Command-Line Interface (CLI)
Vector is a single binary that be managed through a command line interface. This page documents all of the available flags, options, subcommands, and environment variables.
vector [FLAGS] [OPTIONS] [SUBCOMMAND] [ARGS]
Commands
Start
The root command (no subcommand) starts Vector.
vector [FLAGS] [OPTIONS]
| Flags | Description |
-h, --help | Prints help information |
-q, --quiet | Reduce detail of internal logging. Repeat to reduce further. Overrides --verbose |
-r, --require-healthy | Exit on startup if any sinks fail healthchecks The VECTOR_REQUIRE_HEALTHY is also supported. |
-v, --verbose | Enable more detailed logging. Repeat to reduce further. Overrides --verbose |
-V, --version | Prints version information |
-w, --watch-config | Watch for changes in the configuration file, and reload accordingly The VECTOR_WATCH_CONFIG is also supported. |
| Options | Description |
--color <enum> | Control when ANSI terminal formatting is used. Must be one of always, auto, and never. |
-c, --config <string> | Read configuration from one or more files. Wildcard paths are supported. If zero files are specified the default config path /etc/vector/vector.toml will be targeted. TOML, YAML and JSON file formats are supported. The format to interpret the file with is determined from the file extension (.toml, .yaml, .json). We will fallback to TOML if we are unable to detect a supported format. The VECTOR_CONFIG is also supported. |
--config-toml <string> | Read configuration from one or more files. Wildcard paths are supported. TOML file format is assumed. The VECTOR_CONFIG_TOML is also supported. |
--config-json <string> | Read configuration from one or more files. Wildcard paths are supported. JSON file format is assumed. The VECTOR_CONFIG_JSON is also supported. |
--config-yaml <string> | Read configuration from one or more files. Wildcard paths are supported. YAML file format is assumed. The VECTOR_CONFIG_YAML is also supported. |
-t, --threads <integer> | Number of threads to use for processing (default is number of available cores) The VECTOR_THREADS is also supported. |
--log-format <enum> | Set the logging format [default: text] Must be one of json and text. |
generate
Generate a Vector configuration containing a list of components
vector generate [FLAGS] [OPTIONS] <pipeline>
| Flags | Description |
-h, --help | Prints help information |
-f, --fragment | Whether to skip the generation of global fields |
-V, --version | Prints version information |
| Options | Description |
--file <string> | Generate config as a file |
| Args | |
<pipeline> |
help
Prints this message or the help of the given subcommand(s)
vector help
list
List available components, then exit
vector list [FLAGS] [OPTIONS]
| Flags | Description |
-h, --help | Prints help information |
-V, --version | Prints version information |
| Options | Description |
--format <enum> | Format the list in an encoding schema Must be one of avro, json, and text. |
test
Run Vector config unit tests, then exit. This command is experimental and therefore subject to change. For guidance on how to write unit tests check out: https://vector.dev/docs/setup/guides/unit-testing/
vector test [OPTIONS] <paths>
| Options | Description |
--config-toml <string> | Test configuration from one or more files. Wildcard paths are supported. TOML file format is assumed. The VECTOR_CONFIG_TOML is also supported. |
--config-json <string> | Test configuration from one or more files. Wildcard paths are supported. JSON file format is assumed. The VECTOR_CONFIG_JSON is also supported. |
--config-yaml <string> | Test configuration from one or more files. Wildcard paths are supported. YAML file format is assumed. The VECTOR_CONFIG_YAML is also supported. |
| Args | |
<paths> |
top
Display topology and metrics in the console, for a local or remote Vector instance
vector top [FLAGS] [OPTIONS]
| Flags | Description |
-h, --help | Prints help information |
-h, --human-metrics | Humanize metrics, using numeric suffixes - e.g. 1,100 = 1.10 k, 1,000,000 = 1.00 M |
-V, --version | Prints version information |
| Options | Description |
-i, --refresh-interval <integer> | How often the screen refreshes (in milliseconds) |
-u, --url <string> | The URL for the GraphQL endpoint of the running Vector instance |
validate
Validate the target config, then exit
vector validate [FLAGS] [OPTIONS] <paths>
| Flags | Description |
-h, --help | Prints help information |
-ne, --no-environment | Disables environment checks. That includes component checks and health checks |
-V, --version | Prints version information |
-d, --deny-warnings | Fail validation on warnings |
| Options | Description |
--config-toml <string> | Any number of Vector config files to validate. TOML file format is assumed. |
--config-json <string> | Any number of Vector config files to validate. JSON file format is assumed. |
--config-yaml <string> | Any number of Vector config files to validate. YAML file format is assumed. |
| Args | |
<paths> |
Environment Variables
You can control Vector's behavior through select environment variables:
ENV_VAR1=val ENV_VAR2=val vector --config=/etc/vector/vector.toml
In addition, we recommend that you look at the global configuration options as well.
- optionalstring
AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID
The AWS access key id. Used for AWS authentication when communicating with AWS services.
- View examples
- optionalstring
AWS_CONFIG_FILE
Specifies the location of the file that the AWS CLI uses to store configuration profiles.
- Default:
"~/.aws/config"
- Default:
- optionalstring
AWS_CREDENTIAL_EXPIRATION
Expiration time in RFC 3339 format. If unset, credentials won't expire.
- View examples
- optionalstring
AWS_DEFAULT_REGION
The default AWS region.
- Only relevant when: endpoint = null
- View examples
- optionalstring
AWS_PROFILE
Specifies the name of the CLI profile with the credentials and options to use. This can be the name of a profile stored in a credentials or config file.
- Default:
"default" - View examples
- Default:
- optionalstring
AWS_ROLE_SESSION_NAME
Specifies a name to associate with the role session. This value appears in CloudTrail logs for commands performed by the user of this profile.
- View examples
- optionalstring
AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY
The AWS secret access key. Used for AWS authentication when communicating with AWS services.
- View examples
- optionalstring
AWS_SESSION_TOKEN
The AWS session token. Used for AWS authentication when communicating with AWS services.
- View examples
- optionalstring
AWS_SHARED_CREDENTIALS_FILE
Specifies the location of the file that the AWS CLI uses to store access keys.
- Default:
"~/.aws/credentials"
- Default:
- optionalstring
DOCKER_CERT_PATH
Path to look for TLS certificates when
tlsconfiguration is absent. Vector will use:$DOCKER_CERT_PATH/ca.pem: CA certificate.$DOCKER_CERT_PATH/cert.pem: TLS certificate.$DOCKER_CERT_PATH/key.pem: TLS key.
- View examples
- optionalstring
DOCKER_CONFIG
Path to look for TLS certificates when both
tlsconfiguration andDOCKER_CERT_PATHare absent.- View examples
- optionalstring
DOCKER_HOST
The Docker host to connect to when
docker_hostconfiguration is absent.- View examples
- optionalstring
GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS
The filename for a Google Cloud service account credentials JSON file used for authentication.
- Only relevant when: endpoint = null
- View examples
- optionalstring
LOG
Sets Vector's log level. See the log section in the monitoring guide for more information on the available levels.
- View examples
- optionalbool
RUST_BACKTRACE
Enables backtraces when errors are logged. Use this when debugging only since it can degrade performance.
- View examples
- optionalstring
VECTOR_CONFIG
Sets the location of Vector's configuration file.
- View examples
- optionalbool
VECTOR_REQUIRE_HEALTHY
Exit on startup if any sinks fail healthchecks.
- View examples
- optionaluint
VECTOR_THREADS
Number of threads to use for processing (default is number of available cores).
- View examples
- optionalbool
VECTOR_WATCH_CONFIG
Watch for changes in configuration file, and reload accordingly.
- View examples