[[introduction]]
== {kib} — your window into the Elastic Stack
++++
What is Kibana?
++++
**_Visualize and analyze your data and manage all things Elastic Stack._**
Whether you’re an analyst or an admin, {kib} makes your data actionable by providing
three key functions. Kibana is:
* **An open-source analytics and visualization platform.**
Use {kib} to explore your {es} data, and then build beautiful visualizations and dashboards.
* **A UI for managing the Elastic Stack.**
Manage your security settings, assign user roles, take snapshots, roll up your data,
and more — all from the convenience of a {kib} UI.
* **A centralized hub for Elastic's solutions.** From log analytics to
document discovery to SIEM, {kib} is the portal for accessing these and other capabilities.
[role="screenshot"]
image::images/intro-kibana.png[]
[float]
[[get-data-into-kibana]]
=== Add data
{kib} is designed to use {es} as a data source. Think of Elasticsearch as the engine that stores
and processes the data, with {kib} sitting on top.
From the home page, {kib} provides these options for adding data:
* Import data using the
https://www.elastic.co/blog/importing-csv-and-log-data-into-elasticsearch-with-file-data-visualizer[File Data visualizer].
* Set up a data flow to Elasticsearch using our built-in tutorials.
If a tutorial doesn’t exist for your data, go to the
{beats-ref}/beats-reference.html[Beats overview] to learn about other data shippers
in the {beats} family.
* <> and take {kib} for a test drive without loading data yourself.
* Index your data into Elasticsearch with {ref}/getting-started-index.html[REST APIs]
or https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/client/index.html[client libraries].
+
[role="screenshot"]
image::images/intro-data-tutorial.png[Ways to get data in from the home page]
{kib} uses an
<> to tell it which {es} indices to explore.
If you add upload a file, run a built-in tutorial, or add sample data, you get an index pattern for free,
and are good to start exploring. If you load your own data, you can create
an index pattern in <>.
[float]
[[explore-and-query]]
=== Explore & query
Ready to dive into your data? With <>, you can explore your data and
search for hidden insights and relationships. Ask your questions, and then
narrow the results to just the data you want.
[role="screenshot"]
image::images/intro-discover.png[]
[float]
[[visualize-and-analyze]]
=== Visualize & analyze
A visualization is worth a thousand log lines, and {kib} provides
many options for showcasing your data. Use <>,
our drag-and-drop interface,
to rapidly build
charts, tables, metrics, and more. If there
is a better visualization for your data, *Lens* suggests it, allowing for quick
switching between visualization types.
Once your visualizations are just the way you want,
use <> to collect them in one place. A dashboard provides
insights into your data from multiple perspectives.
[role="screenshot"]
image::images/intro-dashboard.png[]
{kib} also offers these visualization features:
* <> allows you to display your data in
charts, graphs, and tables
(just to name a few). It's also home to Lens.
Visualize supports the ability to add interactive
controls to your dashboard, filter dashboard content in real time, and add your own images and logos for your brand.
* <