VictoriaMetrics/docs/MetricsQL.md

# MetricsQL

VictoriaMetrics implements MetricsQL - query language inspired by [PromQL](https://prometheus.io/docs/prometheus/latest/querying/basics/).
It is backwards compatible with PromQL, so Grafana dashboards backed by Prometheus datasource should work the same after switching from Prometheus to VictoriaMetrics.
[Standalone MetricsQL package](https://godoc.org/github.com/VictoriaMetrics/metricsql) can be used for parsing MetricsQL in external apps.

If you are unfamiliar with PromQL, then it is suggested reading [this tutorial for beginners](https://medium.com/@valyala/promql-tutorial-for-beginners-9ab455142085).

The following functionality is implemented differently in MetricsQL comparing to PromQL in order to improve user experience:
* MetricsQL takes into account the previous point before the window in square brackets for range functions such as `rate` and `increase`.
  It also doesn't extrapolate range function results. This addresses [this issue from Prometheus](https://github.com/prometheus/prometheus/issues/3746).
* MetricsQL returns the expected non-empty responses for requests with `step` values smaller than scrape interval. This addresses [this issue from Grafana](https://github.com/grafana/grafana/issues/11451).
* MetricsQL treats `scalar` type the same as `instant vector` without labels, since subtle difference between these types usually confuses users.
  See [the corresponding Prometheus docs](https://prometheus.io/docs/prometheus/latest/querying/basics/#expression-language-data-types) for details.

Other PromQL functionality should work the same in MetricsQL. [File an issue](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/issues)
if you notice discrepancies between PromQL and MetricsQL results other than mentioned above.

MetricsQL provides additional functionality mentioned below, which is aimed towards solving practical cases.
Feel free [filing a feature request](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/issues) if you think MetricsQL misses certain useful functionality.

*Note that the functionality mentioned below doesn't work in PromQL, so it is impossible switching back to Prometheus after you start using it.*

This functionality can be tried at [an editable Grafana dashboard](http://play-grafana.victoriametrics.com:3000/d/4ome8yJmz/node-exporter-on-victoriametrics-demo).

- [`WITH` templates](https://play.victoriametrics.com/promql/expand-with-exprs). This feature simplifies writing and managing complex queries. Go to [`WITH` templates playground](https://victoriametrics.com/promql/expand-with-exprs) and try it.
- All the aggregate functions support optional `limit N` suffix in order to limit the number of output series. For example, `sum(x) by (y) limit 10` limits
  the number of output time series after the aggregation to 10. All the other time series are dropped.
- Metric names and metric labels may contain escaped chars. For instance, `foo\-bar{baz\=aa="b"}` is valid expression. It returns time series with name `foo-bar` containing label `baz=aa` with value `b`. Additionally, `\xXX` escape sequence is supported, where `XX` is hexadecimal representation of escaped char.
- `offset`, range duration and step value for range vector may refer to the current step aka `$__interval` value from Grafana.
  For instance, `rate(metric[10i] offset 5i)` would return per-second rate over a range covering 10 previous steps with the offset of 5 steps.
- `offset` may be put anywere in the query. For instance, `sum(foo) offset 24h`.
- `offset` may be negative. For example, `q offset -1h`.
- `default` binary operator. `q1 default q2` substitutes `NaN` values from `q1` with the corresponding values from `q2`.
- `histogram_quantile` accepts optional third arg - `boundsLabel`. In this case it returns `lower` and `upper` bounds for the estimated percentile. See [this issue for details](https://github.com/prometheus/prometheus/issues/5706).
- `if` binary operator. `q1 if q2` removes values from `q1` for `NaN` values from `q2`.
- `ifnot` binary operator. `q1 ifnot q2` removes values from `q1` for non-`NaN` values from `q2`.
- Trailing commas on all the lists are allowed - label filters, function args and with expressions. For instance, the following queries are valid: `m{foo="bar",}`, `f(a, b,)`, `WITH (x=y,) x`. This simplifies maintenance of multi-line queries.
- String literals may be concatenated. This is useful with `WITH` templates: `WITH (commonPrefix="long_metric_prefix_") {__name__=commonPrefix+"suffix1"} / {__name__=commonPrefix+"suffix2"}`.
- Range duration in functions such as [rate](https://prometheus.io/docs/prometheus/latest/querying/functions/#rate()) may be omitted. VictoriaMetrics automatically selects range duration depending on the current step used for building the graph. For instance, the following query is valid in VictoriaMetrics: `rate(node_network_receive_bytes_total)`.
- [Range duration](https://prometheus.io/docs/prometheus/latest/querying/basics/#range-vector-selectors) and [offset](https://prometheus.io/docs/prometheus/latest/querying/basics/#offset-modifier) may be fractional. For instance, `rate(node_network_receive_bytes_total[1.5m] offset 0.5d)`.
- Comments starting with `#` and ending with newline. For instance, `up # this is a comment for 'up' metric`.
- Rollup functions - `rollup(m[d])`, `rollup_rate(m[d])`, `rollup_deriv(m[d])`, `rollup_increase(m[d])`, `rollup_delta(m[d])` - return `min`, `max` and `avg`
  values for all the `m` data points over `d` duration.
- `rollup_candlestick(m[d])` - returns `open`, `close`, `low` and `high` values (OHLC) for all the `m` data points over `d` duration. This function is useful for financial applications.
- `union(q1, ... qN)` function for building multiple graphs for `q1`, ... `qN` subqueries with a single query. The `union` function name may be skipped -
  the following queries are equivalent: `union(q1, q2)` and `(q1, q2)`.
- `ru(freeResources, maxResources)` function for returning resource utilization percentage in the range `0% - 100%`. For instance, `ru(node_memory_MemFree_bytes, node_memory_MemTotal_bytes)` returns memory utilization over [node_exporter](https://github.com/prometheus/node_exporter) metrics.
- `ttf(slowlyChangingFreeResources)` function for returning the time in seconds when the given `slowlyChangingFreeResources` expression reaches zero. For instance, `ttf(node_filesystem_avail_byte)` returns the time to storage space exhaustion. This function may be useful for capacity planning.
- Functions for label manipulation:
  - `alias(q, name)` for setting metric name across all the time series `q`.
  - `label_set(q, label1, value1, ... labelN, valueN)` for setting the given values for the given labels on `q`.
  - `label_map(q, label, srcValue1, dstValue1, ... srcValueN, dstValueN)` for mapping `label` values from `src*` to `dst*`.
  - `label_del(q, label1, ... labelN)` for deleting the given labels from `q`.
  - `label_keep(q, label1, ... labelN)` for deleting all the labels except the given labels from `q`.
  - `label_copy(q, src_label1, dst_label1, ... src_labelN, dst_labelN)` for copying label values from `src_*` to `dst_*`.
  - `label_move(q, src_label1, dst_label1, ... src_labelN, dst_labelN)` for moving label values from `src_*` to `dst_*`.
  - `label_transform(q, label, regexp, replacement)` for replacing all the `regexp` occurences with `replacement` in the `label` values from `q`.
  - `label_value(q, label)` - returns numeric values for the given `label` from `q`.
- `label_match(q, label, regexp)` and `label_mismatch(q, label, regexp)` for filtering time series with labels matching (or not matching) the given regexps.
- `sort_by_label(q, label)` and `sort_by_label_desc(q, label)` for sorting time series by the given `label`.
- `step()` function for returning the step in seconds used in the query.
- `start()` and `end()` functions for returning the start and end timestamps of the `[start ... end]` range used in the query.
- `integrate(m[d])` for returning integral over the given duration `d` for the given metric `m`.
- `ideriv(m)` - for calculating `instant` derivative for `m`.
- `deriv_fast(m[d])` - for calculating `fast` derivative for `m` based on the first and the last points from duration `d`.
- `running_` functions - `running_sum`, `running_min`, `running_max`, `running_avg` - for calculating [running values](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Running_total) on the selected time range.
- `range_` functions - `range_sum`, `range_min`, `range_max`, `range_avg`, `range_first`, `range_last`, `range_median`, `range_quantile` - for calculating global value over the selected time range.
- `smooth_exponential(q, sf)` - smooths `q` using [exponential moving average](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moving_average#Exponential_moving_average) with the given smooth factor `sf`.
- `remove_resets(q)` - removes counter resets from `q`.
- `lag(q[d])` - returns lag between the current timestamp and the timestamp from the previous data point in `q` over `d`.
- `lifetime(q[d])` - returns lifetime of `q` over `d` in seconds. It is expected that `d` exceeds the lifetime of `q`.
- `scrape_interval(q[d])` - returns the average interval in seconds between data points of `q` over `d` aka `scrape interval`.
- Trigonometric functions - `sin(q)`, `cos(q)`, `asin(q)`, `acos(q)` and `pi()`.
- `range_over_time(m[d])` - returns value range for `m` over `d` time window, i.e. `max_over_time(m[d])-min_over_time(m[d])`.
- `median_over_time(m[d])` - calculates median values for `m` over `d` time window. Shorthand to `quantile_over_time(0.5, m[d])`.
- `median(q)` - median aggregate. Shorthand to `quantile(0.5, q)`.
- `limitk(k, q)` - limits the number of time series returned from `q` to `k`.
- `any(q) by (x)` - returns any time series from `q` for each group in `x`.
  Use `limitk(1, q)` if you need retaining all the labels from `q`.
- `keep_last_value(q)` - fills missing data (gaps) in `q` with the previous non-empty value.
- `keep_next_value(q)` - fills missing data (gaps) in `q` with the next non-empty value.
- `interpolate(q)` - fills missing data (gaps) in `q` with linearly interpolated values.
- `distinct_over_time(m[d])` - returns distinct number of values for `m` data points over `d` duration.
- `distinct(q)` - returns a time series with the number of unique values for each timestamp in `q`.
- `sum2_over_time(m[d])` - returns sum of squares for all the `m` values over `d` duration.
- `sum2(q)` - returns a time series with sum of square values for each timestamp in `q`.
- `geomean_over_time(m[d])` - returns [geomean](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geometric_mean) value for all the `m` value over `d` duration.
- `geomean(q)` - returns a time series with [geomean](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geometric_mean) value for each timestamp in `q`.
- `rand()`, `rand_normal()` and `rand_exponential()` functions - for generating pseudo-random series with even, normal and exponential distribution.
- `increases_over_time(m[d])` and `decreases_over_time(m[d])` - returns the number of `m` increases or decreases over the given duration `d`.
- `prometheus_buckets(q)` - converts [VictoriaMetrics histogram](https://godoc.org/github.com/VictoriaMetrics/metrics#Histogram) buckets to Prometheus buckets with `le` labels.
- `histogram(q)` - calculates aggregate histogram over `q` time series for each point on the graph. See [this article](https://medium.com/@valyala/improving-histogram-usability-for-prometheus-and-grafana-bc7e5df0e350) for more details.
- `histogram_over_time(m[d])` - calculates [VictoriaMetrics histogram](https://godoc.org/github.com/VictoriaMetrics/metrics#Histogram) for `m` over `d`.
  For example, the following query calculates median temperature by country over the last 24 hours:
  `histogram_quantile(0.5, sum(histogram_over_time(temperature[24h])) by (vmbucket, country))`.
- `histogram_share(le, buckets)` - returns share (in the range 0..1) for `buckets`. Useful for calculating SLI and SLO.
  For instance, the following query returns the share of requests which are performed under 1.5 seconds: `histogram_share(1.5, sum(request_duration_seconds_bucket) by (le))`.
- `topk_*` and `bottomk_*` aggregate functions, which return up to K time series. Note that the standard `topk` function may return more than K time series -
   see [this article](https://www.robustperception.io/graph-top-n-time-series-in-grafana) for details.
   - `topk_min(k, q)` - returns top K time series with the max minimums on the given time range
   - `topk_max(k, q)` - returns top K time series with the max maximums on the given time range
   - `topk_avg(k, q)` - returns top K time series with the max averages on the given time range
   - `topk_median(k, q)` - returns top K time series with the max medians on the given time range
   - `bottomk_min(k, q)` - returns bottom K time series with the min minimums on the given time range
   - `bottomk_max(k, q)` - returns bottom K time series with the min maximums on the given time range
   - `bottomk_avg(k, q)` - returns bottom K time series with the min averages on the given time range
   - `bottomk_median(k, q)` - returns bottom K time series with the min medians on the given time range
- `share_le_over_time(m[d], le)` - returns share (in the range 0..1) of values in `m` over `d`, which are smaller or equal to `le`. Useful for calculating SLI and SLO.
  Example: `share_le_over_time(memory_usage_bytes[24h], 100*1024*1024)` returns the share of time series values for the last 24 hours when memory usage was below or equal to 100MB.
- `share_gt_over_time(m[d], gt)` - returns share (in the range 0..1) of values in `m` over `d`, which are bigger than `gt`. Useful for calculating SLI and SLO.
  Example: `share_gt_over_time(up[24h], 0)` - returns service availability for the last 24 hours.
- `tmin_over_time(m[d])` - returns timestamp for the minimum value for `m` over `d` time range.
- `tmax_over_time(m[d])` - returns timestamp for the maximum value for `m` over `d` time range.
- `aggr_over_time(("aggr_func1", "aggr_func2", ...), m[d])` - simultaneously calculates all the listed `aggr_func*` for `m` over `d` time range.
  `aggr_func*` can contain any functions that accept range vector. For instance, `aggr_over_time(("min_over_time", "max_over_time", "rate"), m[d])`
  would calculate `min_over_time`, `max_over_time` and `rate` for `m[d]`.
- `hoeffding_bound_upper(phi, m[d])` and `hoeffding_bound_lower(phi, m[d])` - return upper and lower [Hoeffding bounds](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoeffding%27s_inequality)
  for the given `phi` in the range `[0..1]`.
- `last_over_time(m[d])` - returns the last value for `m` on the time range `d`.
- `first_over_time(m[d])` - returns the first value for `m` on the time range `d`.
- `outliersk(N, m)` - returns up to `N` outlier time series for `m`. Outlier time series have the highest deviation from the `median(m)`.
  This aggregate function is useful to detect anomalies across groups of similar time series.
- `ascent_over_time(m[d])` - returns the sum of positive deltas between adjancent data points in `m` over `d`. Useful for tracking height gains in GPS track.
- `descent_over_time(m[d])` - returns the absolute sum of negative deltas between adjancent data points in `m` over `d`. Useful for tracking height loss in GPS track.