--- title: "Metabase documentation" description: "Metabase is an open-source business intelligence platform. You can use Metabase to ask questions about your data, or embed Metabase in your app to let…" url: "https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/" version: "65" --- # Metabase documentation ![Metabase dashboard](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/images/metabase-product-screenshot.png) Metabase is an open-source business intelligence platform. You can use Metabase to ask questions about your data, or embed Metabase in your app to let your customers explore their data on their own. ## First steps ### Metabase Cloud The easiest way to get started with Metabase is to sign up for a free trial of [Metabase Cloud](https://store.metabase.com/checkout). You get support, backups, upgrades, an SMTP server, SSL certificate, SoC2 Type 2 security auditing, and more (plus your money goes toward improving Metabase). Check out our quick overview of [cloud vs self-hosting](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/cloud/cloud-vs-self-hosting.md). If you need to, you can always switch to [self-hosting](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/installation-and-operation/installing-metabase.md) Metabase at any time (or vice versa). ### [Installing Metabase](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/installation-and-operation/installing-metabase.md) Run as a JAR, using Docker, or on [Metabase Cloud](https://store.metabase.com/checkout). ### [Setting up Metabase](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/configuring-metabase/setting-up-metabase.md) Once installed, set up your Metabase and connect to your data. ### [Getting started](https://www.metabase.com/learn/metabase-basics/getting-started) With your data connected, get started asking questions, creating dashboards, and sharing your work. ### [A tour of Metabase](https://www.metabase.com/learn/metabase-basics/overview/tour-of-metabase) Metabase is a deep product with a lot of tools to simplify business intelligence, from embeddable charts and interactive dashboards, to GUI and SQL editors, to auditing and row and column security, and more. ## Documentation topics Metabase's reference documentation. ### Installation - [Installation overview](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/installation-and-operation/start.md) - [Installing Metabase](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/installation-and-operation/installing-metabase.md) - [Upgrading Metabase](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/installation-and-operation/upgrading-metabase.md) - [Configuring the Metabase application database](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/installation-and-operation/configuring-application-database.md) - [Backing up Metabase](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/installation-and-operation/backing-up-metabase-application-data.md) - [Migrating to a production application database](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/installation-and-operation/migrating-from-h2.md) - [Development instances](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/installation-and-operation/development-instance.md) - [Serialization](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/installation-and-operation/serialization.md) - [Remote sync](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/data-modeling/semantic-layer/remote-sync.md) - [Metabase CLI](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/installation-and-operation/metabase-cli.md) - [Metabase JAR commands](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/installation-and-operation/commands.md) - [Supported browsers](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/installation-and-operation/supported-browsers.md) - [Privacy](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/installation-and-operation/privacy.md) - [About the anonymous usage data we collect](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/installation-and-operation/information-collection.md) ### Databases - [Databases overview](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/databases/start.md) - [Adding and managing databases](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/databases/connecting.md) - [Database users, roles, and privileges](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/databases/users-roles-privileges.md) - [Syncing and scanning databases](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/databases/sync-scan.md) - [Encrypting your database connection](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/databases/encrypting-details-at-rest.md) - [SSH tunneling](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/databases/ssh-tunnel.md) - [SSL certificate](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/databases/ssl-certificates.md) - [Uploading data](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/databases/uploads.md) ### Questions - [Questions overview](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/questions/start.md) - [Alerts](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/questions/alerts.md) - [Exporting data](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/questions/exporting-results.md) #### Query builder - [The query editor](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/questions/query-builder/editor.md) - [Filtering](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/questions/query-builder/filters.md) - [Summarizing and grouping](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/questions/query-builder/summarizing-and-grouping.md) - [Custom expressions](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/questions/query-builder/expressions.md) - [List of expressions](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/questions/query-builder/expressions-list.md) - [Joining data](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/questions/query-builder/join.md) #### SQL and native queries - [The SQL editor](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/questions/native-editor/writing-sql.md) - [SQL parameters](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/questions/native-editor/sql-parameters.md) - [Table variables](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/questions/native-editor/table-variables.md) - [Referencing models and saved questions](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/questions/native-editor/referencing-saved-questions-in-queries.md) - [Snippets](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/questions/native-editor/snippets.md) - [Snippet folder permissions](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/permissions/snippets.md) #### Visualizing data - [Visualizing data](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/questions/visualizations/visualizing-results.md) - [Box plots](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/questions/visualizations/box-plot.md) - [Combo charts](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/questions/visualizations/line-bar-and-area-charts.md#combo-charts) - [Custom visualizations](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/questions/visualizations/custom.md) - [Detail](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/questions/visualizations/detail.md) - [Funnel charts](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/questions/visualizations/funnel.md) - [Gauge charts](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/questions/visualizations/gauge.md) - [Line, bar, and area charts](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/questions/visualizations/line-bar-and-area-charts.md) - [Maps](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/questions/visualizations/map.md) - [Numbers](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/questions/visualizations/numbers.md) - [Pie or donut charts](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/questions/visualizations/pie-or-donut-chart.md) - [Pivot table](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/questions/visualizations/pivot-table.md) - [Progress bar](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/questions/visualizations/progress-bar.md) - [Sankey chart](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/questions/visualizations/sankey.md) - [Scatterplot or bubble chart](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/questions/visualizations/scatterplot-or-bubble-chart.md) - [Table](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/questions/visualizations/table.md) - [Tooltips](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/questions/visualizations/tooltips.md) - [Trend](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/questions/visualizations/trend.md) - [Waterfall chart](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/questions/visualizations/waterfall-chart.md) ### Dashboards - [Dashboards overview](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/dashboards/start.md) - [Introduction to dashboards](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/dashboards/introduction.md) - [Dashboard filters](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/dashboards/filters.md) - [Interactive dashboards](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/dashboards/interactive.md) - [Charts with multiple series](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/dashboards/multiple-series.md) - [Dashboard subscriptions](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/dashboards/subscriptions.md) - [Actions on dashboards](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/dashboards/actions.md) ### Data apps - [Data apps overview](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/data-apps/start.md) - [Getting started with data apps](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/data-apps/getting-started.md) - [Build a data app](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/data-apps/build.md) - [Manage data apps](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/data-apps/manage.md) ### Documents - [Introduction to documents](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/documents/introduction.md) ### Data modeling - [Data modeling overview](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/data-modeling/start.md) - [Models](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/data-modeling/models/models.md) - [Model persistence](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/data-modeling/models/model-persistence.md) - [Metrics](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/data-modeling/semantic-layer/metrics.md) - [Table metadata admin settings](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/data-modeling/metadata/metadata-editing.md) - [Field types](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/data-modeling/metadata/semantic-types.md) - [Formatting defaults](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/data-modeling/metadata/formatting.md) - [Working with JSON](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/data-modeling/metadata/json-unfolding.md) - [Segments](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/data-modeling/semantic-layer/segments.md) ### Actions - [Data actions](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/data-modeling/data-actions.md) - [Model actions](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/data-modeling/models/actions/start.md) - [Introduction to model actions](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/data-modeling/models/actions/introduction.md) - [Basic actions](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/data-modeling/models/actions/basic.md) - [Custom actions](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/data-modeling/models/actions/custom.md) ### AI - [AI overview](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/ai/start.md) - [Metabot](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/ai/metabot.md) - [Research](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/ai/research.md) - [AI settings](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/ai/settings.md) - [Supported AI providers](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/ai/providers.md) - [AI usage controls](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/ai/usage-controls.md) - [AI usage auditing](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/ai/usage-auditing.md) - [AI customization](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/ai/customization.md) - [AI system prompts](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/ai/system-prompts.md) - [Agent API](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/ai/agent-api.md) - [MCP server](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/ai/mcp.md) - [MCP server tools](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/ai/mcp-tools.md) - [Metabot in Slack](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/ai/metabot-slack.md) - [AI privacy](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/ai/privacy.md) ### Exploration and organization - [Organization overview](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/exploration-and-organization/start.md) - [Basic exploration](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/exploration-and-organization/exploration.md) - [Collections](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/exploration-and-organization/collections.md) - [Keyboard shortcuts](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/exploration-and-organization/keyboard-shortcuts.md) - [History](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/exploration-and-organization/history.md) - [Trash](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/exploration-and-organization/delete-and-restore.md) - [Data reference](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/exploration-and-organization/data-model-reference.md) - [Events and timelines](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/exploration-and-organization/events-and-timelines.md) - [X-rays](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/exploration-and-organization/x-rays.md) - [Content verification](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/exploration-and-organization/content-verification.md) ### People - [People overview](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/people-and-groups/start.md) - [Account settings](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/people-and-groups/account-settings.md) - [Managing people and groups](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/people-and-groups/managing.md) - [Password complexity](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/people-and-groups/changing-password-complexity.md) - [Session expiration](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/people-and-groups/changing-session-expiration.md) - [Two-factor authentication](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/people-and-groups/two-factor-authentication.md) - [Google Sign-In](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/people-and-groups/google-sign-in.md) - [LDAP](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/people-and-groups/ldap.md) - [API keys](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/people-and-groups/api-keys.md) #### Paid SSO options - [JWT-based authentication](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/people-and-groups/authenticating-with-jwt.md) - [OIDC-based authentication](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/people-and-groups/authenticating-with-oidc.md) - [OIDC with Keycloak](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/people-and-groups/oidc-keycloak.md) - [SAML-based authentication](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/people-and-groups/authenticating-with-saml.md) - [SAML with Auth0](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/people-and-groups/saml-auth0.md) - [SAML with Microsoft Entra ID](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/people-and-groups/saml-azure.md) - [SAML with Google](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/people-and-groups/saml-google.md) - [SAML with Keycloak](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/people-and-groups/saml-keycloak.md) - [SAML with Okta](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/people-and-groups/saml-okta.md) - [User provisioning with SCIM](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/people-and-groups/user-provisioning.md) ### Permissions - [Permissions overview](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/permissions/start.md) - [Permissions introduction](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/permissions/introduction.md) - [Data permissions](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/permissions/data.md) - [Collection permissions](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/permissions/collections.md) - [Application permissions](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/permissions/application.md) - [Row and column security](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/permissions/row-and-column-security.md) - [Row and column security examples](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/permissions/row-and-column-security-examples.md) - [Connection impersonation](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/permissions/impersonation.md) - [Database routing](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/permissions/database-routing.md) - [Snippets folder permissions](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/permissions/snippets.md) - [Notification permissions](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/permissions/notifications.md) - [Configuring permissions for embedding](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/permissions/embedding.md) ### Embedding - [Embedding overview](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/embedding/start.md) - [Embedding introduction](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/embedding/introduction.md) - Modular embedding - [SSO](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/embedding/modular-embedding.md) - [Guest](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/embedding/guest-embedding.md) - [SDK](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/embedding/sdk/introduction.md) - [Custom visualizations](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/embedding/custom-visualizations.md) - [Full app embedding](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/embedding/full-app-embedding.md) - [Securing embeds](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/embedding/securing-embeds.md) - [AI agent resources](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/embedding/ai-agent-resources.md) ### Configuration - [Configuration overview](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/configuring-metabase/start.md) - [Setting up Metabase](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/configuring-metabase/setting-up-metabase.md) - [General settings](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/configuring-metabase/settings.md) - [Allow iframes and images from other domains](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/configuring-metabase/domains.md) - [Email](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/configuring-metabase/email.md) - [Slack](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/configuring-metabase/slack.md) - [Webhooks](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/configuring-metabase/webhooks.md) - [Environment variables](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/configuring-metabase/environment-variables.md) - [Configuration file](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/configuring-metabase/config-file.md) - [Timezones](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/configuring-metabase/timezones.md) - [Languages and localization](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/configuring-metabase/localization.md) - [Appearance](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/configuring-metabase/appearance.md) - [Caching query results](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/configuring-metabase/caching.md) - [Custom maps](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/configuring-metabase/custom-maps.md) - [Customizing the Metabase Jetty webserver](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/configuring-metabase/customizing-jetty-webserver.md) ### Monitor - [Monitor overview](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/monitor/start.md) - [Dependency diagnostics](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/monitor/dependency-diagnostics.md) - [Content diagnostics](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/monitor/content-diagnostics.md) - [Erroring questions](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/monitor/erroring-questions.md) - [Alerts management](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/monitor/alerts-management.md) - [Background tasks](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/monitor/background-tasks.md) - [Scheduled jobs](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/monitor/scheduled-jobs.md) - [Application logs](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/monitor/application-logs.md) - [Model persistence log](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/monitor/model-persistence-log.md) - [CLI analytics](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/monitor/cli-analytics.md) - [Data app analytics](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/monitor/data-app-analytics.md) ### Tools - [Tools overview](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/usage-and-performance-tools/start.md) - [Usage analytics](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/usage-and-performance-tools/usage-analytics.md) ### Metabase Cloud - [Documentation for Metabase Cloud and Store](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/cloud/start.md) ### Metabase API - [Metabase API documentation](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/api) - [API tutorial](https://www.metabase.com/learn/metabase-basics/administration/administration-and-operation/metabase-api) ### Troubleshooting - [Troubleshooting guides](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/troubleshooting-guide/index.md) ### Developer guide - [Developer guide](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/developers-guide/start.md) ## Getting help ### Troubleshooting - [Troubleshooting guides](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/troubleshooting-guide/index.md) - [Metabase forum](https://discourse.metabase.com/) - [Application logs](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/monitor/application-logs.md) ### Tutorials and guides [Learn Metabase](https://www.metabase.com/learn) has a ton of articles on how to use Metabase, data best practices, and more. ## More resources ### [Discussion](https://discourse.metabase.com) Share and connect with other Metabasers. ### [Community stories](https://www.metabase.com/community) Practical advice from our community. ### [Metabase blog](https://www.metabase.com/blog) News, updates, and ideas. ### [Customers](https://www.metabase.com/case-studies) Real companies, real data, real stories. ### [Metabase Twitter](https://twitter.com/metabase) We tweet stuff. ### [Source code repository on GitHub](https://github.com/metabase/metabase) Follow us on GitHub. ### [List of releases](https://github.com/metabase/metabase/releases) A list of all Metabase releases, including both the Enterprise Edition and the Open Source Edition. ### [Developers guide](https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/developers-guide/start.md) Contribute to the Metabase open source project! ### [Data and Business Intelligence Glossary](https://www.metabase.com/glossary) Data jargon explained. ### [Metabase Experts](https://www.metabase.com/partners) If you’d like more technical resources to set up your data stack with Metabase, connect with a [Metabase Expert](https://www.metabase.com/partners).