# So how does \`grafana\` compare to the \`dashboard\`
**URL:** https://discourse.nodered.org/t/so-how-does-grafana-compare-to-the-dashboard/47738
**Category:** Dashboard
**Created:** [28 June 2021 09:32 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/so-how-does-grafana-compare-to-the-dashboard/47738 "2021-06-28T09:32:34Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [28 June 2021 09:32 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/so-how-does-grafana-compare-to-the-dashboard/47738/1 "2021-06-28T09:32:34Z")
Yeah, ok, I should probably research it a bit myself.
But I see it is mentioned here.
How is it _different_ to the supplied `dashboard`?
Are there any advantages? Though I guess that comes down to what is needed by the user.
But just to throw it in to the scheme of things.
Thanks.
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### Author:  [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)
#### Post date: [28 June 2021 09:45 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/so-how-does-grafana-compare-to-the-dashboard/47738/2 "2021-06-28T09:45:39Z")
> [@Trying\_to\_learn](#):
>
> I should probably research it a bit myself.
Yes, then you could report the results back here.
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### Author:  [@leftymuller](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/leftymuller)
#### Post date: [28 June 2021 11:43 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/so-how-does-grafana-compare-to-the-dashboard/47738/3 "2021-06-28T11:43:10Z")
Grafana allows you to drill down with any of the data you store
Dashboard is good for a "quick look"
thats pretty much both in a nut shell
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### Author:  [@jbudd](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/jbudd)
#### Post date: [28 June 2021 12:13 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/so-how-does-grafana-compare-to-the-dashboard/47738/4 "2021-06-28T12:13:03Z")
I found Grafana much more powerful and much prettier than the standard dashboard.
It also consumed way too much of my computer's resources (A Raspberry Pi) so I uninstalled it.
Mind you, with the "official" dashboard my laptop's browser uses vast amounts of memory if I have a couple of charts with too many data points.
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### Author:  [@davidz](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/davidz)
#### Post date: [28 June 2021 21:40 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/so-how-does-grafana-compare-to-the-dashboard/47738/5 "2021-06-28T21:40:37Z")
Grafana dashboard is mainly for data display with excellent effects. It takes many different data sources (databases). However, you can not control the things (such as sensors) through Grafana dashboard easily (though it could be done but it may take lots of efforts, and the effort may be wasted after the next upgrade).
On the other hand, Node-RED dashboard offers an easy way to control the sensors. So the dashboard is not only for data visualization, but also a control panel that you can adjust settings easily.
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### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [28 June 2021 23:31 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/so-how-does-grafana-compare-to-the-dashboard/47738/6 "2021-06-28T23:31:10Z")
Thanks all.
So if I am mostly using a RasPi 2 B and running out of memory as is, Graphana will only complicate things for memory.
I'm happy enough with the supplied dashboard.
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### Author:  [@wb666greene](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/wb666greene)
#### Post date: [29 June 2021 00:29 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/so-how-does-grafana-compare-to-the-dashboard/47738/7 "2021-06-29T00:29:59Z")
IMHO the dashboard is best used viewed from another computer with resources more suitable for running a web browser. Although a Pi3B with touchscreen makes a very effective dedicated dashboard monitor when running Chromium in "kiosk" mode.
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### Author:  [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [13 July 2021 00:30 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/so-how-does-grafana-compare-to-the-dashboard/47738/8 "2021-07-13T00:30:19Z")
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