Prometheus - Label (Dimension, Column)

About

A label is a dimension/column in a metric (row) and allows dimensional data model

This metric:

api_http_requests_total{method="POST", handler="/messages"}

is equivalent to

{name="api_http_requests_total", method="POST", handler="/messages"}

and has 3 metrics:

• name
• method
• and handler

Any given combination of labels for the same metric name identifies a particular dimensional instantiation of that metric (for example: all HTTP requests that used the method POST to the /api/tracks handler).

The query language allows filtering and aggregation based on these dimensions.

Changing any label value, including adding or removing a label, will create a new time series.

Example

api_http_requests_total{method="POST", handler="/messages"}

where:

• the metric name is api_http_requests_total
• the labels are:
  • method=“POST”
  • handler=“/messages”

Syntax

name=value

Example of two labels:

method="POST"
handler="/messages"