Derived Columns API | Honeycomb

We use cookies or similar technologies to personalize your online experience & tailor marketing to you. Many of our product features require cookies to function properly.

Read our privacy policy I accept cookies from this site

Honeycomb.io Documentation
  1. Docs
  2. API
  3. Derived Columns API

Derived Columns API

Derived columns allow you to run queries based on the value of an expression that is derived from the columns in an event.

This API parallels the behavior of the Schema tab within a Dataset’s Settings UI.

Authorization and Headers 

The only expected header is X-Honeycomb-Team, which is your API key, and it is required. The API key must have the Manage Queries and Columns permission. Learn more about API keys.

Fields on a Derived Column 

Derived Columns have the following fields:

Field Type Optional Notes
id string read-only Returned in response bodies; this is a base58 encoded string. (“The encoded data contains only alphanumerical characters, and avoids the easily confused characters 0, i, l and O (zero, india, lima, capital oscar).")
alias string no
description string yes, default=”"
expression string no See Derived Column syntax

Create a Derived Column 

Derived Columns are created by sending a POST request to /1/derived_columns/<DATASET_NAME>.

The body should be a JSON encoded object.

Response status should be 201, and the body will contain the created object, including its id.

Create Example Request  

curl https://api.honeycomb.io/1/derived_columns/$DATASET \
    -X POST \
    -H "X-Honeycomb-Team: YOUR_API_KEY" \
    -d '{"alias": "always_one", "expression": "MAX(1)", "description": "MAX(1) is always 1"}' \

Create Example Response  

{
  "id": "mYVfSPi4s75",
  "alias": "always_one",
  "description": "MAX(1) is always 1",
  "expression": "MAX(1)"
}

Update a Derived Column 

A Derived Column may be updated, by sending a PUT request to /1/derived_columns/<dataset>/<derived_column_id>.

The PUT request should have as its body a JSON object containing all the user-settable fields for this Derived Column, including any updated values. (That is, it is a PUT request, not a PATCH applying a partial update.)

When a Derived Column has been successfully updated, the API returns code 200 and the updated Derived Column as the body of the response.

Update Example Request  

curl https://api.honeycomb.io/1/derived_columns/$DATASET/$DERIVED_COLUMN_ID
    -X PUT \
    -H "X-Honeycomb-Team: YOUR_API_KEY"
    -d '{"alias": "always_one", "expression": "MAX(1)", "description": "MAX(1) is always always always 1"}'

Update Example Response  

{
  "id": "mYVfSPi4s75",
  "alias": "always_one",
  "description": "MAX(1) is always always always 1",
  "expression": "MAX(1)"
}

Delete a Derived Column 

A Derived Column may be deleted, by sending a DELETE request to /1/derived_columns/<dataset>/<derived_column_id>.

A successful response will have status code 204 and an empty body.

A Derived Column used by a SLO, Trigger, or Board cannot be deleted without removing or modifying the SLO, Trigger, or Board.

Delete Example Request  

curl https://api.honeycomb.io/1/derived_columns/$DATASET_SLUG/$DERIVED_COLUMN_ID \
    -H "X-Honeycomb-Team: YOUR_API_KEY" \
    -X DELETE

Get One Derived Column 

A singular Derived Column in a dataset may be retrieved by sending a GET request to /1/derived_columns/<DATASET_NAME>/<DERIVED_COLUMN_ID>.

Get One Example Request  

curl https://api.honeycomb.io/1/derived_columns/$DATASET_SLUG/$DERIVED_COLUMN_ID \
    -X GET \
    -H "X-Honeycomb-Team: YOUR_API_KEY"

Get One Example Response  

{
  "id": "mYVfSPi4s75",
  "alias": "always_one",
  "description": "MAX(1) is always always always 1",
  "expression": "MAX(1)"
}

Get One Derived Column by Alias 

A Derived Column in a dataset may be retrieved by sending a GET request to /1/derived_columns/<DATASET_NAME>?alias=<ALIAS>.

Get One by Alias Example Request  

curl https://api.honeycomb.io/1/derived_columns/$DATASET_SLUG?alias=$ALIAS \
    -X GET \
    -H "X-Honeycomb-Team: YOUR_API_KEY"

Get One by Alias Example Response  

{
  "id": "mYVfSPi4s75",
  "alias": "always_one",
  "description": "MAX(1) is always always always 1",
  "expression": "MAX(1)"
}

List All Derived Columns 

All the Derived Columns in a dataset may be retrieved by sending a GET request to /1/derived_columns/<DATASET_NAME>.

A successful response will return HTTP 200 and a JSON list of all Derived Column objects for the dataset.

List All Example Request  

curl https://api.honeycomb.io/1/derived_columns/$DATASET_SLUG \
    -X GET \
    -H "X-Honeycomb-Team: YOUR_API_KEY"

Environment Derived Columns 

Honeycomb Classic customers do not have Environments and therefore cannot use Environment derived columns.

Honeycomb supports derived columns that are applied to any Dataset in your Environment. Environment derived columns allow you to define the derived column expression once and then Honeycomb will run that expression against each dataset.

Derived columns that target all the Datasets within an Environment can be created and read with the same APIs as above, using the special __all__ token in the URL instead of a Dataset name.

Environment Derived Column Example Request  

curl https://api.honeycomb.io/1/derived_columns/__all__ \
    -X POST  \
    -H "X-Honeycomb-Team: YOUR_API_KEY"  \
    -d '{"alias": "always_one", "expression": "MAX(1)", "description": "MAX(1) is always 1"}' \

Did you find what you were looking for?

Table of Contents