M3 is a comprehensive metrics platform distributed as a monorepo written in Go. The project provides a distributed time series database (TSDB), a query engine, a Prometheus sidecar, a metrics aggregator, and Graphite-compatible storage and query capabilities. The platform is designed to handle large-scale metrics collection, storage, and querying across distributed systems.
The core components of M3 address different aspects of the metrics pipeline. The distributed TSDB serves as the primary storage layer for time series data, while the query engine enables efficient retrieval and analysis of metrics. The Prometheus sidecar allows M3 to integrate directly with Prometheus deployments, facilitating metrics ingestion from existing Prometheus infrastructure. The metrics aggregator component handles real-time aggregation of metrics streams, and the Graphite compatibility layer ensures that organizations using Graphite can leverage M3's capabilities without significant migration overhead.
The repository is classified across multiple domains reflecting its broad scope: distributed systems, time series database, metrics storage, high availability, scalability, cloud-native architecture, aggregation, query engines, and observability. These classifications underscore M3's positioning as a production-grade platform designed for organizations requiring reliable, scalable metrics infrastructure.
M3 provides multiple pathways for users to get started, with Docker-based quickstart options prominently featured in the documentation. The project maintains comprehensive documentation at m3db.io, community engagement through Slack channels and Google Groups forums, and regular community meetings with recorded sessions available on Vimeo. The contribution process is formalized through a contributing guide, and the project welcomes pull requests and community feedback through GitHub issues, Slack, and the public forum. The codebase is released under the Apache License, Version 2.0, making it freely available for both commercial and open source use.
