---
layout: default
title: OpenSearch Dashboards
nav_order: 11
has_children: true
has_toc: false
---

# OpenSearch Dashboards

OpenSearch Dashboards is the default visualization tool for data in OpenSearch. It also serves as a user interface for many of the OpenSearch plugins, including security, alerting, Index State Management, SQL, and more.


## Run OpenSearch Dashboards using Docker

You *can* start OpenSearch Dashboards using `docker run` after [creating a Docker network](https://docs.docker.com/engine/reference/commandline/network_create/) and starting OpenSearch, but the process of connecting OpenSearch Dashboards to OpenSearch is significantly easier with a Docker Compose file.

1. Run `docker pull opensearch/opensearch-dashboards:{{site.opensearch_version}}`.

1. Create a [`docker-compose.yml`](https://docs.docker.com/compose/compose-file/) file appropriate for your environment. A sample file that includes OpenSearch Dashboards is available on the OpenSearch [Docker installation page](../install/docker/#sample-docker-compose-file).

   Just like `opensearch.yml`, you can pass a custom `opensearch_dashboards.yml` to the container in the Docker Compose file.
   {: .tip }

1. Run `docker-compose up`.

   Wait for the containers to start. Then see [Get started with OpenSearch Dashboards](#get-started-with-opensearch-dashboards).

1. When finished, run `docker-compose down`.


## Run OpenSearch Dashboards using the tarball

1. Download the tarball from the [OpenSearch downloads page](https://opensearch.org/downloads/){:target='\_blank'}.

1. Extract the TAR file to a directory and change to that directory:

   ```bash
   # x64
   tar -zxf opensearch-dashboards-{{site.opensearch_version}}-linux-x64.tar.gz
   cd opensearch-dashboards
   # ARM64
   tar -zxf opensearch-dashboards-{{site.opensearch_version}}-linux-arm64.tar.gz
   cd opensearch-dashboards
   ```

1. If desired, modify `config/opensearch_dashboards.yml`.

1. Run OpenSearch Dashboards:

   ```bash
   ./bin/opensearch-dashboards
   ```


## Get started with OpenSearch Dashboards

1. After starting OpenSearch Dashboards, you can access it at port 5601. For example, http://localhost:5601.
1. Log in with the default username `admin` and password `admin`.
1. Choose **Try our sample data** and add the sample flight data.
1. Choose **Discover** and search for a few flights.
1. Choose **Dashboard**, **[Flights] Global Flight Dashboard**, and wait for the dashboard to load.