Add chart filtering parameter to the allmetrics API query (#12820)

* Add chart filtering in the allmetrics API call * Fix compilation warnings * Remove unnecessary function * Update the documentation * Apply suggestions from code review * Check for filter instead of filter_string * Do not check both - chart id and name for prometheus and shell formats * Fix unit tests Co-authored-by: Ilya Mashchenko <ilya@netdata.cloud>
2025-04-17 11:12:42 +00:00 · 2022-05-05 19:32:57 +03:00 · 2022-05-05 19:32:57 +03:00 · 464695b410
commit 464695b410
parent 4f3d90a405
12 changed files with 157 additions and 80 deletions
--- a/database/sqlite/sqlite_aclk_alert.c
+++ b/database/sqlite/sqlite_aclk_alert.c
@ -198,6 +198,7 @@ bind_fail:
 #else
    UNUSED(host);
    UNUSED(ae);
+    UNUSED(skip_filter);
 #endif
    return 0;
 }
--- a/exporting/README.md
+++ b/exporting/README.md
@ -28,61 +28,82 @@ X seconds (though, it can send them per second if you need it to).

 ## Features

-1.  The exporting engine uses a number of connectors to send Netdata metrics to external time-series databases. See our
-    [list of supported databases](/docs/export/external-databases.md#supported-databases) for information on which
-    connector to enable and configure for your database of choice.
+### Integration

-    -   [**AWS Kinesis Data Streams**](/exporting/aws_kinesis/README.md): Metrics are sent to the service in `JSON`
-        format.
-    -   [**Google Cloud Pub/Sub Service**](/exporting/pubsub/README.md): Metrics are sent to the service in `JSON`
-        format.
-    -   [**Graphite**](/exporting/graphite/README.md): A plaintext interface. Metrics are sent to the database server as
-        `prefix.hostname.chart.dimension`. `prefix` is configured below, `hostname` is the hostname of the machine (can
-        also be configured). Learn more in our guide to [export and visualize Netdata metrics in
-        Graphite](/docs/guides/export/export-netdata-metrics-graphite.md).
-    -   [**JSON** document databases](/exporting/json/README.md)
-    -   [**OpenTSDB**](/exporting/opentsdb/README.md): Use a plaintext or HTTP interfaces. Metrics are sent to
-        OpenTSDB as `prefix.chart.dimension` with tag `host=hostname`.
-    -   [**MongoDB**](/exporting/mongodb/README.md): Metrics are sent to the database in `JSON` format.
-    -   [**Prometheus**](/exporting/prometheus/README.md): Use an existing Prometheus installation to scrape metrics
-        from node using the Netdata API.
-    -   [**Prometheus remote write**](/exporting/prometheus/remote_write/README.md). A binary snappy-compressed protocol
-        buffer encoding over HTTP. Supports many [storage
-        providers](https://prometheus.io/docs/operating/integrations/#remote-endpoints-and-storage).
-    -   [**TimescaleDB**](/exporting/TIMESCALE.md): Use a community-built connector that takes JSON streams from a
-        Netdata client and writes them to a TimescaleDB table.
+The exporting engine uses a number of connectors to send Netdata metrics to external time-series databases. See our
+[list of supported databases](/docs/export/external-databases.md#supported-databases) for information on which
+connector to enable and configure for your database of choice.

-2.  Netdata can filter metrics (at the chart level), to send only a subset of the collected metrics.
+-   [**AWS Kinesis Data Streams**](/exporting/aws_kinesis/README.md): Metrics are sent to the service in `JSON`
+    format.
+-   [**Google Cloud Pub/Sub Service**](/exporting/pubsub/README.md): Metrics are sent to the service in `JSON`
+    format.
+-   [**Graphite**](/exporting/graphite/README.md): A plaintext interface. Metrics are sent to the database server as
+    `prefix.hostname.chart.dimension`. `prefix` is configured below, `hostname` is the hostname of the machine (can
+    also be configured). Learn more in our guide to [export and visualize Netdata metrics in
+    Graphite](/docs/guides/export/export-netdata-metrics-graphite.md).
+-   [**JSON** document databases](/exporting/json/README.md)
+-   [**OpenTSDB**](/exporting/opentsdb/README.md): Use a plaintext or HTTP interfaces. Metrics are sent to
+    OpenTSDB as `prefix.chart.dimension` with tag `host=hostname`.
+-   [**MongoDB**](/exporting/mongodb/README.md): Metrics are sent to the database in `JSON` format.
+-   [**Prometheus**](/exporting/prometheus/README.md): Use an existing Prometheus installation to scrape metrics
+    from node using the Netdata API.
+-   [**Prometheus remote write**](/exporting/prometheus/remote_write/README.md). A binary snappy-compressed protocol
+    buffer encoding over HTTP. Supports many [storage
+    providers](https://prometheus.io/docs/operating/integrations/#remote-endpoints-and-storage).
+-   [**TimescaleDB**](/exporting/TIMESCALE.md): Use a community-built connector that takes JSON streams from a
+    Netdata client and writes them to a TimescaleDB table.

-3.  Netdata supports three modes of operation for all exporting connectors:
+### Chart filtering

-    -   `as-collected` sends to external databases the metrics as they are collected, in the units they are collected.
-        So, counters are sent as counters and gauges are sent as gauges, much like all data collectors do. For example,
-        to calculate CPU utilization in this format, you need to know how to convert kernel ticks to percentage.
+Netdata can filter metrics, to send only a subset of the collected metrics. You can use the
+configuration file

-    -   `average` sends to external databases normalized metrics from the Netdata database. In this mode, all metrics
-        are sent as gauges, in the units Netdata uses. This abstracts data collection and simplifies visualization, but
-        you will not be able to copy and paste queries from other sources to convert units. For example, CPU utilization
-        percentage is calculated by Netdata, so Netdata will convert ticks to percentage and send the average percentage
-        to the external database.
+```txt
+[prometheus:exporter]
+    send charts matching = system.*
+```

-    -   `sum` or `volume`: the sum of the interpolated values shown on the Netdata graphs is sent to the external
-        database. So, if Netdata is configured to send data to the database every 10 seconds, the sum of the 10 values
-        shown on the Netdata charts will be used.
+or the URL parameter `filter` in the `allmetrics` API call.

-    Time-series databases suggest to collect the raw values (`as-collected`). If you plan to invest on building your
-    monitoring around a time-series database and you already know (or you will invest in learning) how to convert units
-    and normalize the metrics in Grafana or other visualization tools, we suggest to use `as-collected`.
+```txt
+http://localhost:19999/api/v1/allmetrics?format=shell&filter=system.*
+```

-    If, on the other hand, you just need long term archiving of Netdata metrics and you plan to mainly work with
-    Netdata, we suggest to use `average`. It decouples visualization from data collection, so it will generally be a lot
-    simpler. Furthermore, if you use `average`, the charts shown in the external service will match exactly what you
-    see in Netdata, which is not necessarily true for the other modes of operation.
+### Operation modes

-4.  This code is smart enough, not to slow down Netdata, independently of the speed of the external database server. You
-    should keep in mind though that many exporting connector instances can consume a lot of CPU resources if they run
-    their batches at the same time. You can set different update intervals for every exporting connector instance, but
-    even in that case they can occasionally synchronize their batches for a moment.
+Netdata supports three modes of operation for all exporting connectors:
+
+-   `as-collected` sends to external databases the metrics as they are collected, in the units they are collected.
+    So, counters are sent as counters and gauges are sent as gauges, much like all data collectors do. For example,
+    to calculate CPU utilization in this format, you need to know how to convert kernel ticks to percentage.
+
+-   `average` sends to external databases normalized metrics from the Netdata database. In this mode, all metrics
+    are sent as gauges, in the units Netdata uses. This abstracts data collection and simplifies visualization, but
+    you will not be able to copy and paste queries from other sources to convert units. For example, CPU utilization
+    percentage is calculated by Netdata, so Netdata will convert ticks to percentage and send the average percentage
+    to the external database.
+
+-   `sum` or `volume`: the sum of the interpolated values shown on the Netdata graphs is sent to the external
+    database. So, if Netdata is configured to send data to the database every 10 seconds, the sum of the 10 values
+    shown on the Netdata charts will be used.
+
+Time-series databases suggest to collect the raw values (`as-collected`). If you plan to invest on building your
+monitoring around a time-series database and you already know (or you will invest in learning) how to convert units
+and normalize the metrics in Grafana or other visualization tools, we suggest to use `as-collected`.
+
+If, on the other hand, you just need long term archiving of Netdata metrics and you plan to mainly work with
+Netdata, we suggest to use `average`. It decouples visualization from data collection, so it will generally be a lot
+simpler. Furthermore, if you use `average`, the charts shown in the external service will match exactly what you
+see in Netdata, which is not necessarily true for the other modes of operation.
+
+### Independent operation
+
+This code is smart enough, not to slow down Netdata, independently of the speed of the external database server. 
+
+> ❗ You should keep in mind though that many exporting connector instances can consume a lot of CPU resources if they
+> run their batches at the same time. You can set different update intervals for every exporting connector instance,
+> but even in that case they can occasionally synchronize their batches for a moment.

 ## Configuration

@ -252,7 +273,8 @@ Configure individual connectors and override any global settings with the follow
    within each pattern). The patterns are checked against both chart id and chart name. A pattern starting with `!`
    gives a negative match. So to match all charts named `apps.*` except charts ending in `*reads`, use `!*reads
    apps.*` (so, the order is important: the first pattern matching the chart id or the chart name will be used -
-    positive or negative).
+    positive or negative). There is also a URL parameter `filter` that can be used while querying `allmetrics`. The URL
+    parameter has a higher priority than the configuration option.

 -   `send names instead of ids = yes | no` controls the metric names Netdata should send to the external database.
    Netdata supports names and IDs for charts and dimensions. Usually IDs are unique identifiers as read by the system
--- a/exporting/prometheus/prometheus.c
+++ b/exporting/prometheus/prometheus.c
@ -12,9 +12,10 @@
 *
 * @param instance an instance data structure.
 * @param st a chart.
+ * @param filter a simple pattern to match against.
 * @return Returns 1 if the chart can be sent, 0 otherwise.
 */
-inline int can_send_rrdset(struct instance *instance, RRDSET *st)
+inline int can_send_rrdset(struct instance *instance, RRDSET *st, SIMPLE_PATTERN *filter)
 {
 #ifdef NETDATA_INTERNAL_CHECKS
    RRDHOST *host = st->rrdhost;
@ -27,19 +28,29 @@ inline int can_send_rrdset(struct instance *instance, RRDSET *st)
    if (unlikely(rrdset_flag_check(st, RRDSET_FLAG_EXPORTING_IGNORE)))
        return 0;

-    if (unlikely(!rrdset_flag_check(st, RRDSET_FLAG_EXPORTING_SEND))) {
-        // we have not checked this chart
-        if (simple_pattern_matches(instance->config.charts_pattern, st->id) ||
-            simple_pattern_matches(instance->config.charts_pattern, st->name))
-            rrdset_flag_set(st, RRDSET_FLAG_EXPORTING_SEND);
-        else {
-            rrdset_flag_set(st, RRDSET_FLAG_EXPORTING_IGNORE);
-            debug(
-                D_EXPORTING,
-                "EXPORTING: not sending chart '%s' of host '%s', because it is disabled for exporting.",
-                st->id,
-                host->hostname);
-            return 0;
+    if (filter) {
+        if (instance->config.options & EXPORTING_OPTION_SEND_NAMES) {
+            if (!simple_pattern_matches(filter, st->name))
+                return 0;
+        } else {
+            if (!simple_pattern_matches(filter, st->id))
+                return 0;
+        }
+    } else {
+        if (unlikely(!rrdset_flag_check(st, RRDSET_FLAG_EXPORTING_SEND))) {
+            // we have not checked this chart
+            if (simple_pattern_matches(instance->config.charts_pattern, st->id) ||
+                simple_pattern_matches(instance->config.charts_pattern, st->name))
+                rrdset_flag_set(st, RRDSET_FLAG_EXPORTING_SEND);
+            else {
+                rrdset_flag_set(st, RRDSET_FLAG_EXPORTING_IGNORE);
+                debug(
+                    D_EXPORTING,
+                    "EXPORTING: not sending chart '%s' of host '%s', because it is disabled for exporting.",
+                    st->id,
+                    host->hostname);
+                return 0;
+            }
        }
    }

@ -480,6 +491,7 @@ static void generate_as_collected_prom_metric(BUFFER *wb, struct gen_parameters
 *
 * @param instance an instance data structure.
 * @param host a data collecting host.
+ * @param filter_string a simple pattern filter.
 * @param wb the buffer to fill with metrics.
 * @param prefix a prefix for every metric.
 * @param exporting_options options to configure what data is exported.
@ -489,12 +501,14 @@ static void generate_as_collected_prom_metric(BUFFER *wb, struct gen_parameters
 static void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus(
    struct instance *instance,
    RRDHOST *host,
+    const char *filter_string,
    BUFFER *wb,
    const char *prefix,
    EXPORTING_OPTIONS exporting_options,
    int allhosts,
    PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_OPTIONS output_options)
 {
+    SIMPLE_PATTERN *filter = simple_pattern_create(filter_string, NULL, SIMPLE_PATTERN_EXACT);
    rrdhost_rdlock(host);

    char hostname[PROMETHEUS_ELEMENT_MAX + 1];
@ -592,7 +606,7 @@ static void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus(
    rrdset_foreach_read(st, host)
    {

-        if (likely(can_send_rrdset(instance, st))) {
+        if (likely(can_send_rrdset(instance, st, filter))) {
            rrdset_rdlock(st);

            char chart[PROMETHEUS_ELEMENT_MAX + 1];
@ -777,6 +791,7 @@ static void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus(
    }

    rrdhost_unlock(host);
+    simple_pattern_free(filter);
 }

 /**
@ -850,6 +865,7 @@ static inline time_t prometheus_preparation(
 * Write metrics and auxiliary information for one host to a buffer.
 *
 * @param host a data collecting host.
+ * @param filter_string a simple pattern filter.
 * @param wb the buffer to write to.
 * @param server the name of a Prometheus server.
 * @param prefix a prefix for every metric.
@ -858,6 +874,7 @@ static inline time_t prometheus_preparation(
 */
 void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus_single_host(
    RRDHOST *host,
+    const char *filter_string,
    BUFFER *wb,
    const char *server,
    const char *prefix,
@ -880,13 +897,14 @@ void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus_single_host(
        output_options);

    rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus(
-        prometheus_exporter_instance, host, wb, prefix, exporting_options, 0, output_options);
+        prometheus_exporter_instance, host, filter_string, wb, prefix, exporting_options, 0, output_options);
 }

 /**
 * Write metrics and auxiliary information for all hosts to a buffer.
 *
 * @param host a data collecting host.
+ * @param filter_string a simple pattern filter.
 * @param wb the buffer to write to.
 * @param server the name of a Prometheus server.
 * @param prefix a prefix for every metric.
@ -895,6 +913,7 @@ void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus_single_host(
 */
 void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus_all_hosts(
    RRDHOST *host,
+    const char *filter_string,
    BUFFER *wb,
    const char *server,
    const char *prefix,
@ -920,7 +939,7 @@ void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus_all_hosts(
    rrdhost_foreach_read(host)
    {
        rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus(
-            prometheus_exporter_instance, host, wb, prefix, exporting_options, 1, output_options);
+            prometheus_exporter_instance, host, filter_string, wb, prefix, exporting_options, 1, output_options);
    }
    rrd_unlock();
 }
--- a/exporting/prometheus/prometheus.h
+++ b/exporting/prometheus/prometheus.h
@ -23,13 +23,13 @@ typedef enum prometheus_output_flags {
 } PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_OPTIONS;

 extern void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus_single_host(
-    RRDHOST *host, BUFFER *wb, const char *server, const char *prefix,
+    RRDHOST *host, const char *filter_string, BUFFER *wb, const char *server, const char *prefix,
    EXPORTING_OPTIONS exporting_options, PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_OPTIONS output_options);
 extern void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus_all_hosts(
-    RRDHOST *host, BUFFER *wb, const char *server, const char *prefix,
+    RRDHOST *host, const char *filter_string, BUFFER *wb, const char *server, const char *prefix,
    EXPORTING_OPTIONS exporting_options, PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_OPTIONS output_options);

-int can_send_rrdset(struct instance *instance, RRDSET *st);
+int can_send_rrdset(struct instance *instance, RRDSET *st, SIMPLE_PATTERN *filter);
 size_t prometheus_name_copy(char *d, const char *s, size_t usable);
 size_t prometheus_label_copy(char *d, const char *s, size_t usable);
 char *prometheus_units_copy(char *d, const char *s, size_t usable, int showoldunits);
--- a/exporting/tests/test_exporting_engine.c
+++ b/exporting/tests/test_exporting_engine.c
@ -988,21 +988,21 @@ static void test_can_send_rrdset(void **state)
 {
    (void)*state;

-    assert_int_equal(can_send_rrdset(prometheus_exporter_instance, localhost->rrdset_root), 1);
+    assert_int_equal(can_send_rrdset(prometheus_exporter_instance, localhost->rrdset_root, NULL), 1);

    rrdset_flag_set(localhost->rrdset_root, RRDSET_FLAG_EXPORTING_IGNORE);
-    assert_int_equal(can_send_rrdset(prometheus_exporter_instance, localhost->rrdset_root), 0);
+    assert_int_equal(can_send_rrdset(prometheus_exporter_instance, localhost->rrdset_root, NULL), 0);
    rrdset_flag_clear(localhost->rrdset_root, RRDSET_FLAG_EXPORTING_IGNORE);

    // TODO: test with a denying simple pattern

    rrdset_flag_set(localhost->rrdset_root, RRDSET_FLAG_OBSOLETE);
-    assert_int_equal(can_send_rrdset(prometheus_exporter_instance, localhost->rrdset_root), 0);
+    assert_int_equal(can_send_rrdset(prometheus_exporter_instance, localhost->rrdset_root, NULL), 0);
    rrdset_flag_clear(localhost->rrdset_root, RRDSET_FLAG_OBSOLETE);

    localhost->rrdset_root->rrd_memory_mode = RRD_MEMORY_MODE_NONE;
    prometheus_exporter_instance->config.options |= EXPORTING_SOURCE_DATA_AVERAGE;
-    assert_int_equal(can_send_rrdset(prometheus_exporter_instance, localhost->rrdset_root), 0);
+    assert_int_equal(can_send_rrdset(prometheus_exporter_instance, localhost->rrdset_root, NULL), 0);
 }

 static void test_prometheus_name_copy(void **state)
@ -1067,7 +1067,7 @@ static void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus(void **state)
    expect_function_call(__wrap_exporting_calculate_value_from_stored_data);
    will_return(__wrap_exporting_calculate_value_from_stored_data, pack_storage_number(27, SN_DEFAULT_FLAGS));

-    rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus_single_host(localhost, buffer, "test_server", "test_prefix", 0, 0);
+    rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus_single_host(localhost, NULL, buffer, "test_server", "test_prefix", 0, 0);

    assert_string_equal(
        buffer_tostring(buffer),
@ -1085,7 +1085,7 @@ static void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus(void **state)
    will_return(__wrap_exporting_calculate_value_from_stored_data, pack_storage_number(27, SN_DEFAULT_FLAGS));

    rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus_single_host(
-        localhost, buffer, "test_server", "test_prefix", 0, PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_NAMES | PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_TYPES);
+        localhost, NULL, buffer, "test_server", "test_prefix", 0, PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_NAMES | PROMETHEUS_OUTPUT_TYPES);

    assert_string_equal(
        buffer_tostring(buffer),
@ -1103,7 +1103,7 @@ static void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus(void **state)
    expect_function_call(__wrap_exporting_calculate_value_from_stored_data);
    will_return(__wrap_exporting_calculate_value_from_stored_data, pack_storage_number(27, SN_DEFAULT_FLAGS));

-    rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus_all_hosts(localhost, buffer, "test_server", "test_prefix", 0, 0);
+    rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus_all_hosts(localhost, NULL, buffer, "test_server", "test_prefix", 0, 0);

    assert_string_equal(
        buffer_tostring(buffer),
--- a/web/api/exporters/allmetrics.c
+++ b/web/api/exporters/allmetrics.c
@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ struct prometheus_output_options {

 inline int web_client_api_request_v1_allmetrics(RRDHOST *host, struct web_client *w, char *url) {
    int format = ALLMETRICS_SHELL;
+    const char *filter = NULL;
    const char *prometheus_server = w->client_ip;

    uint32_t prometheus_exporting_options;
@ -57,6 +58,9 @@ inline int web_client_api_request_v1_allmetrics(RRDHOST *host, struct web_client
            else
                format = 0;
        }
+        else if(!strcmp(name, "filter")) {
+            filter = value;
+        }
        else if(!strcmp(name, "server")) {
            prometheus_server = value;
        }
@ -87,18 +91,19 @@ inline int web_client_api_request_v1_allmetrics(RRDHOST *host, struct web_client
    switch(format) {
        case ALLMETRICS_JSON:
            w->response.data->contenttype = CT_APPLICATION_JSON;
-            rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_json(host, w->response.data);
+            rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_json(host, filter, w->response.data);
            return HTTP_RESP_OK;

        case ALLMETRICS_SHELL:
            w->response.data->contenttype = CT_TEXT_PLAIN;
-            rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_shell(host, w->response.data);
+            rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_shell(host, filter, w->response.data);
            return HTTP_RESP_OK;

        case ALLMETRICS_PROMETHEUS:
            w->response.data->contenttype = CT_PROMETHEUS;
            rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus_single_host(
                    host
+                    , filter
                    , w->response.data
                    , prometheus_server
                    , prometheus_prefix
@ -111,6 +116,7 @@ inline int web_client_api_request_v1_allmetrics(RRDHOST *host, struct web_client
            w->response.data->contenttype = CT_PROMETHEUS;
            rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_prometheus_all_hosts(
                    host
+                    , filter
                    , w->response.data
                    , prometheus_server
                    , prometheus_prefix
--- a/web/api/exporters/shell/allmetrics_shell.c
+++ b/web/api/exporters/shell/allmetrics_shell.c
@ -22,13 +22,17 @@ static inline size_t shell_name_copy(char *d, const char *s, size_t usable) {

 #define SHELL_ELEMENT_MAX 100

-void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_shell(RRDHOST *host, BUFFER *wb) {
+void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_shell(RRDHOST *host, const char *filter_string, BUFFER *wb) {
    analytics_log_shell();
+    SIMPLE_PATTERN *filter = simple_pattern_create(filter_string, NULL, SIMPLE_PATTERN_EXACT);
    rrdhost_rdlock(host);

    // for each chart
    RRDSET *st;
    rrdset_foreach_read(st, host) {
+        if (filter && !simple_pattern_matches(filter, st->name))
+            continue;
+
        calculated_number total = 0.0;
        char chart[SHELL_ELEMENT_MAX + 1];
        shell_name_copy(chart, st->name?st->name:st->id, SHELL_ELEMENT_MAX);
@ -88,12 +92,14 @@ void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_shell(RRDHOST *host, BUFFER *wb) {
    }

    rrdhost_unlock(host);
+    simple_pattern_free(filter);
 }

 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

-void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_json(RRDHOST *host, BUFFER *wb) {
+void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_json(RRDHOST *host, const char *filter_string, BUFFER *wb) {
    analytics_log_json();
+    SIMPLE_PATTERN *filter = simple_pattern_create(filter_string, NULL, SIMPLE_PATTERN_EXACT);
    rrdhost_rdlock(host);

    buffer_strcat(wb, "{");
@ -104,6 +110,9 @@ void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_json(RRDHOST *host, BUFFER *wb) {
    // for each chart
    RRDSET *st;
    rrdset_foreach_read(st, host) {
+        if (filter && !(simple_pattern_matches(filter, st->id) || simple_pattern_matches(filter, st->name)))
+            continue;
+
        if(rrdset_is_available_for_viewers(st)) {
            rrdset_rdlock(st);

@ -160,5 +169,6 @@ void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_json(RRDHOST *host, BUFFER *wb) {

    buffer_strcat(wb, "\n}");
    rrdhost_unlock(host);
+    simple_pattern_free(filter);
 }

--- a/web/api/exporters/shell/allmetrics_shell.h
+++ b/web/api/exporters/shell/allmetrics_shell.h
@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 #define ALLMETRICS_JSON                         3
 #define ALLMETRICS_PROMETHEUS_ALL_HOSTS         4

-extern void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_json(RRDHOST *host, BUFFER *wb);
-extern void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_shell(RRDHOST *host, BUFFER *wb);
+extern void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_json(RRDHOST *host, const char *filter_string, BUFFER *wb);
+extern void rrd_stats_api_v1_charts_allmetrics_shell(RRDHOST *host, const char *filter_string, BUFFER *wb);

 #endif //NETDATA_API_ALLMETRICS_SHELL_H
--- a/web/api/netdata-swagger.json
+++ b/web/api/netdata-swagger.json
@ -711,6 +711,16 @@
              "default": "shell"
            }
          },
+          {
+            "name": "filter",
+            "in": "query",
+            "description": "Allows to filter charts out using simple patterns.",
+            "required": false,
+            "schema": {
+              "type": "string",
+              "format": "any text"
+            }
+          },
          {
            "name": "variables",
            "in": "query",
--- a/web/api/netdata-swagger.yaml
+++ b/web/api/netdata-swagger.yaml
@ -593,6 +593,13 @@ paths:
              - prometheus_all_hosts
              - json
            default: shell
+        - name: filter
+          in: query
+          description: Allows to filter charts out using simple patterns.
+          required: false
+          schema:
+            type: string
+            format: any text
        - name: variables
          in: query
          description: When enabled, netdata will expose various system
--- a/web/api/tests/valid_urls.c
+++ b/web/api/tests/valid_urls.c
@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ void free_temporary_host(RRDHOST *host)
 void *__wrap_free_temporary_host(RRDHOST *host)
 {
    (void) host;
+    return NULL;
 }


--- a/web/api/tests/web_api.c
+++ b/web/api/tests/web_api.c
@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ void free_temporary_host(RRDHOST *host)
 void *__wrap_free_temporary_host(RRDHOST *host)
 {
    (void) host;
+    return NULL;
 }

 RRDHOST *sql_create_host_by_uuid(char *hostname)