Plugins make Grafana better by adding features that aren't currently present. You can use plugins to import data from a number of sources, bundle data sources and panels, and add new visualization types to dashboards.
Panels, data sources, and apps are the three types of plugins supported by Grafana.
- Panel plugins: To add new visuals to your dashboard, use panel plugins like the Worldmap Panel, Clock, and Pie Chart.
- Panel plugins accomplish the following:
- It is possible to see the results of data source searches.
- Switch between dashboards as needed.
- It is possible to operate external systems, such as smart home devices.
- Data source plugins: Data source plugins now handle new databases, such as Google BigQuery. Data source plugins allow you to connect to external data sources and get data in a Grafana-friendly format. Using a data source plugin, you can use the data in any of your existing dashboards.
- App plugins: App plugins can be used to offer a tailored out-of-the-box monitoring experience.
