# Get started with Dashboards

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## Creating dashboards

Start by creating a dashboard in [Metrics](https://telemetry.betterstack.com/team/0/dashboards) → **Create dashboard**.

Pick from a wide range of [Ready-made dashboards](https://betterstack.com/dashboards), or select **Blank dashboard** to create your own from scratch.

Select a **Source** to query in the top panel.

Click on **Create chart**. You can now drag and drop any metrics available in the selected source to customize your chart. 

![Xnapper-2024-09-12-14.10.05.png](https://imagedelivery.net/xZXo0QFi-1_4Zimer-T0XQ/d8e51dfd-2118-4f6e-1e8c-1eb833995700/lg1x =874x526)

Click **Run query** to see your chart:

![Xnapper-2024-09-12-14.12.14.png](https://imagedelivery.net/xZXo0QFi-1_4Zimer-T0XQ/18171d69-e584-418d-223f-51fb7be83800/orig =870x597)

## Live tail

While Live tail allows you to see your logs, Dashboards only visualize your metrics. Dashboards are based on metrics to make them fast and efficient. Metrics are pre-aggregated data points extracted from your logs or Prometheus-like metrics you send to Better Stack directly.

**Want to chart data from your logs?**

Learn how to extract any metric from your logs using [Logs to metrics](https://betterstack.com/docs/logs/dashboards/logs-to-metrics/).

**Already have metrics you want to chart?**

Start by [creating a Prometheus source](https://telemetry.betterstack.com/team/0/sources/new?platform=prometheus ";_blank"). Send your metrics from [Prometheus](https://betterstack.com/docs/logs/ingesting-data/metrics/prometheus-push/) or using our [HTTP API](https://betterstack.com/docs/logs/ingesting-data/http/metrics/).

Some sources, for example [Kubernetes](https://betterstack.com/docs/logs/kubernetes/) or [Heroku](https://betterstack.com/docs/logs/heroku/), send metrics out-of-the-box right after connecting to Better Stack.

Read more about [Prometheus-like metrics](https://betterstack.com/docs/logs/dashboards/sql-queries/#prometheus-like-metrics).

## Query types

If you want to include real-time logs or have more control over the results there are multiple options for querying your data.

### Drag & drop

Pick the metrics you want to display and visualize them instantly; no SQL code is necessary.

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### Log filtering

Include Live tail snippets to include real-time logs in your Dashboard.

Log filtering allows you to show logs filtered using [Live tail query language](https://betterstack.com/docs/logs/using-logtail/live-tail-query-language/) from the last 10 minutes.

![Xnapper-2024-09-12-14.24.16.png](https://imagedelivery.net/xZXo0QFi-1_4Zimer-T0XQ/40f90af8-d81c-4e93-31a7-03d61c51a700/md1x =874x769)

### PromQL (beta)

Prometheus Query Language is designed for querying time series data. In Better Stack, we've adapted a subset of PromQL to work with log data, allowing you to leverage some of your existing PromQL knowledge.

Read more in [Simplified PromQL](https://betterstack.com/docs/logs/using-logtail/simplified-promql/).

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### SQL

Using ClickHouse SQL to query your metrics offers the most control over how your data will be processed.

Read more in our guide on [SQL queries](https://betterstack.com/docs/logs/dashboards/sql-queries/).

![Xnapper-2024-09-12-14.26.35.png](https://imagedelivery.net/xZXo0QFi-1_4Zimer-T0XQ/12cd4ea6-c2c8-4d63-248a-7ce412305300/md1x =869x564)

### Static text

Customize your dashboards with formatted text, such as instructions or detailed explanations of the data.

You can use Markdown language to format your text and include links and images.

![Xnapper-2024-09-12-14.31.03.png](https://imagedelivery.net/xZXo0QFi-1_4Zimer-T0XQ/a5ffea84-cbaf-471f-4557-49fd5537a600/md1x =872x1050)