Documentation

Work with Prometheus summaries

Use Flux to query and transform Prometheus summary metrics stored in InfluxDB.

A summary samples observations (usually things like request durations and response sizes). While it also provides a total count of observations and a sum of all observed values, it calculates configurable quantiles over a sliding time window.

Prometheus metric types

Example summary metric in Prometheus data
# HELP task_executor_run_duration The duration in seconds between a run starting and finishing.
# TYPE task_executor_run_duration summary
example_summary_duration{label="foo",quantile="0.5"} 4.147907251
example_summary_duration{label="foo",quantile="0.9"} 4.147907251
example_summary_duration{label="foo",quantile="0.99"} 4.147907251
example_summary_duration_sum{label="foo"} 2701.367126714001
example_summary_duration_count{label="foo"} 539

The examples below include example data collected from the InfluxDB OSS 2.x /metrics endpoint and stored in InfluxDB.

Prometheus metric parsing formats

Query structure depends on the Prometheus metric parsing format used to scrape the Prometheus metrics. Select the appropriate metric format version below.

Visualize summary metric quantile values

Prometheus summary metrics provide quantile values that can be visualized without modification.

  1. Filter by the prometheus measurement.
  2. Filter by your Prometheus metric name field.
from(bucket: "example-bucket")
    |> range(start: -1m)
    |> filter(fn: (r) => r._measurement == "prometheus")
    |> filter(fn: (r) => r._field == "go_gc_duration_seconds")
  1. Filter by your Prometheus metric name measurement.
  2. Filter out the sum and count fields.
from(bucket: "example-bucket")
    |> range(start: -1m)
    |> filter(fn: (r) => r._measurement == "go_gc_duration_seconds")
    |> filter(fn: (r) => r._field != "count" and r._field != "sum")
Visualize Prometheus summary quantiles

Derive average values from a summary metric

Use the sum and count values provided in Prometheus summary metrics to derive an average summary value.

  1. Filter by the prometheus measurement.
  2. Filter by the <metric_name>_count and <metric_name>_sum fields.
  3. Use pivot() to pivot fields into columns based on time. Each row then contains a <metric_name>_count and <metric_name>_sum column.
  4. Divide the <metric_name>_sum column by the <metric_name>_count column to produce a new _value.
from(bucket: "example-bucket")
    |> range(start: -1m)
    |> filter(fn: (r) => r._measurement == "prometheus")
    |> filter(fn: (r) => r._field == "go_gc_duration_seconds_count" or r._field == "go_gc_duration_seconds_sum")
    |> pivot(rowKey: ["_time"], columnKey: ["_field"], valueColumn: "_value")
    |> map(fn: (r) => ({r with _value: r.go_gc_duration_seconds_sum / r.go_gc_duration_seconds_count}))
  1. Filter by your Prometheus metric name measurement.
  2. Filter by the count and sum fields.
  3. Use pivot() to pivot fields into columns. Each row then contains a count and sum column.
  4. Divide the sum column by the count column to produce a new _value.
from(bucket: "example-bucket")
    |> range(start: -1m)
    |> filter(fn: (r) => r._measurement == "go_gc_duration_seconds")
    |> filter(fn: (r) => r._field == "count" or r._field == "sum")
    |> pivot(rowKey:["_time"], columnKey: ["_field"], valueColumn: "_value")
    |> map(fn: (r) => ({ r with _value: r.sum / r.count }))

Was this page helpful?

Thank you for your feedback!


InfluxDB OSS 2.9.0: API tokens are hashed by default

Stronger token security in InfluxDB OSS 2.9.0 — tokens are hashed on disk by default. Existing tokens are hashed on first startup and can’t be recovered afterward. Capture any plaintext tokens you still need before you upgrade.

View InfluxDB OSS 2.9.0 release notes

Hashed tokens authenticate exactly like unhashed tokens — clients and integrations keep working.

Also new in 2.9.0:

  • Configurable backup compression
  • Restore support for backups containing hashed tokens
  • Tighter Edge Data Replication queue validation
  • Flux upgrade
  • Compaction reliability improvements

Key enhancements in Explorer 1.9

Explorer 1.9 is now available with InfluxQL support, an AI-assisted Flux to SQL converter (beta), and new live sample data simulators.

View Explorer 1.9 release notes

Explorer 1.9 includes new features and improvements that make it easier to query, visualize, and manage data.

Highlights:

  • Flux to SQL converter (beta): Convert Flux queries to SQL with an AI-assisted converter.
  • InfluxQL support: Query data with InfluxQL in the Data Explorer and dashboards, and save and load InfluxQL queries.
  • InfluxQL visualizations: Render line and bar charts from InfluxQL results with per-tag series grouping.
  • Query error history: Review a history of query errors in the query tool.
  • Live sample data simulators: Generate continuous live sample data with new bird data and signal generator simulators.

For more details, see Explorer 1.9 release notes

InfluxDB 3.10 is now available

InfluxDB 3 Core 3.10 adds an automatic catalog format upgrade, a configurable query-concurrency limit, and processing engine improvements.

Key updates in InfluxDB 3 Core 3.10:

  • Catalog format upgrade: the on-disk catalog automatically upgrades from format v2 to v3 on first 3.10 startup. Migration is one-way—back up your catalog before upgrading.
  • --max-concurrent-queries: limit concurrent queries (adjustable at runtime).
  • GET /ready endpoint for readiness probes.
  • Processing engine: cross-database queries and trigger lockdown flags.

For more information, see the InfluxDB 3 Core release notes.

InfluxDB 3.10 is now available

InfluxDB 3 Enterprise 3.10 adds automated backup and restore, row-level deletions, and user management, with an automatic catalog format upgrade and performance preview improvements.

Key updates in InfluxDB 3 Enterprise 3.10:

  • Catalog format upgrade: the on-disk catalog automatically upgrades from format v2 to v3 on first 3.10 startup. Migration is one-way—back up your catalog before upgrading.
  • Automated backup and restore (beta)
  • Row-level deletions
  • User management (authentication and RBAC) — preview
  • Performance preview improvements

Backup and restore, row-level deletions, and the performance preview require the Enterprise storage engine upgrade (opt-in beta). Beta and preview features are subject to breaking changes and aren’t recommended for production use.

For more information, see the InfluxDB 3 Enterprise release notes

Telegraf Enterprise is now generally available

Telegraf Enterprise is now generally available, along with Telegraf Controller v1.0.

Telegraf Enterprise combines Telegraf Controller, a centralized management console for Telegraf, with official support from InfluxData. Manage configurations, monitor fleet health, and operate tens of thousands of Telegraf agents from a single system.

InfluxDB Docker latest tag changing to InfluxDB 3 Core

On September 15, 2026, the latest tag for InfluxDB Docker images will point to InfluxDB 3 Core. To avoid unexpected upgrades, use specific version tags in your Docker deployments.

If using Docker to install and run InfluxDB, the latest tag will point to InfluxDB 3 Core. To avoid unexpected upgrades, use specific version tags in your Docker deployments. For example, if using Docker to run InfluxDB v2, replace the latest version tag with a specific version tag in your Docker pull command–for example:

docker pull influxdb:2