Grafana v6.0 introduces a host of new features and enhancements, including a new React-based platform for panels and plugins, aiming to transform Grafana's architecture and future capabilities. The release highlights the new "Explore" feature, which provides a query-focused workflow for data exploration and troubleshooting, allowing users to delve into metrics and logs simultaneously. This version also integrates Grafana Loki, a log aggregation system, enhancing the ability to switch between metrics and logs queries with preserved label filters. The update includes a completely redesigned panel editor UX, a standalone gauge panel, and built-in support for Google Stackdriver and Azure Monitor, broadening the cloud services integration. Security and deployment are improved with the removal of user session storage in favor of short-lived tokens, bolstering ease of deployment and security against CSRF and XSS vulnerabilities. Additionally, the color picker now includes named colors for better accessibility, and support for alert notifications has expanded to include Google Hangouts Chat, alongside enhanced template variables for time range queries.