Grafana Integration

Visualize QuestDB data with Grafana using the PostgreSQL datasource

Overview

Grafana is a popular open-source analytics and visualization platform. QuestDB integrates seamlessly with Grafana through the PostgreSQL datasource, allowing you to create real-time dashboards and visualizations for your time-series data.

Prerequisites

• QuestDB instance running (version 6.0 or later)
• Grafana installed (version 8.0 or later)
• PostgreSQL Wire Protocol enabled on QuestDB (default port: 8812)

Connection Setup

Step 1: Add PostgreSQL Datasource

1. Open Grafana and navigate to Configuration > Data Sources
2. Click Add data source
3. Select PostgreSQL from the list

Step 2: Configure Connection

Enter the following connection details:

Host: localhost:8812
Database: qdb
User: admin
Password: quest
SSL Mode: disable

By default, QuestDB uses port 8812 for PostgreSQL Wire Protocol connections. Adjust the host and port based on your deployment.

Step 3: Advanced Settings

For optimal performance with time-series queries:

• Max open connections: 100
• Max idle connections: 10
• Max lifetime: 3600

Creating a Dashboard

Basic Query Example

Create a time-series visualization with a simple query:

SELECT 
  timestamp as time,
  temperature,
  sensor_id
FROM sensor_data
WHERE timestamp > $__timeFrom() 
  AND timestamp < $__timeTo()
ORDER BY timestamp

Using QuestDB Time-Series Functions

Leverage QuestDB’s powerful time-series extensions:

SELECT 
  timestamp,
  avg(price) as avg_price,
  symbol
FROM trades
WHERE timestamp IN $__timeFilter(timestamp)
SAMPLE BY 1m ALIGN TO CALENDAR

Aggregation with SAMPLE BY

SELECT 
  timestamp,
  first(price) as open,
  last(price) as close,
  min(price) as low,
  max(price) as high,
  sum(volume) as volume
FROM trades
WHERE symbol = 'BTC-USD'
  AND timestamp > $__timeFrom()
SAMPLE BY 5m

Grafana Variables

Use Grafana variables for dynamic dashboards:

Query Variable

SELECT DISTINCT symbol FROM trades

Then use $symbol in your queries:

SELECT timestamp, price, volume
FROM trades
WHERE symbol = '$symbol'
  AND timestamp > $__timeFrom()

Performance Tips

• Use designated timestamps for time-series queries
• Apply time filters to leverage partition pruning
• Use SAMPLE BY for downsampling large datasets
• Create indexes on frequently filtered columns

Demo Dashboards

QuestDB provides public demo dashboards:

• Real-time crypto trades
• FX order book depth charts

Native Grafana Plugin

QuestDB offers a Grafana-native plugin with enhanced features for time-series queries and better performance.

Troubleshooting

Connection Issues

If you cannot connect to QuestDB:

1. Verify QuestDB is running: docker ps or check the process
2. Confirm port 8812 is accessible: telnet localhost 8812
3. Check firewall settings if connecting remotely
4. Review QuestDB logs for authentication errors

Query Performance

If queries are slow:

• Add time range filters to your WHERE clause
• Use SAMPLE BY to reduce data points returned
• Check query execution plan with EXPLAIN
• Consider partitioning strategies for large tables

Next Steps

Time-Series Functions

Learn about QuestDB’s SQL extensions

PostgreSQL Wire Protocol

Explore connection options