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Difference Between Graphite vs Grafana

Open-source software to monitor and provide graphs for data related to numbers and time series is Graphite. This is mainly used to monitor computer systems for their performance. It was released in 2008 and helped collect store, and display data in the system. The programming language used is JavaScript. Grafana is used in the analytics for the metrics irrespective of the storage area. Queries are done to visualize the stored procedures and manipulate the metrics. Dashboards are created and shared within the team to get to know the data and analyze it.

Head to Head Comparison between Graphite vs Grafana (Infographics)

Below are the top 7 differences between Graphite vs Grafana:

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Key Differences between Graphite vs Grafana

Following are the key differences between Graphite vs Grafana:

  • Graphite is a monitoring tool that also provides graphs based on the data analysis made. Data collection and visualization is done in the application with the help of queries and graphs. The stored data is based on time-series, and the graphs displayed is of data in demand. Grafana is of data visualization system where different data stores are integrated so that proper metrics of time-bound data can be formed.
  • The documentation of graphite is not as good as Grafana. In Grafana documents, the basic concepts and all the tutorials and plugins are explained so that the user will get acquainted with the features in the application.
  • Metrics are provided by graphite application to store and analyze data. There are different metrics available to deliver data in graphite format to be analyzed easily. The management of data is easy in graphite. Plugins are offered in Grafana to make the visualization more effective to understand the data from the dashboards easily. A web browser is used to display this data to the users.
  • Graphite stores the time series data while storage is not done in Grafana. Storage in graphite helps the data to be more accurate and thus makes the analysis easy. This is an advantage over Grafana as it does not store the data and does the part only in visualization.
  • Graphite collects the data in bits and pieces from different sources to be stored in the back end to provide support while displaying the data. Different solutions like stated and collected can be included to be collected for the time series. There is no data collection support from Grafana as it works only for the visualization part.
  • Different tools are offered in graphite to offer the plugins though the application itself does not support plugins directly. Simultaneously, a big set of plugins library is provided in Grafana so that users can customize the graphs for visualization and be more innovative for the graphs. Also, these plugins can be used for dashboard editing.
  • Visualization options are provided in both the applications but customizations, and dashboard editing are not available in graphite. In Grafana and visualization, editing is also included with flexible and rich features to satisfy the customers. The dashboard is easy to use so that customers like Grafana for the visualization it provides.
  • Event tracking is done in graphite as the data collection is done. Event tracking is not present in Grafana, and it can create logs for the graphs is provided in the system.

Graphite vs Grafana Comparison Table

Let us discuss the top comparison between Graphite vs Grafana:

Graphite

Grafana

Cloud services do data collection, and event tracking and hence cloud compatibility for graphite is less. Cloud monitoring is easily compatible with Grafana due to the fact that it does dashboards and visualization in the system.
The features are available for data collection and analysis so that they can be used in enterprises as well. The hosted option is not available in graphite. All the features are available and can be used in enterprises for the visualization of data. But the commercial version is not available in this application, but a hosted solution is provided so that the application can be made to work in all the versions.
Infrastructure is provided for data collection options, and hence the data can be stored, analyzed, and visualized with the metrics options. As storage and event tracking is also done in graphite, it is suitable for users with data collection tools. Data collection is not provided in Grafana, and if the system has cloud services in-built, then Grafana is the solution to get the data visualization in the system.
Alerts cannot be configured and sent to the users whenever needed. It should be done manually from the users’ end. Alerts can be configured in Grafana so that a dashboard image can be sent or notification, if any data breach happens, can be sent to the users.
Template variables’ feature is not present in graphite, and it does the data storage and analysis with the help of in-built features so that the data can be stored and used for creating logs as well. Variable sources can be defined, and all the possible values can be collected so that the dashboard can be used to display the system’s variables. This helps the user to know the available data.
The user interface is simple, and if the users need more applications, they can integrate and use the application to transform and filter data in a single graph. The user interface is not as simple as the presence of dashboards, and visual tools make it complicated. But beginners can start with the documentation.
Data is collected from different sources with the help of protocols and stored in databases. This database provides access to tools to gather and visualize data in the system. The architecture of Grafana is simple as it collects data and provides visualization directly. No storage, and hence database is not needed in the system.

Conclusion

Though both are different in working, graphite and Grafana can be connected and used to be more beneficial to the users. Graphite can store the data, and Grafana can be used to visualize the data in the front end. Different features are available in Grafana for graphs that graphite users can utilize.

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This is a guide to Graphite vs Grafana. Here we also discuss the Graphite vs Grafana key differences with infographics and comparison table. You may also have a look at the following articles to learn more –

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