What’s New in Grafana 9.0? Explore Visual Query Builders and UI Enhancements

Visual Prometheus Query Builder

Although PromQL is powerful, writing queries can be daunting for beginners. Grafana 9.0 adds a new visual query builder in Explore, allowing anyone to write, edit, and understand queries through a graphical interface.

Multiple Ways to Write Queries

The familiar Explore UI now lets you switch between text (Code) mode and visual Builder mode. In Builder mode, a new visual interface lets you select metrics via multi‑word dropdowns, while preserving any text edits when you toggle between modes.

Generate Queries with Metrics and Label Filters

The new builder lets you start by selecting a metric or a label filter, using multi‑word search to add them to your query.

Mathematical Operations on Metrics

The Operations field enables functions, aggregations, and binary operations on selected metrics. Clicking the

+ Operation

button adds operations in a layered, execution‑order view, making queries easier to read and edit.

Continuous Learning via In‑App Guides

New users can switch to Explain mode, which provides guided explanations of existing queries, preserving the query while revealing metric details and operations.

Visual Grafana Loki Query Builder

Loki’s LogQL queries also get a visual builder, simplifying the more complex syntax by allowing you to add and edit label filters, parsers, and functions without memorizing the language.

Explore‑to‑Dashboard Workflow

Grafana 9.0 introduces a workflow to create panels or dashboards directly from Explore, eliminating the need to copy or rewrite complex queries.

New Heatmap Panel

The redesigned heatmap panel offers higher performance (handling over 200 k data points) and improved resolution, with customizable color scales.

Command Palette

Press cmd+K (macOS) or ctrl+K (Windows/Linux) to open a command palette for quick navigation, panel creation, view splitting, and theme changes.

Panel Search

Search panel titles across dashboards to quickly locate the desired panel, saving time when managing many dashboards.

Trace Panel in Dashboards

Grafana 9.0 adds a Trace panel for visualizing traces directly on dashboards (currently in testing).

Dashboard Preview

A beta feature provides an overview of all dashboards, helping you locate the right one when names are insufficient.

New Navigation

The navigation bar is expanded, allowing you to star dashboards and access them via the

savedItems

feature.

Grafana Alerting Improvements

Alerting UI and documentation have been further refined, building on the new experience introduced in v8.0.

Download

Download Grafana at https://grafana.com/grafana/download and see release details at https://github.com/grafana/grafana/releases/tag/v9.0.0 .