Grafana Guide
Unlocking
Your Data with
Grafana
An interactive journey to visualize,
analyze, and understand your
metrics. This guide translates the
core ideas of Grafana into an
explorable, hands-on experience.
Why Grafana?
In today's data-driven world, systems
generate overwhelming amounts of
information. This section explores the
common challenges of data
management and how Grafana provides
an elegant solution.
⚠️ The Problem
» Data Modern systems
Overload:produce vast,
unmanageable
quantities of metrics,
logs, and events.
» SiloedInformation is often trapped
Data: in separate, disconnected
databases, preventing a
holistic view.
» Lack of Without clear
Visibility:visualization, identifying
trends, anomalies, and
performance issues is
nearly impossible.
» Reactive Ineffective alerting
Problem-systems mean issues
Solving: are addressed only after
they cause damage.
✅ Grafana's Solution
» Unified Brings all your data
Platform:together into a single,
cohesive interface for
analysis.
» ActionableTransforms raw,
Insights: complex data into
beautiful, easy-to-
understand
dashboards.
» ProactiveAllows you to define
Alerting: powerful alert rules to
catch problems before
they escalate.
» Vendor Connects to dozens of
Neutral:data sources, giving you
the freedom to use the
best tools for the job.
Core Concepts
To master Grafana, it's essential to
understand its architecture and key
components. This section breaks down
how Grafana works, from its backend to
the dashboards and panels you interact
with.
Interactive Architecture
User Browser
Grafana Server (Backend)
Data Sources Grafana DB
Key Components
Dashboards
A dashboard is a collection of one
or more panels, organized to
provide a comprehensive view of
your data. They can be organized
into folders and support variables
for dynamic filtering.
Panels
A panel is a single visualization (a
graph, table, gauge, etc.) within a
dashboard. Each panel queries a
specific data source and is highly
configurable.
Data Sources
These are the databases Grafana
connects to. Grafana doesn't
store your data; it queries it
directly from sources like
Prometheus, MySQL, and many
others.
Interactive How-To
Guide
Ready to get started? This interactive
guide walks you through the
fundamental steps of using Grafana,
from initial setup to creating your first
alert. Click each step to reveal the
details.
1 Setup & Config
Installation and first login.
2 Add Data Source
Connecting Grafana to your data.
3 Build Dashboard
Creating your first panel.
4 Use Variables
Making dashboards dynamic.
5 Set Up Alerting
Creating notification rules.
Common Use
Cases
Grafana is incredibly versatile. Explore
some of its most popular applications
across different domains. Use the filters
to find use cases relevant to your
industry.
All Infrastructure Application Business
The Grafana
Ecosystem
Grafana doesn't exist in a vacuum. It's
the visualization layer of a powerful
observability stack. This chart shows its
relationship with other key open-source
tools.
Interactive Grafana Guide
Created to provide a modern, explorable alternative
to static presentations.
