Datadog Fundamentals free question 1 / 10 · Domain 1: Essential Concepts
Which tag format does Datadog recommend?
- The key=value format
- The key:value format
- A bare value with no key
- A nested JSON object
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: B
Why this is correct
The Getting Started with Tags page says a tag can be formatted as key:value or as a bare value, and that "Datadog recommends using the key:value format, as it is often semantically clearer and allows for richer querying capabilities (for example, grouping by key)." In a key:value pair, the key is the identifier and the value is the specific data associated with the key.
Why the other options are wrong
"A bare value with no key" … A bare value is a valid tag format, but it is not the recommended one. Without a key you cannot group by it, so you lose the richer querying that key:value gives you.
"The key=value format" … The documentation defines tags only as key:value or as a bare value. A key=value form with an equals sign is not a tag format that Datadog describes.
"A nested JSON object" … Tags are flat strings, not structured objects. The page describes no JSON or nested format for tags.
Key point
Commonly used tag keys are env, instance, and name. Tag values are not unique per resource: the same key:value pair can be used across many resources.
Go to the Datadog Fundamentals practice app (10 free questions; purchase unlocks all questions)