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# Templating variables for metrics dashboards **(CORE)**
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> [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/214539) in GitLab 13.0.
Templating variables can be used to make your metrics dashboard more versatile.
`templating` is a top-level key in the
[dashboard YAML ](yaml.md#dashboard-top-level-properties ).
Define your variables in the `variables` key, under `templating` . The value of
the `variables` key should be a hash, and each key under `variables`
defines a templating variable on the dashboard, and may contain alphanumeric and underscore characters.
A variable can be used in a Prometheus query in the same dashboard using the syntax
described [in Using Variables ](variables.md ).
## `text` variable type
CAUTION: **Warning:**
This variable type is an _alpha_ feature, and is subject to change at any time
without prior notice!
For each `text` variable defined in the dashboard YAML, there will be a free text
box on the dashboard UI, allowing you to enter a value for each variable.
The `text` variable type supports a simple and a full syntax.
### Simple syntax
This example creates a variable called `variable1` , with a default value
of `default value` :
```yaml
templating:
variables:
variable1: 'default value' # `text` type variable with `default value` as its default.
```
### Full syntax
This example creates a variable called `variable1` , with a default value of `default` .
The label for the text box on the UI will be the value of the `label` key:
```yaml
templating:
variables:
variable1: # The variable name that can be used in queries.
label: 'Variable 1' # (Optional) label that will appear in the UI for this text box.
type: text
options:
default_value: 'default' # (Optional) default value.
```
## `custom` variable type
CAUTION: **Warning:**
This variable type is an _alpha_ feature, and is subject to change at any time
without prior notice!
Each `custom` variable defined in the dashboard YAML creates a dropdown
selector on the dashboard UI, allowing you to select a value for each variable.
The `custom` variable type supports a simple and a full syntax.
### Simple syntax
This example creates a variable called `variable1` , with a default value of `value1` .
The dashboard UI will display a dropdown with `value1` , `value2` and `value3`
as the choices.
```yaml
templating:
variables:
variable1: ['value1', 'value2', 'value3']
```
### Full syntax
This example creates a variable called `variable1` , with a default value of `value_option_2` .
The label for the text box on the UI will be the value of the `label` key.
The dashboard UI will display a dropdown with `Option 1` and `Option 2`
as the choices.
If you select `Option 1` from the dropdown, the variable will be replaced with `value option 1` .
Similarly, if you select `Option 2` , the variable will be replaced with `value_option_2` :
```yaml
templating:
variables:
variable1: # The variable name that can be used in queries.
label: 'Variable 1' # (Optional) label that will appear in the UI for this dropdown.
type: custom
options:
values:
- value: 'value option 1' # The value that will replace the variable in queries.
text: 'Option 1' # (Optional) Text that will appear in the UI dropdown.
- value: 'value_option_2'
text: 'Option 2'
default: true # (Optional) This option should be the default value of this variable.
```
## `metric_label_values` variable type
CAUTION: **Warning:**
This variable type is an _alpha_ feature, and is subject to change at any time
without prior notice!
### Full syntax
This example creates a variable called `variable2` . The values of the dropdown will
be all the different values of the `backend` label in the Prometheus series described by
`up{env="production"}` .
```yaml
templating:
variables:
variable2: # The variable name that can be interpolated in queries.
label: 'Variable 2' # (Optional) label that will appear in the UI for this dropdown.
type: metric_label_values
options:
series_selector: 'up{env="production"}'
label: 'backend'
```
