The victoriametrics/metrics repository is a lightweight Go package designed as an alternative to the official Prometheus client library (github.com/prometheus/client_golang). It provides functionality for exporting metrics in Prometheus text exposition format while prioritizing simplicity, performance, and minimal dependencies. The package was originally extracted from the VictoriaMetrics time-series database project and serves as a core component in the VictoriaMetrics ecosystem.
The repository emphasizes a minimalist approach to metrics instrumentation. It explicitly avoids the complexity of the official Prometheus client, which the maintainers argue is difficult to use and includes unnecessary advanced functionality. Instead, metrics provides a straightforward API for creating and exporting counters, gauges, histograms, and other metric types. The package supports exporting distinct metric sets through separate endpoints via its Set functionality, allowing applications to organize metrics logically.
A distinctive feature of the metrics package is its histogram implementation. Rather than using the standard Prometheus histogram bucket format with le (less than or equal) labels, VictoriaMetrics histograms use vmrange labels, which consume significantly less disk space because they do not accumulate counters across ranges. The package also provides classic Prometheus-compatible histograms for applications requiring strict compatibility. According to the repository documentation, VictoriaMetrics' query functions transparently handle both bucket formats, and a prometheus_buckets function can convert vmrange buckets to standard Prometheus format when needed for tools like Grafana heatmaps.
The package supports pushing metrics to VictoriaMetrics or any other remote storage system that accepts Prometheus text exposition format through its InitPush functionality. By default, exposed metrics omit TYPE and HELP metadata information, though this can be enabled via the ExposeMetadata function for applications requiring full Prometheus compliance.
Enhancement requests represent the most common issue type with seven tracked items, followed by four bug reports and two help-wanted issues.
The package is classified across numerous observability and performance-related categories including metrics collection, time-series databases, cloud-native observability, high-performance storage, and Prometheus compatibility. Its design reflects VictoriaMetrics' broader philosophy of creating efficient, scalable solutions for metrics monitoring and time-series data management. The repository's focus on lightweight implementation, fast performance, and ease of use positions it as a practical choice for applications seeking Prometheus-compatible metrics export without the overhead of more comprehensive client libraries.
