Overview

Dash0 provides the capability to import existing dashboards into Dash0 using the built-in conversion utility.

This feature, available through the Edit as JSON functionality, automatically converts dashboard JSON or YAML into Perses' Custom Resource Definition (CRD) format.

Identify Supported Import Formats

Dash0 supports importing dashboards from these sources:

Source	Format	Notes
Dash0 (Perses)	Perses JSON	Native format. Used when exporting and re-importing Dash0 dashboards or migrating between environments.
Grafana	Grafana JSON	Converts Grafana dashboard definitions to Perses format. Originally supported via a CLI tool; now handled by custom conversion code.
Perses (external)	Perses JSON	Dashboards created in external Perses-compatible tools can be imported directly.

Export a Dashboard

Dashboards can be exported in Perses JSON format from the dashboard toolbar. The exported file can be shared, version-controlled, or re-imported into another Dash0 environment.

This documentation explains how to use this feature in relation to Grafana, outlines the conversion process, and highlights important limitations to be aware of when importing dashboards.

Import a Grafana Dashboard

To import a Grafana dashboard into Dash0:

Navigate to the Dashboards area in Dash0
Click on the "+ Add" button to create a new dashboard
In the top-right corner of the dashboard editor, click on "Edit as JSON"
In the JSON editor dialog, use the upload functionality to select a Grafana dashboard file from your computer
Review the converted dashboard in the editor
Click "Apply" to see the changes in the dashboard viewer

Understand the Conversion Process

When you import a Grafana dashboard, Dash0 performs the following conversions:

Dashboard metadata (name, description, etc.) is mapped to the corresponding fields in the Perses CRD
Grafana panels are converted to equivalent Perses panel types where possible
Grafana variables are translated to Perses variables with similar functionality
Layout information is converted to maintain a similar visual appearance (including rows that are translated to panel groups)

Supported Panel Types

The following Grafana panel types are supported for conversion:

Time series
Stat
Gauge
Pie
Table
Text/Markdown

Limitations

When importing Grafana dashboards, be aware of these limitations:

Panel Types: Not all Grafana panel types are supported. Specialized panels like heatmaps, and custom panels may not convert properly. In those cases, the migrator will show a placeholder in the dashboard.
Panel Options: Some panel visualization options and advanced settings in Grafana may not have direct equivalents in Dash0 and might be omitted during conversion.
Query Types: Only Prometheus queries can be translated from Grafana dashboards. Other data sources like Elasticsearch, InfluxDB, or custom data sources are not supported.
Variable Types: Only variables that have equivalents in the Perses specification are supported. Some advanced Grafana variable types and configurations may not convert correctly. Unsupported variables are translated into text variables.
Row Repetitions: Grafana's row repetition feature is not supported in the conversion process.