Example queries are a great way to start your Log Analytics experience.

Pre-built queries that provide an instant insight into a resource or an issue shorten the time it takes to start using Log Analytics and provide a nice way to start learning and using KQL.

We have been hard at work collecting and curating over 250 example queries, designed to provide instant value.

The number of example queries is ever-growing as we add more and more finely tuned examples.

Example query dialogue

The first time you use Log Analytics you may use the  brand new dialogue experience – containing a wealth of example queries ready to use:

Each example query is represented by a card, containing glanceable information allowing users to quickly scan through the queries and find what they need.

You may run the query directly from the dialogue or choose to load it to the query editor for additional fine tuning and tweaking.

In context queries

The new example query experience is designed in context.

For every scope you choose, the system will automatically filter the example queries and only show queries relevant to the scope used.

For example, the above screen is the Logs screen of a Key vault instance. The example queries shown are filtered according to the resource type – showing only Key vault related examples.

This will work for all Log Analytics scopes.

Finding what you need, fast

Note that the new query experience only filters the queries according to the right context, at any point in time you may choose to remove the filter and see all the queries.

Group by

The new query experience allows you to choose how to organise your queries. You may choose to change the grouping of the queries by clicking the “group by” drop-down list:

Filter

You may also filter the queries according to the aforementioned values, allowing you to narrow down the scope of queries visible to easily find what you need:

Combining group by and filter

The filter and group by functionality is designed to work in tandem – providing a lot of flexibility in how queries are arranged.

For example, if you are using a resource group with multiple resources, you may want to filter down to a specific resource type and arrange the resulting queries by topic.

Favourites

You may favourite a query you often use.

This allows quick access to a subset of queries fast.

Sidebar experience

Turning the pop-up off

If you are a KQL pro, and prefer getting directly to the query editor – you can toggle the dialogue experience off:

Re-accessing the pop-up

You can always access the queries dialogue experience from the “Example queries” button on the top bar of Log Analytics:

 

Sidebar query experience

The new query experience is also available in a ‘sidebar’ flavour.

All the functionality of the dialogue may be accessed from the queries pane on the left-hand side of Log Analytics:

You may hover over a query name to get the query description and additional functionality:

Query explorer

The query explorer experience for saving and sharing user-generated queries will remain unchanged, for the time being.

As we evolve our queries experience, we will add abilities to save and share queries in the new experience, allowing users to achieve more with Log Analytics.

Summary and feedback

The new query experience provides a new, in context, efficient way for users to start using Log Analytics.

Combined with an ever-growing huge selection of high quality examples we hope it will shorten the way for users to get faster, more powerful insights from Log Analytics.

We appreciate your feedback. If you have questions or suggestions, please email us.