creates a quoted, comma-separated string for multi-value variables. For example: if `server01` and `server02` are selected then it will be formatted as: `'server01', 'server02'`. To disable quoting, use the csv formatting option for variables: 371 372`${servers:csv}` 373 374Read more about variable formatting options in the [Variables]({{< relref "../variables/_index.md#advanced-formatting-options" >}}) documentation. 375 376## Annotations 377 378[Annotations]({{< relref "../dashboards/annotations.md" >}}) allow you to overlay rich event information on top of graphs. You add annotation queries via the Dashboard menu / Annotations view. 379 380**Example query using time column with epoch values:** 381 382```sql 383SELECT 384 epoch_time as time, 385 metric1 as text, 386 concat_ws(', ', metric1::text, metric2::text) as tags 387FROM 388 public.test_data 389WHERE 390 $__unixEpochFilter(epoch_time) 391``` 392 393**Example region query using time and timeend columns with epoch values:** 394 395> Only available in Grafana v6.6+. 396 397```sql 398SELECT 399 epoch_time as time, 400 epoch_time_end as timeend, 401 metric1 as text, 402 concat_ws(', ', metric1::text, metric2::text) as tags 403FROM 404 public.test_data 405WHERE 406 $__unixEpochFilter(epoch_time) 407``` 408 409**Example query using time column of native SQL date/time data type:** 410 411```sql 412SELECT 413 native_date_time as time, 414 metric1 as text, 415 concat_ws(', ', metric1::text, metric2::text) as tags 416FROM 417 public.test_data 418WHERE 419 $__timeFilter(native_date_time) 420``` 421 422| Name | Description | 423| --------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | 424| `time` | The name of the date/time field. Could be a column with a native SQL date/time data type or epoch value. | 425| `timeend` | Optional name of the end date/time field. Could be a column with a native SQL date/time data type or epoch value. (Grafana v6.6+) | 426| `text` | Event description field. | 427| `tags` | Optional field name to use for event tags as a comma separated string. | 428 429## Alerting 430 431Time series queries should work in alerting conditions. Table formatted queries are not yet supported in alert rule 432conditions. 433 434## Configure the data source with provisioning 435 436It's now possible to configure data sources using config files with Grafana's provisioning system. You can read more about how it works and all the settings you can set for data sources on the [provisioning docs page]({{< relref "../administration/provisioning/#datasources" >}}) 437 438Here are some provisioning examples for this data source. 439 440```yaml 441apiVersion: 1 442 443datasources: 444 - name: Postgres 445 type: postgres 446 url: localhost:5432 447 database: grafana 448 user: grafana 449 secureJsonData: 450 password: 'Password!' 451 jsonData: 452 sslmode: 'disable' # disable/require/verify-ca/verify-full 453 maxOpenConns: 0 # Grafana v5.4+ 454 maxIdleConns: 2 # Grafana v5.4+ 455 connMaxLifetime: 14400 # Grafana v5.4+ 456 postgresVersion: 903 # 903=9.3, 904=9.4, 905=9.5, 906=9.6, 1000=10 457 timescaledb: false 458``` 459 460> **Note:** In the above code, the `postgresVersion` value of `10` refers to version PotgreSQL 10 and above. 461 462If you encounter metric request errors or other issues: 463 464- Make sure your data source YAML file parameters exactly match the example. This includes parameter names and use of quotation marks. 465- Make sure the `database` name is not included in the `url`. 466
