# file

The `file` service discovery plugin updates the targets by reading the local file. YAML and JSON are the allowed file formats.

## Example Configuration

Here is an example with `out_forward` updating targets by sending data:

```
<match pattern>
  @type forward

  <service_discovery>
    @type file
    path "/etc/fluentd/sd.yaml"
  </service_discovery>
</source>
```

Here is an example of target list file (`/etc/fluentd/sd.yaml`):

```
- 'host': 127.0.0.1
  'port': 24224
  'weight': 1
  'name': server1
- 'host': 127.0.0.1
  'port': 24225
  'weight': 1
  'name': server2
```

## Parameters

### `@type`

The value must be `file`.

### `path`

| type   | default                 | version |
| ------ | ----------------------- | ------- |
| string | `'/etc/fluent/sd.yaml'` | 1.8.0   |

The path of the target list.

The `Content-Type` is determined by file extension i.e.:

* YAML: yaml, yml
* JSON: json

### `conf_encoding`

| type   | default   | version |
| ------ | --------- | ------- |
| string | `'utf-8'` | 1.8.0   |

The encoding of the configuration file.

### Parameters in Target List File

Each target has following parameters:

* `host`
* `name`
* `port`
* `shared_key`
* `username`
* `password`
* `standby`
* `weight`

#### `host`

| type   | default | version |
| ------ | ------- | ------- |
| string | `nil`   | 1.8.0   |

The IP address or hostname of the server. It is a required parameter.

#### `port`

| type    | default | version |
| ------- | ------- | ------- |
| integer |         | 1.8.0   |

The port number of the host. It is a required parameter.

#### `name`

| type   | default | version |
| ------ | ------- | ------- |
| string | `nil`   | 1.8.0   |

The name of the server.

#### `shared_key`

| type   | default | version |
| ------ | ------- | ------- |
| string | `nil`   | 1.8.0   |

The shared key per server.

#### `username`

| type   | default | version |
| ------ | ------- | ------- |
| string | `nil`   | 1.8.0   |

The username for authentication.

#### `password`

| type   | default | version |
| ------ | ------- | ------- |
| string | `nil`   | 1.8.0   |

The password for authentication.

#### `standby`

| type | default | version |
| ---- | ------- | ------- |
| bool | `nil`   | 1.8.0   |

#### `weight`

| type    | default | version |
| ------- | ------- | ------- |
| integer | 60      | 1.8.0   |

If this article is incorrect or outdated, or omits critical information, please [let us know](https://github.com/fluent/fluentd-docs-gitbook/issues?state=open). [Fluentd](http://www.fluentd.org/) is an open-source project under [Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF)](https://cncf.io/). All components are available under the Apache 2 License.


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.fluentd.org/service_discovery/file.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.