---
title: InfluxDB tools
description: Tools and utilities for interacting with InfluxDB.
aliases:
    - /influxdb/v1.8/clients/
    - /influxdb/v1.8/write_protocols/json/
menu:
  influxdb_1_8:
    name: Tools
    weight: 60
v2: /influxdb/v2.0/tools/
---

This section covers the available tools for interacting with InfluxDB.

## `influx` command line interface (CLI)

The [InfluxDB command line interface (`influx`)](/influxdb/v1.8/tools/influx-cli/)
includes commands to manage many aspects of InfluxDB, including databases, organizations, users, and tasks.

## `influxd` command

The [`influxd` command](/influxdb/v1.8/tools/influxd) starts and runs all the processes necessary for InfluxDB to function.

## InfluxDB API client libraries

The list of [client libraries](/influxdb/v1.8/tools/api_client_libraries/) for interacting with the InfluxDB API.

## Influx Inspect disk shard utility

[Influx Inspect](/influxdb/v1.8/tools/influx_inspect/) is a tool designed to view detailed information about on disk shards, as well as export data from a shard to line protocol that can be inserted back into the database.

## InfluxDB inch tool

Use the [InfluxDB `inch` tool](/influxdb/v1.8/tools/inch/) to test InfluxDB performance. Adjust metrics such as the batch size, tag values, and concurrent write streams to test how ingesting different tag cardinalities and metrics affects performance.

## Graphs and dashboards

Use [Chronograf](/{{< latest "chronograf" >}}/) or [Grafana](https://grafana.com/docs/grafana/latest/features/datasources/influxdb/) dashboards to visualize your time series data.

> **Tip:** Use template variables in your dashboards to filter meta query results by a specified period of time (see example below).

### Filter meta query results using template variables

The example below shows how to filter hosts retrieving data in the past hour.

##### Example

```sh
# Create a retention policy.
CREATE RETENTION POLICY "lookup" ON "prod" DURATION 1d REPLICATION 1

# Create a continuous query that groups by the tags you want to use in your template variables.
CREATE CONTINUOUS QUERY "lookupquery" ON "prod" BEGIN SELECT mean(value) as value INTO "your.system"."host_info" FROM "cpuload"
WHERE time > now() - 1h GROUP BY time(1h), host, team, status, location END;

# In your Grafana or Chronograf templates, include your tag values.
SHOW TAG VALUES FROM "your.system"."host_info" WITH KEY = “host”
```

> **Note:** In Chronograf, you can also filter meta query results for a specified time range by [creating a `custom meta query` template variable](/{{< latest "chronograf" >}}/guides/dashboard-template-variables/#create-custom-template-variables) and adding a time range filter.