Alerting: Update documentation about ValueString

* Alerting: Add expression type to webhook valueString
- Add Type field to NumberValueCapture struct
- Implement AlertQuery.GetExpressionType() method
- Update valueString format to include type information

* Alerting: Add expression type to webhook valueString
- Fix tests

* Alerting: Add expression type to webhook valueString
- Update default annotations in notifier templates to include type field

* Alerting: Add expression type to webhook valueString
- Add type='math' to webhook and email test expectations

docs/sources/alerting/alerting-rules/templates/reference.md

@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ This example prints the `$value` variable:
 When using multiple data sources, it would display something like this:
 
 ```
-[ var='A' labels={instance=instance1} value=81.234, , [ var='B' labels={instance=instance2} value=1 ] ]: CPU usage has exceeded 80% for the last 5 minutes.
+[ var='A' labels={instance=instance1} type='reduce' value=81.234 ], [ var='B' labels={instance=instance2} type='threshold' value=1 ]: CPU usage has exceeded 80% for the last 5 minutes.
 ```
 
 But with a single data source, it would display just the value of the query:

docs/sources/alerting/configure-notifications/template-notifications/reference.md

@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ Grafana-managed alerts include these additional properties:
 | `PanelURL`     | string    | A link to the panel if the alert has a Panel ID annotation, with time range from `1h` before alert start to end (or now if firing).                  |
 | `SilenceURL`   | string    | A link to silence the alert.                                                                                                                         |
 | `Values`       | [KV](#kv) | The values of expressions used to evaluate the alert condition. Only relevant values are included.                                                   |
-| `ValueString`  | string    | A string that contains the labels and value of each reduced expression in the alert.                                                                 |
+| `ValueString`  | string    | A string containing the labels, expression type, and value of each reduced expression in the alert.                                                  |
 | `OrgID`        | integer   | The ID of the organization that owns the alert.                                                                                                      |
 
 This example iterates over the list of firing and resolved alerts (`.Alerts`) in the notification and prints the data for each alert:

docs/sources/shared/alerts/table-for-json-alert-object.md

@@ -2,17 +2,18 @@
 title: 'JSON alert object'
 ---
 
-| Key            | Type   | Description                                                                         |
-| -------------- | ------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
-| `status`       | string | Current status of the alert, `firing` or `resolved`.                                |
-| `labels`       | object | Labels that are part of this alert, map of string keys to string values.            |
-| `annotations`  | object | Annotations that are part of this alert, map of string keys to string values.       |
-| `startsAt`     | string | Start time of the alert.                                                            |
-| `endsAt`       | string | End time of the alert, default value when not resolved is `0001-01-01T00:00:00Z`.   |
-| `values`       | object | Values that triggered the current status.                                           |
-| `generatorURL` | string | URL of the alert rule in the Grafana UI.                                            |
-| `fingerprint`  | string | The labels fingerprint, alarms with the same labels will have the same fingerprint. |
-| `silenceURL`   | string | URL to silence the alert rule in the Grafana UI.                                    |
-| `dashboardURL` | string | A link to the Grafana Dashboard if the alert has a Dashboard UID annotation.        |
-| `panelURL`     | string | A link to the panel if the alert has a Panel ID annotation.                         |
-| `imageURL`     | string | URL of a screenshot of a panel assigned to the rule that created this notification. |
+| Key            | Type   | Description                                                                                                  |
+| -------------- | ------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
+| `status`       | string | Current status of the alert, `firing` or `resolved`.                                                         |
+| `labels`       | object | Labels that are part of this alert, map of string keys to string values.                                     |
+| `annotations`  | object | Annotations that are part of this alert, map of string keys to string values.                                |
+| `startsAt`     | string | Start time of the alert.                                                                                     |
+| `endsAt`       | string | End time of the alert, default value when not resolved is `0001-01-01T00:00:00Z`.                            |
+| `values`       | object | Values that triggered the current status.                                                                    |
+| `valueString`  | string | A string representation of expression values including variable names, labels, expression types, and values. |
+| `generatorURL` | string | URL of the alert rule in the Grafana UI.                                                                     |
+| `fingerprint`  | string | The labels fingerprint, alarms with the same labels will have the same fingerprint.                          |
+| `silenceURL`   | string | URL to silence the alert rule in the Grafana UI.                                                             |
+| `dashboardURL` | string | A link to the Grafana Dashboard if the alert has a Dashboard UID annotation.                                 |
+| `panelURL`     | string | A link to the panel if the alert has a Panel ID annotation.                                                  |
+| `imageURL`     | string | URL of a screenshot of a panel assigned to the rule that created this notification.                          |

pkg/services/ngalert/eval/eval.go

@@ -437,6 +437,7 @@ type NumberValueCapture struct {
 	Var              string // RefID
 	IsDatasourceNode bool
 	Labels           data.Labels
+	Type             string // Expression type (reduce, threshold, classic_conditions, etc.)
 
 	Value *float64
 }
@@ -462,17 +463,33 @@ func IsNoData(res backend.DataResponse) bool {
 func queryDataResponseToExecutionResults(c models.Condition, execResp *backend.QueryDataResponse) ExecutionResults {
 	// captures contains the values of all instant queries and expressions for each dimension
 	captures := make(map[string]map[data.Fingerprint]NumberValueCapture)
+
+	// Build a lookup table for expression types by RefID
+	expressionTypes := make(map[string]string)
+	for _, query := range c.Data {
+		if exprType, err := query.GetExpressionType(); err == nil {
+			expressionTypes[query.RefID] = exprType
+		}
+	}
+
 	captureFn := func(refID string, datasourceType expr.NodeType, labels data.Labels, value *float64) {
 		m := captures[refID]
 		if m == nil {
 			m = make(map[data.Fingerprint]NumberValueCapture)
 		}
 		fp := labels.Fingerprint()
+
+		exprType := expressionTypes[refID]
+		if exprType == "" && datasourceType == expr.TypeDatasourceNode {
+			exprType = "query"
+		}
+
 		m[fp] = NumberValueCapture{
 			Var:              refID,
 			IsDatasourceNode: datasourceType == expr.TypeDatasourceNode,
 			Value:            value,
 			Labels:           labels.Copy(),
+			Type:             exprType,
 		}
 		captures[refID] = m
 	}

pkg/services/ngalert/eval/extract_md.go

@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ func extractEvalString(frame *data.Frame) (s string) {
 			sb.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("var='%s%v' ", frame.RefID, i))
 			sb.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("metric='%s' ", m.Metric))
 			sb.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("labels={%s} ", m.Labels))
+			sb.WriteString("type='classic_conditions' ")
 
 			valString := "null"
 			if m.Value != nil {
@@ -53,6 +54,9 @@ func extractEvalString(frame *data.Frame) (s string) {
 			sb.WriteString("[ ")
 			sb.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("var='%s' ", capture.Var))
 			sb.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("labels={%s} ", capture.Labels))
+			if capture.Type != "" {
+				sb.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("type='%s' ", capture.Type))
+			}
 			valString := "null"
 			if capture.Value != nil {
 				valString = fmt.Sprintf("%v", *capture.Value)
@@ -92,6 +96,7 @@ func extractValues(frame *data.Frame) map[string]NumberValueCapture {
 				Var:    frame.RefID,
 				Labels: match.Labels,
 				Value:  match.Value,
+				Type:   "classic_conditions",
 			}
 		}
 		return v

pkg/services/ngalert/eval/extract_md_test.go

@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ func TestExtractEvalString(t *testing.T) {
 			inFrame: newMetaFrame([]classic.EvalMatch{
 				{Metric: "Test", Labels: data.Labels{"host": "foo"}, Value: util.Pointer(32.3)},
 			}, util.Pointer(1.0)),
-			outString: `[ var='0' metric='Test' labels={host=foo} value=32.3 ]`,
+			outString: `[ var='0' metric='Test' labels={host=foo} type='classic_conditions' value=32.3 ]`,
 		},
 		{
 			desc: "2 EvalMatches",
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ func TestExtractEvalString(t *testing.T) {
 				{Metric: "Test", Labels: data.Labels{"host": "foo"}, Value: util.Pointer(32.3)},
 				{Metric: "Test", Labels: data.Labels{"host": "baz"}, Value: util.Pointer(10.0)},
 			}, util.Pointer(1.0), withRefID("A")),
-			outString: `[ var='A0' metric='Test' labels={host=foo} value=32.3 ], [ var='A1' metric='Test' labels={host=baz} value=10 ]`,
+			outString: `[ var='A0' metric='Test' labels={host=foo} type='classic_conditions' value=32.3 ], [ var='A1' metric='Test' labels={host=baz} type='classic_conditions' value=10 ]`,
 		},
 		{
 			desc: "3 EvalMatches",
@@ -38,15 +38,15 @@ func TestExtractEvalString(t *testing.T) {
 				{Metric: "Test", Labels: data.Labels{"host": "baz"}, Value: util.Pointer(10.0)},
 				{Metric: "TestA", Labels: data.Labels{"host": "zip"}, Value: util.Pointer(11.0)},
 			}, util.Pointer(1.0), withRefID("A")),
-			outString: `[ var='A0' metric='Test' labels={host=foo} value=32.3 ], [ var='A1' metric='Test' labels={host=baz} value=10 ], [ var='A2' metric='TestA' labels={host=zip} value=11 ]`,
+			outString: `[ var='A0' metric='Test' labels={host=foo} type='classic_conditions' value=32.3 ], [ var='A1' metric='Test' labels={host=baz} type='classic_conditions' value=10 ], [ var='A2' metric='TestA' labels={host=zip} type='classic_conditions' value=11 ]`,
 		},
 		{
 			desc: "Captures are sorted in ascending order of var",
 			inFrame: newMetaFrame([]NumberValueCapture{
-				{Var: "B", Labels: data.Labels{"host": "foo"}, Value: util.Pointer(1.0)},
-				{Var: "A", Labels: data.Labels{"host": "foo"}, Value: util.Pointer(10.0)},
+				{Var: "B", Labels: data.Labels{"host": "foo"}, Value: util.Pointer(1.0), Type: "reduce"},
+				{Var: "A", Labels: data.Labels{"host": "foo"}, Value: util.Pointer(10.0), Type: "threshold"},
 			}, util.Pointer(1.0)),
-			outString: `[ var='A' labels={host=foo} value=10 ], [ var='B' labels={host=foo} value=1 ]`,
+			outString: `[ var='A' labels={host=foo} type='threshold' value=10 ], [ var='B' labels={host=foo} type='reduce' value=1 ]`,
 		},
 	}
 	for _, tc := range cases {
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ func TestExtractValues(t *testing.T) {
 			{Metric: "A", Labels: data.Labels{"host": "foo"}, Value: util.Pointer(1.0)},
 		}, util.Pointer(1.0), withRefID("A")),
 		values: map[string]NumberValueCapture{
-			"A0": {Var: "A", Labels: data.Labels{"host": "foo"}, Value: util.Pointer(1.0)},
+			"A0": {Var: "A", Labels: data.Labels{"host": "foo"}, Value: util.Pointer(1.0), Type: "classic_conditions"},
 		},
 	}, {
 		desc: "Classic condition frame with multiple matches",
@@ -80,8 +80,8 @@ func TestExtractValues(t *testing.T) {
 			{Metric: "A", Labels: data.Labels{"host": "foo"}, Value: util.Pointer(3.0)},
 		}, util.Pointer(1.0), withRefID("A")),
 		values: map[string]NumberValueCapture{
-			"A0": {Var: "A", Labels: data.Labels{"host": "foo"}, Value: util.Pointer(1.0)},
-			"A1": {Var: "A", Labels: data.Labels{"host": "foo"}, Value: util.Pointer(3.0)},
+			"A0": {Var: "A", Labels: data.Labels{"host": "foo"}, Value: util.Pointer(1.0), Type: "classic_conditions"},
+			"A1": {Var: "A", Labels: data.Labels{"host": "foo"}, Value: util.Pointer(3.0), Type: "classic_conditions"},
 		},
 	}, {
 		desc: "Nil value",

pkg/services/ngalert/models/alert_query.go

@@ -342,3 +342,31 @@ func (aq *AlertQuery) InitDefaults() error {
 	aq.Model = model
 	return nil
 }
+
+// GetExpressionType returns the type of expression for this AlertQuery.
+// It returns "query" for regular datasource queries and the actual type for expressions.
+func (aq *AlertQuery) GetExpressionType() (string, error) {
+	if aq.modelProps == nil {
+		err := aq.setModelProps()
+		if err != nil {
+			return "", err
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Check if this is an expression query
+	isExpr, err := aq.IsExpression()
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+
+	if !isExpr {
+		return "query", nil // Regular data source query
+	}
+
+	// Extract type from model
+	if exprType, ok := aq.modelProps["type"].(string); ok {
+		return exprType, nil
+	}
+
+	return "unknown", nil
+}

pkg/services/ngalert/notifier/templates.go

@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ var (
 	}
 	DefaultAnnotations = map[string]string{
 		alertingModels.ValuesAnnotation:       `{"B":22,"C":1}`,
-		alertingModels.ValueStringAnnotation:  `[ var='B' labels={__name__=go_threads, instance=host.docker.internal:3000, job=grafana} value=22 ], [ var='C' labels={__name__=go_threads, instance=host.docker.internal:3000, job=grafana} value=1 ]`,
+		alertingModels.ValueStringAnnotation:  `[ var='B' labels={__name__=go_threads, instance=host.docker.internal:3000, job=grafana} type='reduce' value=22 ], [ var='C' labels={__name__=go_threads, instance=host.docker.internal:3000, job=grafana} type='threshold' value=1 ]`,
 		alertingModels.OrgIDAnnotation:        `1`,
 		alertingModels.DashboardUIDAnnotation: `dashboard_uid`,
 		alertingModels.PanelIDAnnotation:      `1`,

pkg/tests/api/alerting/api_notification_channel_test.go

@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ func TestIntegrationTestReceivers(t *testing.T) {
 				"__dashboardUid__": "dashboard_uid",
 				"__orgId__": "1",
 				"__panelId__": "1",
-				"__value_string__": "[ var='B' labels={__name__=go_threads, instance=host.docker.internal:3000, job=grafana} value=22 ], [ var='C' labels={__name__=go_threads, instance=host.docker.internal:3000, job=grafana} value=1 ]",
+				"__value_string__": "[ var='B' labels={__name__=go_threads, instance=host.docker.internal:3000, job=grafana} type='reduce' value=22 ], [ var='C' labels={__name__=go_threads, instance=host.docker.internal:3000, job=grafana} type='threshold' value=1 ]",
 				"__values__": "{\"B\":22,\"C\":1}"
 			},
 			"labels": {
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ func TestIntegrationTestReceivers(t *testing.T) {
 				"__dashboardUid__": "dashboard_uid",
 				"__orgId__": "1",
 				"__panelId__": "1",
-				"__value_string__": "[ var='B' labels={__name__=go_threads, instance=host.docker.internal:3000, job=grafana} value=22 ], [ var='C' labels={__name__=go_threads, instance=host.docker.internal:3000, job=grafana} value=1 ]",
+				"__value_string__": "[ var='B' labels={__name__=go_threads, instance=host.docker.internal:3000, job=grafana} type='reduce' value=22 ], [ var='C' labels={__name__=go_threads, instance=host.docker.internal:3000, job=grafana} type='threshold' value=1 ]",
 				"__values__": "{\"B\":22,\"C\":1}"
 			},
 			"labels": {
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ func TestIntegrationTestReceivers(t *testing.T) {
 					"__dashboardUid__": "dashboard_uid",
 					"__orgId__": "1",
 					"__panelId__": "1",
-					"__value_string__": "[ var='B' labels={__name__=go_threads, instance=host.docker.internal:3000, job=grafana} value=22 ], [ var='C' labels={__name__=go_threads, instance=host.docker.internal:3000, job=grafana} value=1 ]",
+					"__value_string__": "[ var='B' labels={__name__=go_threads, instance=host.docker.internal:3000, job=grafana} type='reduce' value=22 ], [ var='C' labels={__name__=go_threads, instance=host.docker.internal:3000, job=grafana} type='threshold' value=1 ]",
 					"__values__": "{\"B\":22,\"C\":1}"
 				},
 				"labels": {
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ func TestIntegrationTestReceivers(t *testing.T) {
 				"__dashboardUid__": "dashboard_uid",
 				"__orgId__": "1",
 				"__panelId__": "1",
-				"__value_string__": "[ var='B' labels={__name__=go_threads, instance=host.docker.internal:3000, job=grafana} value=22 ], [ var='C' labels={__name__=go_threads, instance=host.docker.internal:3000, job=grafana} value=1 ]",
+				"__value_string__": "[ var='B' labels={__name__=go_threads, instance=host.docker.internal:3000, job=grafana} type='reduce' value=22 ], [ var='C' labels={__name__=go_threads, instance=host.docker.internal:3000, job=grafana} type='threshold' value=1 ]",
 				"__values__": "{\"B\":22,\"C\":1}"
 			},
 			"labels": {
@@ -506,7 +506,7 @@ func TestIntegrationTestReceivers(t *testing.T) {
 				"__dashboardUid__": "dashboard_uid",
 				"__orgId__": "1",
 				"__panelId__": "1",
-				"__value_string__": "[ var='B' labels={__name__=go_threads, instance=host.docker.internal:3000, job=grafana} value=22 ], [ var='C' labels={__name__=go_threads, instance=host.docker.internal:3000, job=grafana} value=1 ]",
+				"__value_string__": "[ var='B' labels={__name__=go_threads, instance=host.docker.internal:3000, job=grafana} type='reduce' value=22 ], [ var='C' labels={__name__=go_threads, instance=host.docker.internal:3000, job=grafana} type='threshold' value=1 ]",
 				"__values__": "{\"B\":22,\"C\":1}"
 			},
 			"labels": {
@@ -805,7 +805,7 @@ func TestIntegrationTestReceiversAlertCustomization(t *testing.T) {
 				"__dashboardUid__": "dashboard_uid",
 				"__orgId__": "1",
 				"__panelId__": "1",
-				"__value_string__": "[ var='B' labels={__name__=go_threads, instance=host.docker.internal:3000, job=grafana} value=22 ], [ var='C' labels={__name__=go_threads, instance=host.docker.internal:3000, job=grafana} value=1 ]",
+				"__value_string__": "[ var='B' labels={__name__=go_threads, instance=host.docker.internal:3000, job=grafana} type='reduce' value=22 ], [ var='C' labels={__name__=go_threads, instance=host.docker.internal:3000, job=grafana} type='threshold' value=1 ]",
 				"__values__": "{\"B\":22,\"C\":1}"
 			},
 			"labels": {
@@ -2440,7 +2440,7 @@ var expEmailNotifications = []*notifications.SendEmailCommandSync{
 						PanelURL:     "",
 						OrgID:        util.Pointer(int64(1)),
 						Values:       map[string]float64{"A": 1},
-						ValueString:  "[ var='A' labels={} value=1 ]",
+						ValueString:  "[ var='A' labels={} type='math' value=1 ]",
 					},
 				},
 				"GroupLabels":       template.KV{"alertname": "EmailAlert"},
@@ -2594,10 +2594,10 @@ var expNonEmailNotifications = map[string][]string{
 				"grafana_folder": "default"
 			  },
 			  "annotations": {},
-			  "startsAt": "%s",
+              "startsAt": "%s",
               "values": {"A": 1},
-              "valueString": "[ var='A' labels={} value=1 ]",
-			  "endsAt": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
+              "valueString": "[ var='A' labels={} type='math' value=1 ]",
+              "endsAt": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
 			  "generatorURL": "http://localhost:3000/alerting/grafana/UID_WebhookAlert/view?orgId=1",
 			  "fingerprint": "15c59b0a380bd9f1",
 			  "silenceURL": "http://localhost:3000/alerting/silence/new?alertmanager=grafana&matcher=__alert_rule_uid__%%3DUID_WebhookAlert&orgId=1",
@@ -2768,10 +2768,10 @@ var expNonEmailNotifications = map[string][]string{
 			  "alertname": "AlertmanagerAlert",
 			  "grafana_folder": "default"
 			},
-			"annotations": {
-			  "__orgId__":"1",
+		"annotations": {
+		  "__orgId__":"1",
               "__values__": "{\"A\":1}",
-              "__value_string__": "[ var='A' labels={} value=1 ]"
+              "__value_string__": "[ var='A' labels={} type='math' value=1 ]"
             },
 			"startsAt": "%s",
 			"endsAt": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",

pkg/tests/api/alerting/api_testing_test.go

@@ -150,8 +150,8 @@ func TestGrafanaRuleConfig(t *testing.T) {
 		for i, alert := range result {
 			require.NotEmpty(t, alert.Annotations["values.B"])
 			require.NotEmpty(t, alert.Annotations["values.C"])
-			valueB := fmt.Sprintf("[ var='B' labels={state=%s} value=%s ]", dynamicLabels[i], alert.Annotations["values.B"])
-			valueC := fmt.Sprintf("[ var='C' labels={state=%s} value=%s ]", dynamicLabels[i], alert.Annotations["values.C"])
+			valueB := fmt.Sprintf("[ var='B' labels={state=%s} type='reduce' value=%s ]", dynamicLabels[i], alert.Annotations["values.B"])
+			valueC := fmt.Sprintf("[ var='C' labels={state=%s} type='threshold' value=%s ]", dynamicLabels[i], alert.Annotations["values.C"])
 			require.Contains(t, alert.Annotations["value"], valueB)
 			require.Contains(t, alert.Annotations["value"], valueC)
 		}
@@ -172,8 +172,8 @@ func TestGrafanaRuleConfig(t *testing.T) {
 		for i, alert := range result {
 			require.NotEmpty(t, alert.Labels["values.B"])
 			require.NotEmpty(t, alert.Labels["values.C"])
-			valueB := fmt.Sprintf("[ var='B' labels={state=%s} value=%s ]", dynamicLabels[i], alert.Labels["values.B"])
-			valueC := fmt.Sprintf("[ var='C' labels={state=%s} value=%s ]", dynamicLabels[i], alert.Labels["values.C"])
+			valueB := fmt.Sprintf("[ var='B' labels={state=%s} type='reduce' value=%s ]", dynamicLabels[i], alert.Labels["values.B"])
+			valueC := fmt.Sprintf("[ var='C' labels={state=%s} type='threshold' value=%s ]", dynamicLabels[i], alert.Labels["values.C"])
 			require.Contains(t, alert.Labels["value"], valueB)
 			require.Contains(t, alert.Labels["value"], valueC)
 		}