# Kibana Dashboards > Create and manage Kibana Dashboards and Lens visualizations. Use when you need to define dashboards and visualizations declaratively, version control them, or automate their deployment. - Skill: `elastic/kibana-dashboards` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 12 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add elastic/kibana-dashboards` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/elastic/kibana-dashboards/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: AI & ML - Author: elastic (https://skillmd.com/u/elastic) - Updated: 2026-09-09 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/elastic/kibana-dashboards --- # Kibana Dashboards and Lens Visualizations Create, update, and delete Kibana dashboards and standalone Lens visualizations using the Kibana 9.4+ Dashboards and Visualizations APIs. Produce minimal, diffable JSON bodies; prefer inline panel definitions over library references; and choose the correct dataset type (data view vs ES|QL) before writing metrics or chart layers. ## Environment Configuration This skill executes Elasticsearch operations through the `elastic` CLI. If the [`elastic` CLI](https://github.com/elastic/cli#configuration) is not installed, tell the user what it is needed for. Do not guess credentials, call the HTTP API directly, or attempt other workarounds. This skill references operations in HTTP-shorthand form (e.g., `GET /`, `GET /_cat/indices`, `GET /{index}/_mapping`, `GET /{index}/_settings/index.mode`, `POST /_query`). The [Operations](#operations) table at the end of this document maps each shorthand to the equivalent `elastic` CLI command — always use the CLI rather than calling the HTTP API directly. ## Prerequisites **Version requirement:** Kibana 9.4+ (Dashboards and Visualizations APIs). **ES|QL placement:** - Standalone library charts: `PUT kbn:/api/visualizations/{id}` with `data_source.type: "esql"`. - ES|QL panels embedded in a dashboard: inline `vis` panel `config` with `data_source.type: "esql"` via `PUT kbn:/api/dashboards/{id}`. - Do not use `data_source.type: "data_view_reference"` or index-pattern aggregations when the user explicitly requests ES|QL — the persisted Lens state must use a text-based ES|QL datasource (`textBased` / `esql`), not a data-view count operation. ## Process 1. **Verify Kibana connectivity.** Call `GET kbn:/api/status`. If the call fails, stop and surface the error — do not guess endpoints or credentials. Read `version.number` to confirm the cluster meets the 9.4+ requirement. 2. **Classify the task.** Decide whether the user needs a **dashboard** (collection of panels, optional time range), a **standalone Lens visualization** (library item referenced by id or used alone), or **both**. Determine whether a deterministic saved-object id was supplied — when given, use upsert (`PUT`) with that id rather than `POST` (which auto-generates ids). 3. **Choose the dataset type before building metrics or layers.** | User intent | Dataset | Metric / axis pattern | | ------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Simple count or aggregation on a saved data view | `data_source.type: "data_view_reference"` with `ref_id` | `metrics: [{ type: "primary", operation: "count" }]` (or other aggregation operations) | | Ad-hoc index pattern | `data_source.type: "data_view_spec"` with `index_pattern` and `time_field` | Same aggregation `operation` fields | | ES\|QL query (explicit or complex logic) | `data_source.type: "esql"` with `query` | `metrics: [{ type: "primary", column: "" }]` or layer axes `{ column: "" }` — **never** `operation: "count"` on the metric | Write the aggregation in the ES|QL query (`STATS count = COUNT()`), then reference the resulting column by name. 4. **Build a dashboard body when creating or updating dashboards.** The request body is flat — `title`, `panels`, and optional `time_range` at the root. Do not wrap in `{ data: ... }` on write. Required fields: - `title` — exact string the user requested. - `panels` — array; use `[]` when the user asks for an empty dashboard (do not omit the key or invent panels). - `time_range` — when the user specifies a default time filter, set `{ "from": "", "to": "" }` (for example `{ "from": "now-7d", "to": "now" }`). Supplying `time_range` persists the dashboard time filter on open (equivalent to enabling time restore in the UI). **Upsert with a deterministic id:** ```json { "title": "Sales Overview", "panels": [], "time_range": { "from": "now-7d", "to": "now" } } ``` Call `PUT kbn:/api/dashboards/eval-sales-overview` with the body above when the user supplies that id. **Inline ES|QL metric panel example** (inside `panels`): ```json { "type": "vis", "id": "total-requests", "grid": { "x": 0, "y": 0, "w": 12, "h": 6 }, "config": { "title": "Total Requests", "type": "metric", "data_source": { "type": "esql", "query": "FROM logs* | STATS count = COUNT()" }, "metrics": [{ "type": "primary", "column": "count" }] } } ``` Prefer inline `config` properties over `config.ref_id` for portable dashboards. Read [Dashboard API Reference](references/dashboard-api-reference.md) for panel types, grid layout, and copy workflows. 5. **Build a standalone Lens visualization when the user asks for a library chart.** Use the Visualizations API. Upsert with `PUT kbn:/api/visualizations/{id}` when an id is supplied; otherwise `POST kbn:/api/visualizations` and report the generated id from the response. **ES|QL metric (total count from logs):** ```json { "type": "metric", "title": "Total Requests", "data_source": { "type": "esql", "query": "FROM logs* | STATS count = COUNT()" }, "metrics": [{ "type": "primary", "column": "count" }] } ``` Call `PUT kbn:/api/visualizations/eval-total-requests` when that id is required. The API persists a Lens saved object whose datasource state uses ES|QL (`textBased` / `esql`), not an index-pattern aggregation. Read [Lens API Reference](references/lens-api-reference.md) and [Chart Types Reference](references/chart-types-reference.md) for xy, gauge, heatmap, and other chart schemas. 6. **Execute and confirm.** Perform the write with `PUT kbn:/api/dashboards/{id}` or `PUT kbn:/api/visualizations/{id}` (or `POST` when no id is supplied). Confirm with `GET kbn:/api/dashboards/{id}` or `GET kbn:/api/visualizations/{id}`. Report the id and title back to the user — do not claim success without a successful read-back. 7. **List, export, or delete when requested.** Call `GET kbn:/api/dashboards` or `GET kbn:/api/visualizations` to discover existing objects. Call `DELETE kbn:/api/dashboards/{id}` or `DELETE kbn:/api/visualizations/{id}` to remove objects. For bulk export or import of saved objects, call `POST kbn:/api/saved_objects/_export` or `POST kbn:/api/saved_objects/_import`. ## Dashboard grid Dashboards use a **48-column** grid. On 16:9 screens, roughly **20–24 rows** fit above the fold — target **8–12 panels** in that band. | Width | Columns | Height (rows) | Use case | | ------- | ------- | ------------- | ------------------------ | | Full | 48 | 14–16 | Wide time series, tables | | Half | 24 | 10–12 | Primary charts | | Quarter | 12 | 5–6 | KPI metrics | | Sixth | 8 | 4–5 | Dense metric rows | **Grid packing:** When stacking rows, set the next panel's `y` to the previous panel's `y + h`. Panels sharing a row should use the same `h`. Do not add markdown panels as dashboard titles — use descriptive chart titles instead. ## ES|QL patterns **Time series bucket** (dashboard time picker injects `?_tstart` / `?_tend`): ```esql FROM logs* | WHERE @timestamp <= ?_tend AND @timestamp > ?_tstart | STATS count = COUNT() BY BUCKET(@timestamp, 75, ?_tstart, ?_tend) ``` Set `"scale": "temporal"` on the x-axis for time-series xy charts. See [Chart Types Reference](references/chart-types-reference.md) for axis and layer details. **Static reference values** — use `EVAL` in the query, then reference the column: ```esql FROM logs* | STATS count = COUNT() | EVAL goal = 15000 ``` ## Examples Example JSON definitions live under [assets/](assets/): `demo-dashboard.json`, `dashboard-with-visualizations.json`, `metric-esql.json`, `bar-chart-esql.json`, `line-chart-timeseries.json`. ## Guidelines 1. **Match the user's id and title exactly** when supplied — do not substitute auto-generated ids. 2. **Honor empty panels** — when the user asks for `panels: []`, send an empty array; do not add placeholder panels. 3. **ES|QL when requested** — use `data_source.type: "esql"` and column references; never satisfy an ES|QL request with `operation: "count"` on a data view. 4. **Minimal payloads** — omit derivable defaults; let the API inject styling and metadata. 5. **Confirm writes** — always read back with `GET` after create or update. 6. **Read references before complex charts** — metric and xy schemas differ between data view and ES|QL; consult [Chart Types Reference](references/chart-types-reference.md) before generating partition or table charts. ## Common issues | Error | Likely cause | Fix | | ----------------------------------- | --------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 404 on GET after PUT | Wrong id or space | Confirm id and retry `GET kbn:/api/dashboards/{id}` | | 400 validation | ES\|QL column mismatch | Align `metrics[].column` / layer `column` with `STATS` aliases in the query | | ES\|QL panel saved as data view | Wrong dataset type | Use `data_source.type: "esql"`, not `data_view_reference` | | Empty dashboard missing time filter | Omitted `time_range` | Include `{ "from": "now-7d", "to": "now" }` when a default range is required | | XY chart failure | Missing layer `data_source` | Put `data_source` inside each layer, not only at the root | ## Operations As of CLI v0.3.0 the Dashboards and Visualizations APIs have dedicated `elastic kb dashboards` and `elastic kb visualizations` commands for listing, reading, updating, and deleting objects by id. The `create-*-redirect` commands do not accept a request body yet, so to write a new object supply an id and use the `update-*-redirect` (PUT) command, which carries the JSON body via `--input-file`. To author several objects at once, build a saved-object NDJSON and import it with `post-saved-objects-import` (read it back with `post-saved-objects-export`). | HTTP API (shorthand) | `elastic` CLI command | | -------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `GET kbn:/api/status` | `elastic kb system get-status` | | `POST kbn:/api/saved_objects/_import` | `elastic kb saved-objects post-saved-objects-import --file '' --overwrite` | | `POST kbn:/api/saved_objects/_export` | `elastic kb saved-objects post-saved-objects-export --objects '[{"type":"","id":""}]'` | | `GET kbn:/api/dashboards` | `elastic kb dashboards get-dashboards-redirect` | | `GET kbn:/api/dashboards/{id}` | `elastic kb dashboards get-dashboard-redirect --id ''` | | `PUT kbn:/api/dashboards/{id}` | `elastic kb dashboards update-dashboard-redirect --id '' --input-file ''` | | `DELETE kbn:/api/dashboards/{id}` | `elastic kb dashboards delete-dashboard-redirect --id ''` | | `POST kbn:/api/dashboards` (no id) | `create-dashboard-redirect` takes no body yet — supply an id and use `update-dashboard-redirect`, or author via `post-saved-objects-import` (type `dashboard`) | | `GET kbn:/api/visualizations` | `elastic kb visualizations get-visualizations-redirect` | | `GET kbn:/api/visualizations/{id}` | `elastic kb visualizations get-visualization-redirect --id ''` | | `PUT kbn:/api/visualizations/{id}` | `elastic kb visualizations update-visualization-redirect --id '' --input-file ''` | | `DELETE kbn:/api/visualizations/{id}` | `elastic kb visualizations delete-visualization-redirect --id ''` | | `POST kbn:/api/visualizations` (no id) | `create-visualization-redirect` takes no body yet — supply an id and use `update-visualization-redirect`, or author via `post-saved-objects-import` (type `lens`) |