The stdout output plugin sends Fluent Bit events to the console. It is a quick inspection destination: attach it to a pipeline, match the events to observe, and read the emitted records while developing or troubleshooting inputs, filters, and record changes. section 5.4 section 5.1
An output definition uses `[OUTPUT]`, `Name stdout`, and `Match` to select tags. `Match *` sends all matching events to the console; a match can also name tags or combine a name with one wildcard. Dot-separated tags such as `server.cpu` or `app1.container_log` support selective output routing. section 5.4
Use stdout deliberately for these operational tasks:
- Validate a simple pipeline locally before sending events to a service or file destination. section 2.1.3
- Inspect the effect of filtering or record manipulation, then remove the console output after the configuration is satisfactory. section 5.4
- Format records as JSON Lines and add an ISO 8601 date field when one event per output line is useful. section 5.4
- Use Kubernetes-captured stdout only as a fail-safe, or route only critical errors there so console output signals serious conditions. section 5.4
Console output from a dummy input
This CLI pipeline creates a tagged dummy event and prints every matching event to stdout: `fluent-bit -q -i dummy -p dummy="{\"hello\":\"my world\"}" -t dummy1 -o stdout -m '*'`. The `-q` option suppresses unnecessary Fluent Bit logging, leaving the event output easier to inspect. section 2.1.3
Listing 5.4 Formatting output: std-output.conf
[SERVICE] flush 1 log_level error #1 [INPUT] name http listen 0.0.0.0 port 9881 tag http-in [OUTPUT] match * #2 name stdout #3 format json_lines #4 json_date_key received-date #5 json_date_format iso8601 #6
This configuration shows an HTTP input routed to stdout, with `format json_lines`, a custom date key, and ISO 8601 timestamps. section 5.4
