+++
title = "JSON model"
keywords = ["grafana", "dashboard", "documentation", "json", "model"]
aliases = ["/docs/grafana/latest/reference/dashboard/"]
weight = 1200
+++

# Dashboard JSON model

A dashboard in Grafana is represented by a JSON object, which stores metadata of its dashboard. Dashboard metadata includes dashboard properties, metadata from panels, template variables, panel queries, etc.

To view the JSON of a dashboard, follow the steps mentioned below:

  1. Go to a dashboard
  1. Click on `Manage dashboard` menu on the top navigation bar
  1. Select `View JSON` from the dropdown menu

## JSON fields

When a user creates a new dashboard, a new dashboard JSON object is initialized with the following fields:

> **Note:** In the following JSON, id is shown as null which is the default value assigned to it until a dashboard is saved. Once a dashboard is saved, an integer value is assigned to the `id` field.

```json
{
  "id": null,
  "uid": "cLV5GDCkz",
  "title": "New dashboard",
  "tags": [],
  "style": "dark",
  "timezone": "browser",
  "editable": true,
  "hideControls": false,
  "graphTooltip": 1,
  "panels": [],
  "time": {
    "from": "now-6h",
    "to": "now"
  },
  "timepicker": {
    "time_options": [],
    "refresh_intervals": []
  },
  "templating": {
    "list": []
  },
  "annotations": {
    "list": []
  },
  "refresh": "5s",
  "schemaVersion": 17,
  "version": 0,
  "links": []
}
```
Each field in the dashboard JSON is explained below with its usage:

| Name              | Usage                                                                                                             |
| ----------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **id**            | unique numeric identifier for the dashboard. (generated by the db)                                                |
| **uid**           | unique dashboard identifier that can be generated by anyone. string (8-40)                                        |
| **title**         | current title of dashboard                                                                                        |
| **tags**          | tags associated with dashboard, an array of strings                                                               |
| **style**         | theme of dashboard, i.e. `dark` or `light`                                                                        |
| **timezone**      | timezone of dashboard, i.e. `utc` or `browser`                                                                    |
| **editable**      | whether a dashboard is editable or not                                                                            |
| **graphTooltip**  | 0 for no shared crosshair or tooltip (default), 1 for shared crosshair, 2 for shared crosshair AND shared tooltip |
| **time**          | time range for dashboard, i.e. last 6 hours, last 7 days, etc                                                     |
| **timepicker**    | timepicker metadata, see [timepicker section](#timepicker) for details                                            |
| **templating**    | templating metadata, see [templating section](#templating) for details                                            |
| **annotations**   | annotations metadata, see [annotations section](#annotations) for details                                         |
| **refresh**       | auto-refresh interval                                                                                             |
| **schemaVersion** | version of the JSON schema (integer), incremented each time a Grafana update brings changes to said schema        |
| **version**       | version of the dashboard (integer), incremented each time the dashboard is updated                                |
| **panels**        | panels array, see below for detail.                                                                               |

## Panels

Panels are the building blocks of a dashboard. It consists of data source queries, type of graphs, aliases, etc. Panel JSON consists of an array of JSON objects, each representing a different panel. Most of the fields are common for all panels but some fields depend on the panel type. Following is an example of panel JSON of a text panel.

```json
"panels": [
  {
    "type": "text",
    "title": "Panel Title",
    "gridPos": {
      "x": 0,
      "y": 0,
      "w": 12,
      "h": 9
    },
    "id": 4,
    "mode": "markdown",
    "content": "# title"
  }
```

### Panel size and position

The gridPos property describes the panel size and position in grid coordinates.

- `w` 1-24  (the width of the dashboard is divided into 24 columns)
- `h` In grid height units, each represents 30 pixels.
- `x` The x position, in same unit as `w`.
- `y` The y position, in same unit as `h`.

The grid has a negative gravity that moves panels up if there is empty space above a panel.

### timepicker

```json
"timepicker": {
    "collapse": false,
    "enable": true,
    "notice": false,
    "now": true,
    "refresh_intervals": [
      "5s",
      "10s",
      "30s",
      "1m",
      "5m",
      "15m",
      "30m",
      "1h",
      "2h",
      "1d"
    ],
    "status": "Stable",
    "type": "timepicker"
  }
```

Usage of the fields is explained below:

| Name                  | Usage                                  |
| --------------------- | -------------------------------------- |
| **collapse**          | whether timepicker is collapsed or not |
| **enable**            | whether timepicker is enabled or not   |
| **notice**            | TODO                                   |
| **now**               | TODO                                   |
| **refresh_intervals** | TODO                                   |
| **status**            | TODO                                   |
| **type**              | TODO                                   |

### templating

The `templating` field contains an array of template variables with their saved values along with some other metadata, for example:

```json
 "templating": {
    "enable": true,
    "list": [
      {
        "allFormat": "wildcard",
        "current": {
          "tags": [],
          "text": "prod",
          "value": "prod"
        },
        "datasource": null,
        "includeAll": true,
        "name": "env",
        "options": [
          {
            "selected": false,
            "text": "All",
            "value": "*"
          },
          {
            "selected": false,
            "text": "stage",
            "value": "stage"
          },
          {
            "selected": false,
            "text": "test",
            "value": "test"
          }
        ],
        "query": "tag_values(cpu.utilization.average,env)",
        "refresh": false,
        "type": "query"
      },
      {
        "allFormat": "wildcard",
        "current": {
          "text": "apache",
          "value": "apache"
        },
        "datasource": null,
        "includeAll": false,
        "multi": false,
        "multiFormat": "glob",
        "name": "app",
        "options": [
          {
            "selected": true,
            "text": "tomcat",
            "value": "tomcat"
          },
          {
            "selected": false,
            "text": "cassandra",
            "value": "cassandra"
          }
        ],
        "query": "tag_values(cpu.utilization.average,app)",
        "refresh": false,
        "regex": "",
        "type": "query"
      }
    ]
  }
```

Usage of the above mentioned fields in the templating section is explained below:

| Name            | Usage                                                                                                   |
| --------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **enable**      | whether templating is enabled or not                                                                    |
| **list**        | an array of objects each representing one template variable                                             |
| **allFormat**   | format to use while fetching all values from data source, eg: `wildcard`, `glob`, `regex`, `pipe`, etc. |
| **current**     | shows current selected variable text/value on the dashboard                                             |
| **data source** | shows data source for the variables                                                                     |
| **includeAll**  | whether all value option is available or not                                                            |
| **multi**       | whether multiple values can be selected or not from variable value list                                 |
| **multiFormat** | format to use while fetching timeseries from data source                                                |
| **name**        | name of variable                                                                                        |
| **options**     | array of variable text/value pairs available for selection on dashboard                                 |
| **query**       | data source query used to fetch values for a variable                                                   |
| **refresh**     | TODO                                                                                                    |
| **regex**       | TODO                                                                                                    |
| **type**        | type of variable, i.e. `custom`, `query` or `interval`                                                  |
