--- title: "Zabbix template variables | Grafana Plugins documentation" description: "Use template variables with the Zabbix data source to create dynamic, reusable dashboards." --- > For a curated documentation index, see [llms.txt](/llms.txt). For the complete documentation index, see [llms-full.txt](/llms-full.txt). # Zabbix template variables Template variables let you create dynamic, reusable dashboards that switch between host groups, hosts, applications, and items without editing the dashboard. You can populate variable drop-downs with values from Zabbix and reference those variables in queries, panel titles, and text panels. ## Before you begin - [Configure the Zabbix data source](/docs/plugins/alexanderzobnin-zabbix-app/latest/configure/). - Understand [Grafana template variables](/docs/grafana/latest/dashboards/variables/). ## Supported variable types Expand table | Variable type | Supported | Description | |---------------|-----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Query | Yes | Fetch values from Zabbix (host groups, hosts, applications, items, etc.). | | Custom | Yes | Define a custom list of values. | | Data source | Yes | Switch between multiple Zabbix data source instances. | ## Create a query variable To create a variable that fetches values from Zabbix: 1. Open a dashboard and click **Dashboard settings** (gear icon). 2. Click **Variables** in the left menu. 3. Click **Add variable**. 4. Set **Variable type** to **Query**. 5. Select the Zabbix data source. 6. Select a **Query Type** and fill in the filter fields. 7. Click **Apply**. ## Query types The variable query editor uses a structured form with a **Query Type** drop-down. Select the type of Zabbix entity you want to populate the variable with. Expand table | Query type | Returns | Filter fields | |-----------------|---------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | **Group** | Host group names | Group | | **Host** | Host names | Group, Host | | **Application** | Application names | Group, Host, Application. Not available on Zabbix 5.4+ where applications have been removed. Use **Item tag** instead. | | **Item tag** | Item tag values | Group, Host, Item Tag. Available on Zabbix 5.4+. | | **Item** | Item names | Group, Host, Application or Item Tag, Item | | **Item values** | Current item values | Group, Host, Application or Item Tag, Item | All filter fields support regex patterns (for example, `/.*/` to match all values) and references to other template variables (for example, `$group`). For the **Item** and **Item values** query types, the editor shows either **Application** (Zabbix < 5.4) or **Item Tag** (Zabbix 5.4+) depending on your Zabbix server version. Only one field is visible at a time. When the **Item** query type is selected, you can also toggle **Show disabled items** to include disabled items in the results. ## Legacy query format Older dashboards may use a legacy string-based query format. The Zabbix variable editor displays these as a read-only **Legacy Query** field and automatically converts them to the structured format. The legacy format uses four parts wrapped in braces: ![Copy code to clipboard](/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy ```none {host group}{host}{application}{item name} ``` Each part can be a specific name or `*` (all values). The number of parts determines what the variable returns: Expand table | Query | Returns | |--------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------| | `{*}` | All host groups | | `{*}{*}` | All hosts | | `{Network}{*}` | All hosts in the “Network” group | | `{Linux servers}{*}{*}` | All applications from hosts in “Linux servers” | | `{Linux servers}{backend01}{CPU}{*}` | All items from backend01 in the CPU application | ## Use variables in queries Reference variables in the query editor by prefixing the variable name with `$`. For example, if you have a variable named `host`, use `$host` in the **Host** field of a Metrics query. Variables work in most query editor fields, including: - **Group**, **Host**, **Application** / **Item tag**, **Item** - **Service**, **SLA** - **Proxy**, **Problem**, **Item Ids**, **Macros** - Panel and row titles - Text panel content > Note > > When using multi-value variables, the plugin automatically formats the selected values as a regex pattern for Zabbix API queries. For example, selecting `web01` and `web02` is sent to Zabbix as `(web01|web02)`. ## Built-in macros In addition to the template variables you define, the plugin automatically populates a set of read-only macros for each series returned by a **Metrics** query. Use them in alias functions (`setAlias`, `setAliasByRegex`, `replaceAlias`) to build readable series names. You don’t create these macros; the plugin sets them per item. Expand table | Macro | Value | |-------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | `$__zbx_host` | Host technical name (the `host` field in Zabbix). | | `$__zbx_host_name` | Host visible name (the `name` field in Zabbix). | | `$__zbx_host_id` | Host ID. | | `$__zbx_item` | Item name. | | `$__zbx_item_name` | Item name. Same value as `$__zbx_item`. | | `$__zbx_item_key` | Item key, for example `system.cpu.load`. | | `$__zbx_item_interval` | Item update interval. | | `$__zbx_item_tag_` | Value of the item tag named ``. Non-alphanumeric characters in the tag name are replaced with underscores, so a tag named `App Name` becomes `$__zbx_item_tag_App_Name`. When an item has multiple values for the same tag, they’re joined with commas. | For example, to rename each series to ` - `, add the following function to a Metrics query: ![Copy code to clipboard](/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy ```none setAlias($__zbx_host_name - $__zbx_item) ``` > Note > > `$__zbx_host` returns the host’s technical name, while `$__zbx_host_name` returns the visible name. These often differ. Use `$__zbx_host_name` when you want the human-readable name shown in the Zabbix frontend. ## Chain variables You can reference one variable inside another variable’s query to create cascading drop-downs. For example: 1. Create a variable named `group` with **Query Type** set to **Group**. 2. Create a variable named `host` with **Query Type** set to **Host** and set the **Group** field to `$group`. 3. Create a variable named `item` with **Query Type** set to **Item**, set **Group** to `$group`, and **Host** to `$host`. When you change the `group` selection, the `host` variable automatically updates to show only hosts in that group, and the `item` variable updates accordingly. ## Examples ### Build a host picker for a dashboard Let viewers switch the dashboard between hosts without editing panels. 1. Create a variable named `host` with **Query Type** set to **Host** and **Group** set to the group you want (or `/.*/` for all hosts). 2. In each Metrics query, set the **Host** field to `$host`. ### Filter a query with a multi-value variable Show several hosts on one panel from a single drop-down. 1. Create the `host` variable as in the previous example and enable **Multi-value**. 2. Set the **Host** field of your query to `$host`. When you select `web01` and `web02`, the plugin sends `(web01|web02)` to Zabbix, so the query returns data for both hosts. ### Repeat a panel for each selected host Render one copy of a panel per selected host. 1. Create a multi-value `host` variable. 2. In the panel’s **Repeat options**, set **Repeat by variable** to `host`. 3. Set the query’s **Host** field to `$host`. Grafana renders a separate panel for each host you select. ### Populate a drop-down with current item values Use the **Item values** query type to build a variable from the latest values of an item, which is useful for text panels or annotations. 1. Create a variable with **Query Type** set to **Item values**. 2. Set **Group**, **Host**, and **Item** to target the item you want. ## Next steps - [Build queries with the Zabbix query editor](/docs/plugins/alexanderzobnin-zabbix-app/latest/query-editor/) - [Apply functions to transform query results](/docs/plugins/alexanderzobnin-zabbix-app/latest/functions/)